Shrimp

Q: When can babies eat shrimp?

From around 6 months, once your baby is ready for solids, served in a safe shape and texture for their age.

Sweet, springy and best chopped small. Cook it through before serving.

Checked against official guidance on October 18, 2026 · How we review

Quick answer

Babies can eat shrimp from around 6 months, once they show signs of being ready for solids. Prepare it as shown below.

From 6 monthsMedium choking risk as servedAllergen: Shellfish

How to serve shrimp by age

6 months+

Minced shrimp or shrimp cakes

Cook peeled shrimp until pearly and opaque, then mince it very finely and stir into mashed potato or rice, or shape the mixture into finger-sized cakes.

Size: Finely minced into soft food, or shrimp cakes shaped like a finger, about 6–8 cm long and 2 cm wide (2½–3 × ¾ in).
Check before serving: Cut the thickest shrimp in half before mincing: it should be opaque all the way through, with no grey, see-through center. Shrimp cakes should flatten when you squash them gently.

US and UK advice differ here. The AAP suggests mashed food or soft pieces no larger than ½ inch; the NHS suggests soft finger-sized pieces your baby can hold in their fist. Both agree the food must squash easily.

Always have your child sit upright in a high chair or at the table, and stay with them the whole time they eat. Keep to the size and texture for their stage. Every baby develops on their own timeline.

How to prepare shrimp

1
Thaw frozen shrimp in the fridge overnight. Peel off the shell and tail, and pull out the dark vein along the back.
2
Simmer or steam until the flesh is firm, pearly and opaque (145°F / 63°C). Don't add salt.
3
Let it cool, then mince finely (6 months) or chop small (9 months+), and mix into a soft food or shape into cakes.
4
First time? Pick a day your baby is well, at home, when you can watch them for a couple of hours afterward.

How much to offer

For the very first taste, offer a small amount: a teaspoon of minced shrimp mixed into a food your baby already eats. If there's no reaction, offer more next time. For ages 1 to 3, the FDA suggests a fish or shellfish serving of about 1 oz (28 g), twice a week. Your baby decides how much to eat.

Common mistakes

Serving shrimp whole

Whole shrimp are firm and springy, and the AAP says to modify chunks of meat and cut food for young children into pieces no larger than ½ inch. Mince or chop shrimp into small pieces.

Undercooking it

Cook shrimp until the flesh is firm, pearly and opaque. Never offer raw or lightly cooked shellfish, such as shrimp ceviche or sushi.

Leaving the tail on

The tail shell is hard and sharp. Remove the whole shell, including the tail, before cooking or serving.

Buying salted or treated shrimp

Some frozen shrimp contain added salt or additives to hold in water. FoodData Central lists about 950 mg of sodium per 100 g for one such sample, against about 110 mg for plain cooked shrimp. Check the ingredient list and choose shrimp with nothing added.

Questions parents ask

Can shrimp be a choking hazard for babies?

Whole shrimp are firm, springy and a choking risk for young children. Mince them for babies and cut them into small pieces for toddlers. Always remove the shell and tail. Never offer raw or undercooked shellfish. Stay with your child during meals.

Can babies be allergic to shrimp?

Shellfish is a common allergen, and shrimp is a crustacean, the shellfish group behind most shellfish reactions. Shellfish can be introduced from around 6 months, like other foods: start with a small amount on its own and watch for signs of a reaction. A shellfish allergy is different from a fish allergy: one doesn't mean the other. Shellfish allergies often last for life, so talk to your pediatrician if your baby reacts. Shrimp can also carry toxins from algae blooms that cooking doesn't destroy (NHS, CDC). If you hear that local waters have had an algae bloom or 'red tide' warning, don't serve shellfish from there. If your child has breathing trouble, swelling of the face, lips or tongue, seems confused, or becomes floppy after eating shrimp, call your emergency number. For vomiting, diarrhea, numbness or tingling, or if they seem unwell within a few hours of eating shrimp, get medical care right away.

Is shrimp healthy for babies?

A lean source of protein, with zinc and copper. The NHS notes that shellfish also provide selenium and iodine. Shrimp is not a major source of iron.

When can babies eat shrimp?

From around 6 months, cooked until pearly and opaque and minced finely. The CDC lists shellfish among the allergenic foods to introduce when you introduce other foods. In the UK, shrimp are usually called prawns, and the NHS also says not to give babies and children raw or lightly cooked shellfish.

Can babies eat precooked frozen shrimp?

Yes. Thaw them in the fridge, check the label for added salt, then heat until steaming hot, 165°F (74°C), and let them cool before chopping.

Is shrimp high in mercury?

No. Shrimp is on the FDA's 'Best choices' list and among the seafood it names as even lower in mercury.

If your baby refuses shrimp

Many babies need 10 or more tries before they accept a new food. Keep offering it alongside foods they already like.
Mix minced shrimp into foods your baby already likes, such as rice, pasta or mashed potato.
Try shrimp cakes: they're easier to hold than loose pieces.
If your baby keeps refusing shrimp and you're relying on it as an early allergen, mention it to your pediatrician.

Never force or pressure your baby to eat. Some days they'll eat more, some days less, and that's normal.

Buying and storing shrimp

Keep raw shrimp in the fridge and cook it within 2 days, or freeze it.
Cooked shrimp keeps for 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the fridge. Rice dishes are the exception: cool them within 1 hour, keep them in the fridge for no more than 1 day, and reheat them only once.
Shrimp cakes can be frozen for 3 to 4 months. Reheat only once, to 165°F (74°C), until steaming hot, then let them cool before serving.
Throw away any food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if it's hotter than 90°F / 32°C).

When to talk to your doctor

Contact your pediatrician, GP or health visitor if:

Your baby has had any reaction to shrimp, even a mild one. Stop offering it, and talk to your pediatrician before trying other shellfish such as crab or lobster.
Your baby vomits a few hours after eating shrimp. This can be FPIES, a delayed type of food allergy that shellfish can trigger. If they vomited once or twice and seem alert and like themselves, call your pediatrician or GP. If they vomit again and again, or are pale, floppy, very sleepy or hard to wake, call your emergency number.
You notice mild signs of an allergic reaction after eating, such as a few hives or a little vomiting. See signs of a reaction.
You're worried about how much your baby eats, their growth, or they refuse most solid food for weeks.

Call 911999your local emergency number (such as 112 in Europe or 000 in Australia) now if your baby has trouble breathing, wheezing, can't cough or cry, has lips, mouth, tongue or throat that suddenly swell, or becomes pale, bluish, floppy or unresponsive. Also call if hives come with repeated vomiting.

Offered shrimp?

Add it to your first 100 foods.