Suggestions for preparing fish for your DD/DS 's

[ett]

DS is 13 months now and I would like to introduce him to some fish but wasn't sure what kind of fish to prepare. Is salmon or tuna a good first choice? Or what about regular white fish? How do you prepare it?

I know I could just buy fish sticks from the supermarket, but I'm looking for a healthier alternative.

Thanks.

[houseof3boys]

I have tried tilapia and salmon for Ryan and he won't have it! I also tried the "healthy" fish sticks thinking the breading would fool him but he didn't like those either. I would just make sure that it is seasoned with whatever kind of seasoning he likes (spicy, sweet, salty, whatever) so that it is not bland and he gets instantly disinterested.

Mercury is a big thing to me so I think whatever is the lowest mercury count is what you should try. Here is a good link to read and it has others contained in the article that will give you a good list:

http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fishadvice/advice.html

Hope you do better than I did with my finicky eater. :)

[JElaineB]

I agree with Debbi to check out the links regarding fish safety. There are lots of fish out there that are high in mercury or other toxic chemicals. Organic Style magazine had a good article last month (September) on what fish to choose also. Tuna is one that should probably not be eaten by young children or pregnant women just to be safe. And definitely avoid swordfish, shark, king mackrel and tilefish. Those are all extremely high in mercury. Salmon has other issues. The best salmon is Alaska wild salmon. I can actually find it here in the Midwest at reasonable prices occassionally. Atlantic farmed salmon is very iffy because of potential toxins. Oregon and Washington wild salmon were iffy because of environmental reasons (maybe overfishing? I can't remember). Many white fish are good choices, but I can't remember which ones are the best except for 2 - farmed tilapia and farmed catfish. Some of the reasons they give not to eat a particular fish frequently are for environmental reasons like overfishing, but others are listed for health reasons.

Ok....found the link to the articles.

[link:www.organicstyle.com/feature/0,8028,s1-41-30-32-816,00.html|Organic Style - Complete Guide to Fish]

[link:www.organicstyle.com/feature/0,8028,s1-41-30-32-817,00.html|Organic Style - You Can Still Eat Your Favorites]

If you click on either link there is a link on the webpage to a downloadable PDF with the chart of what fish are good to eat at what frequency. They do make note of those fish that have different allowable frequencies of eating for children and pregnant women compared to most adults.

Jennifer
mom to Jacob 9/27/02

[squimp]

I think salmon is a good choice - askdrsears.com says it is the least allergenic fish and a good baby food. I suggest getting wild Pacific salmon if you can find it. Farmed salmon has been shown to have higher concentrations of harmful compounds such as methylmercury, PCBs and now flame retardants. I think it tastes better too - OK the wild salmon, not the toxins!

It's important to avoid these toxins because they bioaccumulate, and much of the tiny amounts that you eat stay with you over your lifetime, or your baby's lifetime. That's also one of the main reasons I try to eat organically grown food as much as possible.

Our DD pretty much eats what we eat, and often we eat grilled or steamed salmon. To steam, put it in a foil packet with some water, a little butter, lemon and dill on top, then cook it for about 20 minutes per inch thickness at 350-375.

[cchavez]

My extremely picky eater likes tilapia. We just grill it w/ a few spices. He also likes certain fish sticks....or he does sometimes. Debbie, what "healthy" fishsticks are you taking about. I also only give him fish twice a week at the most.

[houseof3boys]

I don't know how "healthy" they are but I think it was Mrs. Pauls brand and it said healthy something in the type of sticks they were. I tried to google it but am not coming up with anything. I need to do a grocery run tomorrow so I swing by and get the exact kind for you.