Fish for young children/toddlers

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I have an almost 4 year old and a 16 month old.

I would like to give them more fish but I don't eat it at all myself other than the odd tuna pasta bake. I have really tried over the years as DH loves fish but just can't take to it.

Because of this I am not very familar with fish.

I can follow a recipe but I am really nervous about bones.

Both dds like fish fingers and frozen cod in batter but I have found the occasional bone in the cod and end up breaking it up so much it is unrecognisable on the plate.

What kinds of fish do your children eat and can you be sure there are no bones?

Are some fish better than others?

Thanks

Salmon steaks

White fish in parsley sauce

Fish pie

Fish on croute (sp)- fish in pastry

Fish cakes

Buy it from a fish monger and ask for the bones to be removed or remove them yourself.

Salmon is great as the bones are huge (so easy to spot and remove).

I think that teaching children to manage a few bones is important. Show your 4 year old how to separate the fish where it flakes naturally with their knife and fork and how to recognise a bone and remove it to the side of the plate. And then show them how to eat small pieces at a time, feeling the fish with their tongue before swallowing in case there are any small bones still present. Children learn quickly and won't be put off if they have the right techniques.

For the baby, you'll have to examine the fish for them until they're old enough to learn for themselves. Good luck

my kids age 3 and 5 eat

sardine pasta (mashed sardines(skinless and boneless) with tomato based pasta sauce and pasta)

fish nuggets (salmon fillet cut into pieces, flour egg semolina shallow fry)

smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwiches

smoked mackerel pate sandwiches (check smoked mac for bones put in food processor with some plain yoghurt)

fish fingers

If I make fishcakes I check for bones with my fingers once the fish is poached. Same if we have fish and chips but I serve it whole and break it up in front of them so it looks nice to start with.

ps I am veggie and don't know what any of this stuff tastes like but DH likes it and the kids gobble it up even the sardine pasta.

My DS loves mackarel (skinless & boneless) in tomato sauce & will have it mashed up by itself or mixed with pasta. Any white fillets of fish (frozen or fresh, but frozen v handy) can be mixed with white sauce or cheese sauce & good wi peas/sweetcorn & topped with mashed potato. I have found frozen fillets of fish v handy as can be cooked from frozen & therefore made int quick meal anytime. White fish fillets also v tasty in baked in tinned tomatoes, good wi frozen chips.

Tuna burgers - blast tuna steaks in a food processor with lime, fresh coriander, ground corainder and spring onions then form into little patties and fry in a little olive oil. Aldi sell bags of frozen tuna steaks which are perfect (and cheap).

Salmon fish finger (strips of fish, dipped in flour then egg then breadcrumb - make your own from stale bread and freeze them) then fried in a spritz of olive oil. Good finger food for babies as they don't disintegrate.

Haddock with cheese sauce - Poach the fish in a little milk then use the milk to make a white sauce. Flavour with some strong cheddar or parmesan then pour the whole lot over the fish and blast under a grill under coloured. Good with spinach or broccoli and mash.

Mix strips of smoked haddock with cherry tomatoes and/or pieces of courgette and fresh basil and cover with half fat creme fraiche mixed with a little cheese with a little extra sprinkled over. Bake.

Cook pasta with pieces of green veg and then mix in a packet of hot smoked salmon and some garlic and herb cream cheese.

Fay Ripley's book Fay's Family Food has excellent easy fish recipes that my lot love.

To check for bones simply lay the fish on a flat surface and then feel carefully along the spine. They are usually quite obvious and you can pinch them out. Fish tweezers are quite useful but you shouldn't need them.

I feel quite hungry now!