Fish soup for children: a simple and healthy soup recipe

The benefits of fish soup for babies

First, it’s worth talking about the benefits of fish broth for children. It contains vitamins B, C, E and PP, iodine, calcium, fluorine, phosphorus, iron and potassium - everything that is needed for a growing body. Of course, the beneficial qualities depend on the type of fish and the cooking method. Kids should not be given a lot of fried foods, which means soup is an ideal option for lunch. It is light, combines delicious foods, and is easily digestible. Fish soup, no worse than chicken soup, helps with various diseases, increasing the body's defenses.

Dishes made from river or sea fish should be introduced carefully, observing the child’s reaction. Pediatricians recommend including soups in the menu with pink salmon, pollock or cod broth after one year. They are contraindicated for infants under 12 months, but some mothers give their babies new dishes earlier. The serving size for 1.5-2 years can reach up to 230 ml.

Nutritional value

The fillet of such sea fish contains about 20% proteins (the liver is only 5%), and their digestibility is several times higher than in meat of animal origin. How many calories are in fish? No more than 80 kcal, which allows it to be included in the diet. But you need to keep in mind that cod liver contains a lot of fat. Its calorie content is about 613 kcal. Despite this, such a liver contains many vitamins (A, B, C, D), micro and macroelements (calcium, phosphorus, iron and others), and unsaturated acids.

The fillet also has a unique composition:

vitamins – A, group B, C, H, E, PP;
minerals – potassium, phosphorus, zinc, fluorine and others;
unsaturated fatty acids;
ash;
cholesterol.

Cod - benefits and harm

Fish soup for little ones

This easy hake chowder is ideal for very young children. This is where you can start introducing fish into your diet. The following products are required for preparation:

hake - 300 g;
potatoes - 1 pc.;
carrots - ½ pcs.;
one small onion;
millet - 2 tbsp. l.
a little salt;
fresh dill.

Cut the hake fillet into large pieces, add water and put on fire. After boiling, reduce it and skim off the foam. Throw in the whole onion and cook for about half an hour. Be sure to strain the finished broth through cheesecloth 2-3 times so that not a single bone is found in the dish. Catch the fish, disassemble into slices and leave on a plate for now.

Chop the potatoes into cubes and throw them into the boiling broth, you can add a little salt. Grate the carrots on a medium grater and place in a saucepan. After 5-7 minutes, throw in the washed millet and cook until the potatoes become softer. Throw in the fish fillets and turn off the heat after 5 minutes. When serving in hake and millet soup for a child, add chopped herbs.

Best Recipes

Not only adults love to eat delicious food; variety in the diet is important for kids too. Use recipes for children's fish soup that your little one will like.

Cod soup

This dish can be cooked for children over one year old. The first one is not only tasty, but also filling.

Products:

100 g cod fillet;
2 potatoes;
small onion;
carrot;
1 tbsp. l. rice;
1 liter of water.

Let's move on to cooking:

First, let's prepare the fish. Rinse it thoroughly, remove bones and divide into medium pieces.
Now place the fillet in the water, and after boiling, cook for another 20–25 minutes.
Then cook the onion in a separate saucepan, remove it and add chopped carrots and potatoes with rice to the broth.
Keep vegetables until ready. A few minutes before turning off, add the cooked fish.

The most delicious first thing is ready!

With sea balls

There is nothing difficult in preparing fish ball soup for children if you have already made it from regular meat. This dish will appeal to both very young and older children. Ready for a new recipe? Then check your refrigerator.

We will need:

200 g lean fish;
potatoes, onions, carrots;
2 tbsp. l. milk;
1 liter of water.

Making meatballs:

Wash the seafood, remove the skin and bones. Leave it to dry, then cut it into cubes and pass through a meat grinder.
Make balls from the mixture. To make them stick better, add milk or semolina.

Now let's get to the soup:

Take care of the vegetables - wash them, chop the potatoes, grate the carrots and chop the onion.
Place all ingredients in a saucepan and cook until potatoes are soft.
Then add the meatballs, keep them in the broth for another 10 minutes after boiling.

Trout soup

If your child is a gourmet who prefers unusual dishes, then red fish soup will surprise him.

We will need:

whole trout;
3 potatoes;
carrot, onion.

Step-by-step preparation:

You'll have to tinker with the cutting. First, cut off the head and tail of the fish, then rinse the limbs under water, remove the gills and scales.
Send the head and onion to cook. After boiling, let it sit for 30 minutes, skimming off the foam.
When the time is up, remove the contents of the pan and discard the boiled ingredients.
Then add the chopped carrots and potatoes to the boiling broth.
Add the tail and fins to the vegetables, cook for 20 minutes.
Then add the trout fillet and cook for another quarter of an hour.

Seafood can be given to children from 4 years old.

Hake soup

This type of fish is suitable for first feeding, because the species is a low-fat product. Therefore, hake soup can be given to children after one year.

All that is needed:

1 hake;
carrot;
½ onion;
4 potatoes.

Let's start cooking:

Prepare the fish, remove the bones and rinse the fillets under water. Cut the hake into pieces.
Chop the vegetables and place them in the pan along with half an onion for a quarter of an hour.
Then add the fish pieces and cook for another 10 minutes.

A delicious seafood dish is ready.

Millet soup

If you want to please your child with fish soup like in kindergarten, then you will like the recipe for cereal broth.

Ingredients:

200 g fish fillet;
1 potato;
1 carrot;
half an onion;
2 tbsp. l. millet;
1 liter of water.

Step-by-step preparation:

Clean and rinse the seafood, remove the bones. Cut the fillet into small cubes and cook for half an hour.
After the ingredient boils, drain the broth and set aside the meat.
Handle the vegetables, remove the skins and rinse them. Chop the potatoes, carrots and onions.
Throw the millet into boiling water, then add the vegetables.
When the first one is cooked, add finely chopped fish to it.

Rassolnik

This soup is suitable for the whole family, but it should not be given to the little ones, since brine and pickled cucumbers are added to the broth, which is too early for a one-year-old child to eat.

You will need:

400 g pollock fillet;
2 potatoes;
carrots, onions;
½ tbsp. barley;
4 pickled cucumbers;
200 ml brine;
salt, pepper, bay leaf - to taste.

Follow all the steps step by step:

Before cooking, soak pearl barley for 30 minutes. At this time, you can take care of the fish, wash and clean it.
Send the pearl barley to cook, adding water in a ratio of 1:2.
At the same time, take out the second pan, the fish will be cooked in it, fill it with water. After boiling, cook for a quarter of an hour.
Chop the vegetables and grate the cucumbers.
Remove the fish from the water, strain the broth and put it back on the fire.
Add potatoes to fish soup. At this time, simmer onions, carrots and cucumbers in a frying pan.
When the potatoes are almost cooked, add the stewed vegetables to the pan, add the fish and pour in the brine.

You can freeze fish; the product does not have to be fresh.

Broth with salmon

If your child loves red fish, then he will definitely like this soup.

What's included:

salmon steak;
3 potatoes;
carrot, onion;
salt, herbs - optional.

Let's start preparing the soup:

Pour cold water over the seafood and send it to cook.
Wash and chop the vegetables.
When the fish has boiled, turn off the gas and drain the broth. Remove the salmon, wash it and remove the bones.
Add water again, bring to a boil and add the fillet and vegetables into it.
Once the potatoes are cooked, you can turn off the heat.

With saury

Sometimes mothers have to cook soup on the run because there is not enough time. In such a situation, canned fish can save you. Would you like to try this dish?

Take:

a jar of saury;
carrots, onions;
4 potatoes;
greens with salt - to taste.

Now let's start cooking:

Place a pan of water on the fire.
While it is boiling, chop the vegetables and then throw them into the container.
We take out the saury, remove the seeds, drain the oil.
Add the fish as soon as the vegetables are cooked.
Cook the soup for another 10 minutes.

If you want to save more time, then use a slow cooker.

Cod soup with rice

Another step-by-step recipe for fish soup, which is suitable for children aged 10-12 months. If there is a risk of allergies, then getting to know marine species should be postponed for a couple of weeks. What you will need:

cod (fillet) - 300 g;
potatoes - 2 pcs.;
onion - 1 pc.;
cream (20%) – 100 ml;
dill or parsley - 3-4 branches;
salt, you can add one bay leaf.

The fish should be cut into pieces without skin and bones. Pour water into a saucepan, add diced potatoes. Peel the onion and finely chop it - place it in a container. Cook after boiling over medium heat for about 10 minutes. For babies under one year old, it is advisable to boil the whole onion and then remove it.

Add cod fillet and greens to the half-cooked potatoes. Cook for 7-10 minutes, add cream and bring to a boil. Cod soup for a child is ready - you can remove it from the heat.

Denis Borisov

Assistant chef of the restaurant "Fisherman's House"

Ask a Question

If the child does not chew or does not chew well, then it is better to puree the dish.

Why eat fish

Seafood is a storehouse of useful microelements, vitamins and minerals, including:

Protein is involved in building and strengthening the cells of the child’s body.
Fish oil rich in polyunsaturated Omega-3 acids. They are responsible not only for growth and development, but also for the mental component. It has been proven that the baby’s intelligence depends on these components.
Phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, iron. These elements are responsible for bone strength and metabolism.
Vitamins B, A, E, D. They play an important role in the development of the baby’s body. Their deficiency can inhibit growth, cause rickets and skin diseases (eczema, dermatitis). Therefore, it is important to monitor the balance of vitamins, because they support the vital functions of all organs.

Scientists also agree that marine life affects children's sleep, improving it.

Weaning age

Before cooking soup, you need to accustom your baby to a new product. Acquaintance begins at approximately 8–9 months of age. For the first feeding, take fish puree. Give half a teaspoon once a week.

Be careful and careful because this product may cause an allergic reaction in the form of redness on the skin. If the child accepted the new food well, did not develop inflammation, or had any indigestion, then feel free to increase the volume. Closer to 12 months, children are allowed to eat 50–70 g of puree at a time.

From 1 year to 2 years, food from jars is replaced with boiled fish or steamed fillets. For variety, you can make minced meat by sticking meatballs and cutlets or cooking it. Children should be offered fish dishes no more than twice a week.

Choosing the right one

Not every type of fish is suitable for infants. For the first soup, you should choose a low-fat type - hake, cod, pike, flounder. From the age of 2, you can add fattier fish to your diet, for example, carp, catfish, bream.

Fatty varieties (trout, salmon, salmon, mackerel), the child’s body will learn to digest only by the age of 3–4 years.

If a child is accustomed to one type of fish, for example, cod, this does not mean that pike or hake will suit him. Therefore, introduce new types into the diet carefully, monitor the reaction, the baby may develop an allergy.

Rice soup with pollock for children

The rice stew is nutritious and thick, and many people like it. This dish can be served for children aged 1-2 years. For children who are already going to kindergarten, it is permissible to fry onions and carrots in butter.

List of products for soup of pollock fillet and vegetables for a child:

pollock fillet - 150 g;
water - 500 ml;
rice - 1 tbsp. l.;
potatoes - 1 tuber;
carrots - quarter;
white onion - ½ piece;
butter - 20 g;
dill (can be dried);
salt.

Pour water over the fish fillet and cook for 20 minutes over low heat. After the time has passed, strain the broth and disassemble the pollock into small slices. Return the broth to the stove, and after boiling, add the potatoes and washed rice. If the child is older than 4-5 years, then it is worth frying carrots and onions in butter until golden brown. You can skip this step and simply boil the vegetables along with the potatoes, and put the oil in the pollock soup for the child after turning off the heat.

Finally, return the fillet to the pan and add salt to taste. Before serving, add chopped fresh dill to the plate; dried dill is added during the cooking process.

Find out the secret of delicious soup

Secret 1

Adding eggshells will create a clear broth. Before adding vegetables, it must be strained.

Secret 2

Over-salted soup can be easily saved with sugar. Place a piece of refined sugar on a spoon and lower it into the broth until the sugar begins to melt.

Secret 3

Boiled greens look ugly and have no value, so add parsley, dill or basil before serving.

Secret 4

For thickness, it is often recommended to use flour, but it should first be fried in a dry frying pan, otherwise lumps will form.

Features of preparing fish soups for children of different ages

Each baby develops according to its own scenario. What is good for one may cause irreparable harm to another child. There are certain features of culinary processing and standards for introducing certain types of fish into the diet for children.

Basic recommendations

At what age can you give fish soup to a child? What kind of fish is best to cook with? To avoid negative consequences and prevent the occurrence of an allergic reaction, you must remember that:

Fish should be introduced in small portions, while observing the baby’s reaction. If adverse effects occur, this product is excluded from the diet for a long period (about two to six months).
Gradually increase the portion. Complementary feeding begins with 1–2 grams for children under one year old and is gradually increased to 40 g.
You can give fish puree soup to children over 1 year old.
We exclude salt. Small children should not add salt to their food, since many products contain it in sufficient quantities for a small body.
You should not introduce new dishes to your baby’s menu 2 weeks before and after preventive vaccinations.
Fish soup for children or fish puree, soup with meatballs prepared in a slow cooker should be given to a child under one year old no more than 2-3 times a week.
Fried fish is strictly prohibited for children under 3 years of age, and smoked fish can only be consumed from six years of age. For children from one to three years old, it is better to cook fish dishes in a double boiler, slow cooker, or bake and add to soup.
When preparing soup for a one-year-old child, you must avoid fish broth. Thoroughly cleaned skinless fish (preferably fillets) are cooked separately. The finished fish is chopped and added to the vegetable broth.
Cooking soups with broth is permitted no earlier than three years.
You cannot use multiple types of fish.
River varieties of fish have a higher degree of allergenicity.

Recommendations for cooking for children under one year old

It’s better to start your first fish acquaintance with boiled fish. For a nine-month-old baby, low-fat varieties with a fat content of up to 4% (saithe, hake, pollock, perch) are suitable. Up to a year, boiled or steamed fish is administered in a pureed consistency or as pureed fish soup for children. The ideal option is fish soup made from pollock or cod, but not soup made from canned fish. You should not load a fragile child’s body with substances that will do more harm than good. Soup is not given to a 9 month old baby due to the high allergenicity of fish products. After the baby has become familiar with fish puree, you can offer the baby meatballs or fish ball dishes.

Creamy salmon soup

This light, tender and aromatic salmon cream soup will appeal to all little gourmets without exception. The taste of fish is practically not felt in it, and the beautiful color of the dish attracts the attention of children. Ingredients and how to prepare:

salmon - 250 g;
potatoes - 3-4 tubers;
water - 1000 ml;
carrots - 1 pc.;
onion - 1 head;
cream - 100 ml.
salt.

Pour cold water over the diced fish fillets. Of course, heads and tails are more suitable for fish soup, but with them the cooking time will increase. The fillet will cook for literally 5-7 minutes, after which you can remove the slices and strain the broth.

Return the broth to the heat and add the potatoes, chopped into small cubes. Chop the onion and add to the potatoes, followed by the grated carrots. Fish soup is intended for a 1 year old child (also suitable for a diet), so there is no need to fry anything or use seasonings.

After 15 minutes, when the potatoes have become soft, you can proceed to the next step. Pour some of the broth into a separate bowl, and blend the vegetables and fish with a blender until smooth. If necessary, add broth, controlling the thickness. Bring the puree back to a boil and pour in the cream, after a couple of minutes turn off the heat.

You can skip the cream and replace it with butter. In this case, you will need to add a little more broth when blending. It is recommended to supplement salmon and potato soup for a child with croutons.

Fish chowder with meatballs

Most often, meatballs are made from chicken, turkey or rabbit. However, when cooked correctly, fish balls do not fall apart, but retain their shape perfectly. An unusual presentation of the first course will help feed the restless person. Necessary ingredients for cooking children's fish soup:

white fish - 200 g;
chicken egg - 1 pc.;
bread or crackers - 50 g;
milk - 30 ml;
potatoes - 2 pcs.;
carrots - ½ pcs.;
one small onion;
salt.

Wash the fish and grind with a meat grinder or blender until smooth. Add egg, salt. Pour milk over the bread in advance to make it swell. Next, transfer it to the minced meat and mix everything thoroughly. Use your hands to form small meatballs.

Bring water to boil, and at this time peel and cut the potatoes into cubes. Leave it to cook, then add the grated carrots and chopped onion. Cook the vegetables for 15–20 minutes until they become soft. Next, add the meatballs to the boiling broth in the pan so that they do not fall apart. Simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, slightly covering the container with a lid. At the end, check for salt and add more if necessary.

You can make more meatballs in advance and freeze them. Next time, preparing soup for your baby will take even less time. In addition, it is recommended to bake the fish balls in the oven.

Vermicelli soup with fish broth in a slow cooker

You can start your first acquaintance with fish soups with a light stew. To make it filling, add a little vermicelli (can be replaced with rice or millet), as well as cauliflower. As with other first courses, this can be pureed in a blender - the cabbage will add thickness.

What you need to prepare for cooking:

fillet of any sea fish - 100 g;
water - 1000 ml;
cauliflower - 5-7 inflorescences;
one fresh tomato;
half a bell pepper;
carrots - 1 pc.;
vermicelli (rice, millet) - 2 tbsp. l.;
parsley - to taste;
salt.

Cut the potatoes and onions into small cubes, it is better to grate the carrots on a coarse grater. Place in a multicooker bowl, add fish fillet, cut into pieces. If the noodles are not instant, then you can add them right away. Fill everything with water, turn on the “Soup” or “Stew” mode and leave for 30 minutes.

After time has passed, it is worth checking the fish chowder. If the potatoes are still hard, you can leave them on the “Keep Warm” function for another 10-15 minutes. Add herbs and salt to the finished dish; for older children, spices (for example, allspice) are sometimes used.

How to introduce soups into complementary foods: some tips

Some kids are willing to try new dishes, but they are in no hurry to switch to them. Sometimes mothers think it’s too early and put off the “adult” menu for a while. The first soup can be given to a child as early as 8-10 months, if he is interested in it. The usual first course with solid food and pieces of meat, of course, is not suitable. Infants should prepare a liquid puree, mainly consisting of fish and vegetables.

For a one-year-old child, the portion should be no more than 100 ml; in the second year it is gradually increased to 250. If he has already become familiar with cereals in the form of porridge, then rice, buckwheat, and millet should be added to the stew. The dishes are extremely useful, because it’s not for nothing that they are given for lunch in kindergarten: they quickly fill you up, improve metabolism, improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, and have a warming effect.

Meat and fish broths are harder to digest than vegetable or cereal broths. For this reason, they should be introduced into the menu at approximately 11-12 months, when the child has already tried fish. It is not advisable to add cabbage to the stew, as it is quite heavy and often causes indigestion. Peas, lentils and beans are allowed in limited quantities after one and a half years.

It is better for a child to cook for one meal, as heated food loses its beneficial properties. If you are allergic to starch, soak the potatoes in water for at least two hours. To increase the fat content, you can add a piece of butter to the first dish.

Mushrooms should not be added to fish and meat soups for children! They are introduced no earlier than 3-4 years. This is due to the fact that mushrooms often cause severe poisoning.

When is it possible

When children can be given fish products, the pediatrician decides individually. Long-term restrictions are associated with the high allergenicity of fish and seafood. It is allowed to introduce food into the diet at 10 months in the form of pureed puree. If a child is prone to allergic reactions, introduction to fish occurs at 11–12 months or after a year. As already noted, these terms are recommended by the doctor based on the degree of individual tolerance of the product. In addition, by the age of 8–9 months, the acidity of gastric juice increases in babies. This is an important indicator of the child’s body’s readiness to digest protein foods: meat and fish. Fish soup for a child begins to be given from 1 year of age. At the same time, it is necessary to follow special rules for their preparation, even for a one-year-old child who is not prone to allergic manifestations.

Calorie content of dishes

Dish	Serving Size	KBZHU
Hake soup with vegetables and millet	100 g	Calories - 31 kcal, proteins - 4 g, fats - 0.6 g, carbohydrates - 2.6 g
Creamy salmon soup	100 g	Calories - 47.7 kcal, proteins - 4.3 g, fats - 1.9 g, carbohydrates - 3.1 g
Chowder with fish balls	100 g	Calories - 30 kcal, proteins - 3.7 g, fats - 0.9 g, carbohydrates - 2.3 g

Choosing first courses for children's menus often frightens mothers. What should I cook for my baby? Is it possible to fry vegetables and add spices? These and other questions will disappear if you study several step-by-step recipes with photos of soups for children.