How To Introduce and Serve Prawns

As part of your solids journey you need to introduce top 9 allergens.

Shellfish are a top 9 allergen and often when we think of shellfish, we think of prawns! For many people, shellfish isn’t a regular food that they eat multiple times a week, so it can be tricky to know how to expose bub and keep it in their diet regularly.

Regular exposure is the recommendation for all top nine allergens.

Nutrition.

Prawns offer a good hit of protein as well as B12, Zinc, Choline and Omega 3. Per 100g, prawns are usually moderate to high sodium. Your tiger prawns can have anywhere from 180mg to 400mg of sodium per 100g.(1,2) For babies especially ,we are trying to keep their sodium intake as low as possible. Rinsing prawns before cooking can help reduce the sodium. However, babies are unlikely to eat a huge number of prawns though, so the sodium level it isn’t a reason to exclude them, but something to keep in mind.

Is it an allergen?

Yes, as prawns are part of the shellfish family, they are a top nine allergen. See our article on introducing the top 9 allergens if you need more information on how to introduce safely and with confidence. 

The other safety thing to think about is food safety. Seafood in Australia is very safe, due to strict rules and regulations. However, it can be a source of food poisoning once it enters the home due to poor storage and handling.(3) Correct preparation and storage are important to keep your little one and family safe. For more information take a look here.

How to serve them:

6-9months

• Prawns are tough and chewy when cooked and need to be prepared in a way that reduces the risk that they will be a choking hazard. 
• Thinly slice and stir through food like scrambled eggs or pasta sauce 
• Finely mince 
• Puree

12+ months

• As bub gets better at chewing food and handling tougher textures you can offer larger pieces of prawn. Cutting lengthways is safer than cutting it in a way that retains the round shape of the prawn
• Small pieces (that aren’t round)
• Shredded 
• Thinly sliced 
• Whole prawns may be suitable closer to 2 years of age. Be guided by the chewing ability of your little one and always supervise when eating. 

So here are some great ways to include prawns in your baby’s diet:

1. It can be tricky to introduce prawns early and then keep exposure up, especially if it isn’t a food that your family regularly consumes. Making a curry or puree sauce with prawns and then freezing it can be an easy way to keep exposure up
2. Paella (we have a great recipe in our library here)
3. Prawn cakes 
4. Curry

If you're feeling a bit overwhelmed or confused with the Starting Solids thing and wanting some personalised guidance head over and book a one on one consultation with one of our paediatric dietitian's. We can help you put a plan in place that suits your family and your lifestyle to make introducing solids stress free!