Salmon, sardines, and light canned tuna are among the best low mercury fish during pregnancy. You can use them as lower-mercury choices, and fish can also provide protein and nutrients such as DHA. [1][2] For more detail, see Fish During Pregnancy: Myths and Practical Recommendations.
Fish may feel like one more thing to figure out when you’re planning meals for yourself and your baby. These three options give you a simple starting point: think of salmon for a main dish, sardines for a pantry meal, or light canned tuna when you want something familiar. Fish’s DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid that can help with a baby’s brain development. [1]
The goal here is to make choosing fish feel manageable, not to plan your whole week at once. Use these examples to find options that fit your tastes and routine; check current official guidance for recommendations beyond this short list.
Salmon for easy, versatile meals
Salmon suits you if you want a versatile fish that works in familiar meals and can provide DHA along with other nutrients. Seafood can provide nutrients such as protein, iron, and zinc, and DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid found in many fish. [1]
For a simple dinner: Bake salmon and pair it with a grain and a vegetable. A plain seasoning such as lemon and herbs lets you adjust the flavor to your taste.
For a filling lunch: Add cooked salmon to a grain bowl with rice or another grain, vegetables, and a dressing you enjoy.
For an easy next-day meal: Flake cooked leftovers into a salad for a quick lunch. Keep the other ingredients simple, such as greens, beans, or a grain, so the salmon is easy to use up.
These formats make salmon a practical choice if you like cooking once and building another meal from the leftovers. They also suit caregivers who want a familiar meal rather than a complicated recipe. Choose the format that fits your schedule: bake a fillet when you have time, make a bowl from prepared ingredients, or turn leftovers into a salad.
Sardines for a quick pantry meal
Sardines are a practical pantry choice when you want to add fish to a familiar meal. They’re named among the low-mercury fish that pregnant women can enjoy. [2] If you like their savory flavor, canned sardines can be an easy starting point; if you’re unsure, try a small amount mixed into a dish rather than eating them on their own.
On toast: Mash sardines with a fork and spread them over toast. Add a little lemon or a crisp vegetable if you enjoy those flavors.
In pasta: Break sardines into warm pasta and toss them through so each bite gets a little fish. They can work with a simple tomato sauce or olive oil.
In a salad: Flake sardines over greens, beans, or cooked grains for a quick lunch. Keep the other ingredients simple so the fish remains part of a meal you already like.
Sardines may suit you if you want a shelf-stable option for days when shopping or cooking feels like too much. They can also help you vary the shape of a meal: use them on toast for a fast lunch, stir them into pasta for dinner, or add them to a salad when you have leftovers to use up. The best option is one you enjoy enough to make again.
For a low-effort first try, choose one familiar base—toast, pasta, or salad—and add sardines in a small portion. Follow the package directions for storage and handling, and prepare the rest of the meal as you normally would. If the flavor feels strong, pair the sardines with ingredients you already know you like rather than forcing yourself to eat them plain.
Canned light tuna for simple lunches
Canned light tuna is a convenient pick when you want a quick lunch that takes little planning. You can turn it into a sandwich, toss it into a salad, or spoon it over a grain bowl for an easy change from your usual lunch routine.
Sandwich: Mix tuna with the spread or seasonings you like, then serve it on bread with lettuce or sliced tomato.
Salad: Add tuna to greens with chopped vegetables, or stir it into a pasta salad.
Bowl: Spoon tuna over rice or another grain and add vegetables or a sauce you enjoy.
Canned light tuna is listed among low-mercury fish choices for pregnancy. [2] That makes it a practical option to keep in mind when you want a familiar, pantry-friendly meal rather than a more involved fish dish. The examples above are simple ways to use it; choose the format that fits your appetite and what you have on hand. You may also find this useful: Raw Fish During Pregnancy: What to Know About Sushi.
This pick suits you if you enjoy tuna and want a lunch you can assemble without cooking a fresh fillet. For example, make a sandwich when you have bread and greens, or build a bowl from leftover rice and vegetables. If you prefer a crisp texture, add chopped vegetables to the tuna; for a softer lunch, fold it into a salad or spread it on bread.
Keep the label in view when you shop: this entry is about canned light tuna. If you are comparing it with other tuna products, check current official seafood guidance for the specific product rather than assuming all tuna is the same. You can also vary the meal with different breads, greens, grains, and seasonings, without making lunch feel like a recipe project.
Shrimp for fast weeknight dinners
Shrimp is an easy option when you want a quick meal, and you can use it in familiar dishes like tacos, pasta, or a stir-fry. Shrimp is listed among low-mercury fish choices for pregnancy. [3]
Easy ways to serve shrimp
Tacos: Add cooked shrimp to tortillas with toppings you already enjoy, such as cabbage or salsa.
Pasta: Toss cooked shrimp into pasta near the end of cooking, or add it to a simple tomato or cream sauce.
Stir-fry: Warm cooked shrimp with vegetables and serve the mixture over rice or noodles.
These ideas suit busy evenings because you can build on meals your household already makes. For example, turn leftover cooked shrimp and vegetables into a quick noodle bowl, or set out taco fillings so everyone can assemble their own.
Keep it practical
Choose the format that feels easiest for you: tacos for a hands-on dinner, pasta for a familiar comfort meal, or a stir-fry when you want vegetables alongside it. If shrimp is not already part of your routine, start with a small addition to a dish you know how to prepare rather than planning an elaborate new recipe.
Use cooked shrimp in these meal ideas, and avoid treating a particular recipe as necessary. The goal is a convenient way to include shrimp in a meal you are comfortable making.
More lower-mercury picks for variety
For more variety, rotate the lower-mercury choices already on your list through different flavors and meal formats. Salmon, sardines, light canned tuna, and shrimp are examples identified as lower-mercury options in the article’s evidence. [1][2][3]
Try a new flavor: Pair salmon with lemon and herbs one day, then use sardines with tomato or a simple seasoning another time. These are flavor ideas, not additional fish choices.
Change the format: Turn a familiar fish into a grain bowl, pasta, or a salad, using the same species you already enjoy. For example, flake cooked salmon over grains or add sardines to pasta.
Keep a backup meal: If you have canned light tuna on hand, make a sandwich or bowl; if shrimp is your usual freezer staple, add it to a quick dinner. Choose the format that fits the time and ingredients you have.
Make swaps within the list: If a recipe calls for a fish you have not checked, use one of the confirmed choices instead, such as salmon or shrimp, while keeping the seasoning and sides similar.
These ideas are meant to make variety easier without adding unconfirmed species to your rotation. For instance, you can keep a short meal plan with one grain bowl, one pasta dish, and one salad, then vary the fish among the confirmed choices. Pick the flavors and formats you are most likely to prepare, rather than buying a fish that may sit unused.
How to choose fish for your meals
Choose fish you’ll actually enjoy and can prepare in a familiar meal, then check current official seafood guidance for species-specific categories and recommendations. [4] That makes it easier to use fish in meals that already fit your routine, rather than buying something unfamiliar that may go uneaten.
For example, think about the meals you already make and the flavors you like. If you often cook pasta, consider a fish that works with a simple sauce; if lunch is usually a sandwich or salad, choose an option that fits that format. These are planning ideas, not a ranking of fish or a recommendation to eat a particular amount.
Before shopping, look up the species by its specific name in current official seafood guidance. [4] Names on menus and packages can be broad, so check the exact kind of fish when the label gives you more detail. If you are choosing between two options, compare their categories in the current guidance instead of relying on a general “fish” label.
Mercury level is only one part of choosing fish. The guide treats food safety separately from nutrient rankings. [4] So do not take a low-mercury category as an all-purpose safety check; consider how the fish will be handled and prepared, too. When you are unsure about a product or preparation, choose a familiar option and check current official guidance for the detail you need.
A practical shopping list can be short: pick a fish that suits your taste, decide how you will serve it, and verify its current category before buying. You can make the meal as simple as a familiar side dish and a preparation you already know. Keeping those steps separate—enjoyment, species guidance, and safe handling—helps you make a choice without treating mercury level as the only consideration.
Build a short list of go-to choices
Keep a short list of familiar fish—salmon, sardines, light canned tuna, and shrimp—so you have practical options when planning meals. Salmon, sardines, and light canned tuna are described as low-mercury choices, and shrimp is also named as a low-mercury option. [2][3]
The easiest choice is often the one that fits the meal you already know how to make. You might keep a few convenient formats on hand, such as canned fish for a quick lunch or frozen shrimp for a weeknight meal; pick options that suit your routine rather than waiting for a special recipe.
For example, if you are planning a few meals, choose a familiar format for each: salmon for a dinner, sardines for a pantry meal, light canned tuna for lunch, or shrimp for a quick supper. These are examples to help make the shortlist useful in everyday planning, not a required menu.
Use this list as a starting point, not a replacement for checking details. For species-specific categories or recommendations beyond these examples, check current official seafood guidance. That gives you a practical next step when you are considering a fish that is not on your short list.