Safe Sushi for Seven-Year-Olds

June 15, 2018 8:26 PM

Micro McGee has expressed an interest in sushi, which is apparently a big thing in first grade (who knew?), and which he wants to go get for his birthday. We've identified a couple of well-regarded local sushi places, but Mr. McGee and I are not sushi people (I don't like fish, and he just has never eaten sushi), so we're not sure what to look at as gateway sushi for beginners, or (since there's raw fish) what's okay to give to 7-year-old children. Do enlighten us!
posted by Eyebrows McGee to Food & Drink (56 answers total)

California roll— mild flavor and the crab is cooked.

Any veggie roll— sweet potato is popular as the veg is breaded and fried.

Spicy rolls have the raw fish but it’s slathered in spicy mayo (not usually very spicy at all) so it’s a good intro to the fish.

Sushi grade fish at any reputable restaurant should be perfectly safe. And it’s more mild than you might think (not fishy), and insanely delicious.
posted by kapers at 8:40 PM on June 15, 2018 [12 favorites]

Are you looking at suggestions just for your kid, or also for the adults?
posted by lazuli at 8:40 PM on June 15, 2018

The most "beginner" roll is the California roll, which is cucumber, avocado, and "crab" (actually pollock). The "crab" is cooked, so no worries about rawness. It's a little sweet and generally inoffensive.
posted by praemunire at 8:41 PM on June 15, 2018 [3 favorites]

Tekka maki is how the kids in my family started. Just tuna, and it’s a roll with seaweed.
posted by kerf at 8:44 PM on June 15, 2018 [1 favorite]

If he's already used / warmed to the idea of sushi due to his peer group (and I assume they have discussed that it's raw fish), why is it necessary for him to have gateway sushi (which are for adults who are like, "eew, (raw) fish")?

But if you insist, tamago (egg) is also good at reputable restaurants.

(also, do not cut the roll with a knife and fork; eat it in one piece)
posted by batter_my_heart at 8:45 PM on June 15, 2018 [10 favorites]

I don't know of any reason to think that anything served in a decent sushi restaurant is unsafe for a 7 year old, and Dr. Google seems to back up my hunch that all is safe.

In terms of what is sold as "sushi" in such a place, you will basically be seeing two types of things: "rolls" and "nigiri"

Rolls (basic ones) are what happens when you take a sheet of dried nori seaweed, cover it in a layer of slightly vinegary sushi rice, and put something on top of the rice, then roll it up into a cylinder about 1 to 2 inches in diameter and 8 inches long - and then cut it into slices. You can get rolls where the stuff inside is vegetables (cucumber, or avocado, etc.) or is fully cooked seafood, or where it includes some raw seafood. Some rolls are fancy and big and multi-ingredient.

Nigiri are thumb-size blobs of rice with something resting on top - usually raw seafood, ranging from mild (something like salmon) to challenging (eel, though i think that's usually cooked) and beyond. The main non-fish nigiri you will find is tamago, which is a little bite of omelet-like egg on top of the rice.

My apologies if you already know all that.

For a seven-year old who wanted to try, I would get a few nigiri - one egg, one salmon, maybe one with salmon roe if they want to get a taste and texture sensation - and a veg roll and a crunchy shrimp roll. And then see what happens. :)
posted by sheldman at 8:48 PM on June 15, 2018 [13 favorites]

My super picky 7 year old will eat the heck out of an avocado and salmon roll with soy paper instead of seaweed.
posted by sacrifix at 8:52 PM on June 15, 2018 [1 favorite]

Unagi is eel, but it is a tender cooked meat served with a sweet sauce. So, if he wants to try one out of the ordinary thing that may be a good pick.
posted by AlexiaSky at 8:52 PM on June 15, 2018 [13 favorites]

Agree that unagi (eel) is a good choice. It's admittedly not the most sustainable choice, but for a first-timer, it's often a welcoming treat. It's always cooked, generally barbecue-style with a sweet sauce, and kids often really enjoy it.
posted by halation at 8:54 PM on June 15, 2018 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: "why is it necessary for him to have gateway sushi "

1) He's not totally sure he's in to raw fish, although he wants to try it; and 2) sometimes foods that are safe for adults are not safe for children. For example, like many parents we order the kids' burgers medium or medium well, although we like ours on the rare end -- children are hit harder by foodborne illnesses simply because they're smaller and get dehyrated faster from vomiting. Since we as parents know nothing whatsoever about sushi, we want to make sure that raw fish is safe for small children. It is my impression that raw fish sushi is quite safe when it comes from a well-run sushi place! But since I don't actually eat sushi myself, and know almost nothing about sushi culture, I want to make sure that is correct. Also 3) he's seven, and sometimes challenging flavors put him off, whereas introducing something one step at a time gets him eating the challenging flavor no problem.

(Also my impression is that his friends at school mostly eat cooked-fish sushi and/or vegetarian sushi, although some of them eat raw fish sushi for special.)
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 8:56 PM on June 15, 2018

My nephews (now 8 and 9) have been happily scarfing back sushi since they were about 4 (it’s popular at their school too). We’ll go to one of those sushi train places where you pick dishes off a conveyor belt, and they’ll literally eat everything; they are actually way less picky than the adults!

These are Australian kids with no Japanese heritage, for context.

I’d assume it’s all ‘safe’, so that’s not an issue. I think if it’s presented as fun and exciting and delicious, there’s no reason your kid won’t/can’t eat anything at a sushi place.

Enjoy!:)
posted by Salamander at 8:58 PM on June 15, 2018 [3 favorites]

re raw fish food safety: In Japan, it is much safer to consume raw fish in sushi because real wasabi (usually eaten together with the sushi) kills the bacteria in the raw fish. In other countries, sushi restaurants may not be offering real wasabi with the sushi. That said, I think you should be fine if you pick a decent sushi restaurant. (After all, most people who eat sushi outside Japan don't get food poisoning.)
posted by aielen at 9:05 PM on June 15, 2018 [3 favorites]

"Don't try to get your young kids too interested in Sushi, it gets expensive."
posted by ovvl at 9:07 PM on June 15, 2018 [24 favorites]

If he's not sure about raw fish but wants to try it, he can start with smoked salmon! I don't know all the mechanics of it, I'm pretty sure it's still technically raw fish, but it's always been less "raw fishy" to me. My favorite is a Philadelphia roll: smoked salmon, avocado, and cream cheese. Those are all familiar enough flavors that it's really stuck with me as a go-to option regardless of how adventurous I'm feeling (and I am generally about as adventurous as a 7-year-old child when it comes to food). So that may be a good way to introduce him to a new flavor by pairing it with something familiar (assuming he likes avocado and cream cheese, I suppose) _{Note: Not all places make Philadelphia rolls the same way. Some replace the avocado with cucumber, or remove the cream cheese. The heathens. That said I have never met a sushi place that doesn't let me request they make it my way, for an additional charge of $1.00 or whatever.}

I would second shrimp tempura is a good beginner roll; California is considered the quintessential introductory roll but... even as a beginner I never liked it. Does he like crab? Because I just don't like crab, so I was never fond of it. I think your best bet is to pick a sushi roll made mainly of something you know he likes. There are also some vegetarian rolls if he just wants to get a feel for the texture and how to eat it; a plain old avocado roll or sweet potato roll is always a good middle ground sushi.
posted by brook horse at 9:12 PM on June 15, 2018 [1 favorite]

My son started eating sushi at hmm I think 3? It was his favorite food for many years - he’s all grown up now. I would not worry that any sushi is unsafe for a seven year old. Raw fish, even raw shellfish like oysters, is not quite as scary as raw meat in general. (Although growing up in the 70s we ate steak tartare - raw hamburger - and loved it.) As to what he might like, you could start with supermarket sushi, almost every big fancy store has it now in the deli section and some of it is not bad! Usually there is California roll and a few other things in clear plastic so you can see it and take it home to try: no pressure to order something unfamiliar. Sushi bars can be a little intimidating. But if you do go out there are things like Dragon Roll, all elaborately presented so it looks like a dragon and my kids used to love that. That’s tempura shrimp inside, very mild.

Sushi comes with 3 accompaniments, pickled ginger, which is a palate cleanser, eat a piece between trying different kinds of roll, don’t put it on top, green wasabi, which is Japanese horseradish, very spicy, and soy sauce. We have always mixed a little wasabi in the soy sauce and then dipped the roll but! I have recently heard this is apparently uncouth. Oh well! It’s such a treat for us, I don’t think we will stop.
posted by mygothlaundry at 9:13 PM on June 15, 2018

We've been taking our kids to our local sushi train restaurant since they were toddlers. The place we go to has an actual electric toy train with flatbed cars they put the sushi on, plus you can order whatever you want. The plates are priced by color -- white plates are $1, tan are $1.25, etc. There's probably a conveyer belt sushi option near you somewhere. I love these for kids and newbies because you can see what's available before eating it. Unless you're eating at the bar where the chef is working, sushi is normally ordered off of a checklist-style menu. My kids might reject "unagi -- eel" on a checklist, but it looks great on the sushi train, so they'll pull that plate off.

California roll, any veggie roll (cucumber, avocado, carrot), or tamago (egg) are all easy entries. We also often get avocado nigiri, which is just sliced avocado on rice. Seconding Philadelphia rolls!
posted by linettasky at 9:14 PM on June 15, 2018

Inari is a deep-fried tofu pocket filled with rice - it might also be suitable for young palates.
posted by Calzephyr at 9:24 PM on June 15, 2018 [2 favorites]

Oh! I missed that part of your post, and I would like to second lalex! I h a a a a a a t e cooked fish with a passion. The only thing I will ever touch is cooked salmon, and that is only because every time I convince myself it will be good, like raw salmon is, and I am always wrong. So if you haven't experimented with raw fish before, I would suggest you to try it! Smoked salmon is again my go-to because it's just not as "fishy" as a lot of other fish. There's some raw fish that's just too much for me but salmon, I adore. I would just... straight up eat raw salmon as a snack if I could buy it in the grocery store safely. But I hate every kind of cooked fish from tilapia to fish sticks. So I would definitely suggest trying out different kinds of raw fish if you're up for it, you may be very pleasantly surprised!
posted by brook horse at 9:26 PM on June 15, 2018 [2 favorites]

Is it safe for my child to eat sushi?

Seconding Eel Rolls, California Rolls, and Philadelphia Rolls. Then jump immediately to Rainbow Rolls and Dragon Rolls. And I don't care if anybody hates me for suggesting this, but you could pick up some sushi at Wegman's or Harris Teeter for like 8 bucks a portion if you wanted to experiment and not be into it for a lot of money.
posted by Rob Rockets at 9:27 PM on June 15, 2018 [1 favorite]

Non-fish options that I love:

* age tofu (a.k.a. age dashi tofu) - it's silken tofu in a very delicate batter, lightly fried, with dashi sauce for dipping. !!!Make sure you tell them "no bonito" - bonito is dried fish flakes

* avocado roll

* cucumber roll

* vegetable tempura. Be careful; I recently got served halapeno pepper tempura by surprise.
posted by amtho at 9:31 PM on June 15, 2018 [2 favorites]

One thing to be aware of is whether there's rice or nori (seaweed) on the outside of his rolls. Many (most?) American places will make their rolls "inside out" ("uramaki") with the rice on the outside and the seaweed tucked inside, and I'd say that's especially likely to be the case for California rolls, Philadelphia rolls, etc... I have no idea how he feels about seaweed, but he might not be super into it. The same stuff is inside either way, but the Americanized rolls with the rice on the outside may be more popular if this is the case.

A bowl of miso soup might also be something he'd enjoy as part of the meal.
posted by zachlipton at 9:36 PM on June 15, 2018 [1 favorite]

Regarding wasabi killing bacteria in fish in Japan: this is I suppose technically the case, but in reality not true.

The big problem is parasites. Wasabi will not kill them.

These days, fish is both inspected and then served fresh in Japan. People in Japan also understand how to work with raw fish. Apropos of nothing, but serving sushi with raw fish is a relatively recent innovation. Traditionally, "sushi" has been a combination of vinegared rice and fermented (preserved) fish.

Anyway, if you live in the Midwest, consider the journey the raw fish has taken to reach your plate. The fish has been flash-frozen in Japan, Taiwan, Korea or Thailand, and has been flown to Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta or New York. Then it must make its way to your plate. The texture of the thawed fish will be wet and pasty. Blech.

So, fish like "tuna" or "snapper" will be from some big central distributor. They'll be "safe". As will salmon, which is typically farmed.

If you're in the Midwest, other varieties of raw fish are going to be suspect. A big problem with selling fish in North America (and elsewhere) is that there is almost no way to verify what kind of fish you are eating -- names get changed, a "cheap fish" is sold as something more expensive.

So, if I were you, I'd stick to salmon (it's all farmed) and then cooked varieties. Sushi that incorporates artificial crab, or cooked egg, or cucumbers. My kids love cucumber rolls, for example. It's bona fide sushi.

(I've lived off-and-on on the Japan Sea coast since 1994. It's got the best fresh fish in Japan, which means it's the best fish in the world)
posted by JamesBay at 9:36 PM on June 15, 2018 [3 favorites]

I started eating sashimi (slabs of raw fish, no rice, no roll) at 6. Tuna (maguro), salmon (sake), and yellowtail (hamachi) are all mild in flavor and good starting points if your kid is wanting to try raw fish. Congrats on having an adventurous eater!
posted by quince at 9:45 PM on June 15, 2018

> Also 3) he's seven, and sometimes challenging flavors put him off, whereas introducing something one step at a time gets him eating the challenging flavor no problem.

Nthing that except for the sorts of oily fish like mackerel that are kind of advanced-level sushi even for sushi-loving adults, raw fish is astoundingly less "fishy" or "strong" than the same fish cooked. Tuna in particular was mind-scrambling for me when I first started eating sushi. Also nthing recommendations for eel. It's cooked and mild and glazed with a sort of sweet barbecue sauce. It's a great gateway sushi. However, unlike some of the above replies, I personally think California rolls are the most meh bland thing ever.

In the US, sushi-grade fish intended to be served raw is frozen first to kill parasites. (This is a bit of an open industry secret that interferes with our romantic notions of "freshness," so we sushi lovers kind of pretend to ignore this fact.) Anyhoo, sushi is very safe.
posted by desuetude at 9:45 PM on June 15, 2018 [4 favorites]

This somewhat famous 2004 NYT article includes the fact that Masa, one of the finest and most elite and expensive sushi restaurants in Manhattan, deep-freezes the fish. The article says 50-60% of sushi fish is frozen, then cites that it all must be frozen by law, it's a little confusing. But in the last 14 years, sushi has become even more mainstream and thus I believe the frozen figure is even higher in practice, even if we still pretend to deny it.
posted by desuetude at 9:49 PM on June 15, 2018 [1 favorite]

I feel like 7-year-olds would love spider rolls (also fully cooked).
posted by unknowncommand at 10:13 PM on June 15, 2018

Also, for you, I can't tell if you've ever tried sushi before but I know plenty of people who don't care for cooked fish but devour raw fish sushi.

I am totally in this category. I struggle to eat cooked fish even though I know it's good for me, but I can take down almost any kind of sushi.

Shrimp nigiri or sashimi (which will be cooked) is also a gentle option.
posted by praemunire at 10:16 PM on June 15, 2018 [1 favorite]

I don’t have kids, but I’ve been to sushi restaurants with my friends who do. Sushi is basically finger food, and with kids especially, rice can end up getting everywhere. Not that that should deter you, maybe just come prepared to tip well.

Also, I’m another adult who really doesn’t like most cooked fish, but I love sushi. Tuna rolls were my gateway drug. For some reason, the raw tuna kind of reminds me of very rare steak. SO GOOD!
posted by Weeping_angel at 10:38 PM on June 15, 2018

I’m vegetarian and usually get cucumber or avocado rolls. Those might be good to have on hand in case the fish is not a hit.
posted by greermahoney at 10:47 PM on June 15, 2018

If the restaurant makes the tomago themselves then this is my traditional sushi recommendation .

Tamago - sweet omelette made with that days fish broth
Saba - cured fresh mackerel very flavorful
Sake - salmon sushi mild taste
Black Cod -broiled - plum sauce
Maguro- tuna mild taste
Salmon skin - roll toasty taste
posted by hortense at 10:52 PM on June 15, 2018

Judging from other responses, there is regional variation in what sushi rolls are available. Here in Australia it is also quite common to see cooked tuna rolls (which usually include cucumber and/or avocado as well as the tuna) and "crispy chicken" rolls (karaage); if they don't offer them you could probably ask. Both are pretty palatable and non-confronting.

If seaweed is too fishy, as others have suggested, go for nigiri or inari. I personally find inari really sweet and like dessert rather than a main course, but they're nice anyway.
posted by Athanassiel at 10:58 PM on June 15, 2018

Ikura and tobiko are the fish egg sushi - ikura is salmon roe and looks like little beads; tobiko is flying fish roe and the eggs are much smaller; it looks like sprinkles. If he's sometimes into "gross" or weird food, both of those might be worth trying. I love tobiko but rarely get it because it's often wrapped around other things I don't care for.

I don't like wasabi, so when I go out for "sushi," I tend to order tempura or donburi, because I hate being that white lady who's telling them to leave all the flavor out of the sushi.
posted by ErisLordFreedom at 10:59 PM on June 15, 2018

Don't eat the white tuna. Everything else will be amazing.
posted by Toddles at 11:00 PM on June 15, 2018 [1 favorite]

Anything should be fine. Have FUN with it. Honestly, the taste is very mild. If you're putting any ginger, soy sauce, or wasabi (spicier than raw horseradish!) on it, that's going to be most of what your tasting. If I was seven, I would probably be wowed by and love seaweed salad, which is fairly sweet, as a starter. It almost tastes like gummy bears.

There will be plenty of cooked, vegetarian, and should be some non-fish options as well. However, you may be pleasantly surprised by the raw fish. The sushi should taste very clean, not fishy at all. On the other hand, my dad, for instance, simply has a deep psychological aversion to eating raw fish that no amount of trying will ever bridge. That's fine too.

California roll is usually the gateway sushi. Flash freezing is not like freezing something in a freezer. The fish is instantaneously frozen without damaging it in the slightest. I would have more trepidation about eating sushi from fish that had not been flash frozen than fresh, because the flash freezing usually happens very shortly after the fish is caught.

Some green tea or red bean mochi ice cream might be fun after your dinner!
posted by xammerboy at 11:34 PM on June 15, 2018

Some places serve grilled or seared salmon nigiri, which is my favorite. It might also make for quite an entertaining show!

To make it, the sushi chef puts a piece of raw salmon on the rice, then takes out a blowtorch. The top of the salmon is then cooked nicely with the torch, and sometimes, mayonnaise is put on top afterwards. The salmon underneath next to the rice stays raw. I love the different textures and flavors in the same piece of salmon, personally. Plus - blowtorch!
posted by spinifex23 at 11:55 PM on June 15, 2018

I was also going to recommend seared salmon nigiri which is a favorite of my 7-year-old. We usually get these things for her when we go: edamame (have you had it? you work the beans out with your teeth and then discard the skins), miso soup, California roll, shrimp nigiri - the shrimp is flattened and served with rice (often called Ebi on the menu). Simple tuna rolls or avocado and cucumber rolls. You may want to ask if any of the rolls have wasabi inside and ask them to leave it out if your kid isn't ready for that. My daughter will also eat raw salmon nigiri and yellowtail nigiri. Yes also to the inari suggestion, they are usually a little sweet and filling!
posted by amanda at 12:06 AM on June 16, 2018

I take care of two little kids on a regular basis, and when she was 7 or 8, the girl proclaimed that she wanted sushi and it was her favorite. My own daughters love sushi but we only have it for special occasions, because they have sofisticated tastes, have been to Japan, and it is very expensive to get what they want. So I was a bit worried about where this was going. But the little girl showed me a local sushi “train”-place, and we went in. It turned out that she only ate the small salmon and cucumber rolls. But lots of them. I didn’t like anything there, so won’t go again, but now I know what she likes, and I’ve discovered a good take-out place that does kiddy menus, focused on exactly those little rolls. Other good places will make a kiddy menu on demand.
Since, we’ve even made them at home, but that is a whole other story...
posted by mumimor at 2:35 AM on June 16, 2018

If your kid tends to prefer simple foods (each element separate like meat-and-potatoes rather than mingled like stew), he might start with sashimi, which is raw fish only. This is what my preschooler likes. She will also eat the fish off my nigiri, but they often put a dab of wasabi to “stick” the fish on the rice, so she is careful not to eat that bite. I am hoping she grows into eating wasabi. She will not touch rolls.
posted by Kriesa at 3:38 AM on June 16, 2018

In general, I was taught it's a bad idea to eat sushi that has been sitting anywhere for a while, so I'd stay away from supermarket sushi. If you go to a sushi restaurant that is well-reviewed though, then you probably won't have any trouble with food-poisoning. In general, here are some ways to tell that it's ok:

Sushi shouldn't smell fishy. It shouldn't smell strongly at all, really. And the colors should be bright: the salmon should be orange-pink and the tuna should be dark red. If you are served sushi that gives off a strong fishy odor and the colors are faded (like a pork chop that has been sitting in the fridge one day too long and has started to go off), then don't eat it.

I eat a lot of sushi and I've only been served sushi once that I decided not to eat, because the tuna was a bit grey and smelled a bit too strongly. Your nose will tell you.
posted by colfax at 3:38 AM on June 16, 2018

Some short comments...
My go-tos are salmon and ahi/yellow-fin tuna. The salmon usually has a subtle, buttery flavor with no "fishiness". The tuna I like for it's crisp, clean flavor. I tend to get nigiri and maki (the rice makes it more filling). I'm not a fan of California rolls since most places mix the c(k)rab with some mayo- or cream-based sauce (not a fan of mayo) nor hamachi (yellowtail) or mackerel (a little too fish-oily for my tastes).

I would add, be careful with the wasabi (green paste; and like, 99.99% likely to be just horseradish, mustard, and green food coloring--fauxsabi?); it packs a sinus-clearing punch. It might be worth it to skip it for the first few maki/nirigi/whatevers, just in case it ruins the whole experience for him (tears and burning and all). (Though, when making nigiri, the sushi chef will usually (always?) place a small dab between the rice and whatever topping, so there will probably be some. I don't know if it would be poor etiquette to ask the chef to skip or limit it.)
posted by MikeKD at 3:42 AM on June 16, 2018

I'm going to third the suggestion of going to the best local conveyor belt sushi place near you. That way he can pick the plates that don't look too daunting and you can all try them together (well, I guess you won't try the fish ones personally, but that's cool). In the end, the worst thing that will happen is that he won't like most of them. Maybe make a game of rating them on a few different criteria, to make the experience of trying stuff you might not like more fun.
posted by howfar at 3:44 AM on June 16, 2018 [1 favorite]

The rolls (whose name varies) with salmon and cream cheese are about as inoffensive as you can get and still be eating raw fish. And it's pretty good in that way that mostly bland food with a bit of a twist can often be. (I love super flavorful stuff that punches you in the mouth, but I also appreciate sublety at times)
posted by wierdo at 5:23 AM on June 16, 2018

My one year old will take down sweet potato rolls and peanut and avocado rolls all day long. She also is starting to like Philly rolls but doesn't have enough teeth for them yet.
posted by notjustthefish at 5:32 AM on June 16, 2018

A cool thing about sushi restaurants is that it's totally normal and ok to order a little bit to start, then order more later if/when you're ready to branch out.

I think your kid would LOVE a dragon roll. They style it to look like an ACTUAL DRAGON and it's cool as shit. But it's got raw fish, so you can test the waters with a simple tuna or salmon roll first. If he's happily chowing down on those, get a dragon roll for the table.

You should definitely also try seaweed salad (good for if you want to pretend you're a plesiosaurus). And if you've got family members who just aren't feeling it and the sushi turns out to be a dud, fried gyoza is an easy crowdpleaser and edamame is tasty and fun to eat.

The restaurant will probably have mochi ice cream on the dessert menu. Be warned that this is a dollup of ice cream contained inside a pouch of gummy that has approximately the texture of a dry tongue. Some people just really aren't into it. More mochi for me.
posted by phunniemee at 5:54 AM on June 16, 2018

If you have a conveyor belt place near you, that is what I would suggest. They are great for beginners because there is no need to figure out mysterious menu choices, you can just grab whatever looks good and give it a try; each plate is cheap enough that it is not a big deal if you accidentally get something you don't like.
posted by Dip Flash at 6:12 AM on June 16, 2018 [1 favorite]

I love sushi but I hate cucumber! Chances are there will be something your kid doesn't like and has to poke out with a chopstick if the roll is premade/conveyor belt. This can compromise the integrity of the roll and cause it to fall apart. It is okay to do that and then eat the roll with a spoon.
posted by soelo at 6:35 AM on June 16, 2018 [1 favorite]

I’ve been told by food safety folks to avoid conveyor belt/train places because the restaurants often stretch the limits of how long they let something circle around at room temperature before giving up on it and throwing it away. Made to order, you know it hasn’t been sitting out for hours (possibly even since the day before!). IANYFoodSafetyExpert
posted by amaire at 7:02 AM on June 16, 2018

My gateway sushi was cucumber rolls (kappa maki). No fish at all. And whoever was the first person to put an avocado in sushi was a genius. I ate vegetarian only sushi for years and years before having any fish (I was vegetarian for a long time before going pescatarian recently).

Is skip the conveyor and just go to a place with a sushi bar, tell the chef your kid is looking for something to try for Baby's First Sushi and ask what they recommend. They might all your kid a couple questions. Letting the chef pick what's best or be your guide is a standard practice in mid to upscale sushi joints. Also most sushi places have menus with pictures.

Smoked salmon rolls are also a thing for fish that is raw on a technicality.
posted by soren_lorensen at 7:25 AM on June 16, 2018 [1 favorite]

My kids like salmon or tuna with avocado. The little one (2) prefers nigiri because she can‘t deal with the seaweed. They‘ve both eaten sushi since they were babies. Honestly, because it‘s so mild, it‘s a great kids food. (If you can afford it). IMHO the simple raw fish type sushi is less ‚adventurous‘ than other suggestions like unagi (ugh), cooked shrimp, smoked salmon etc. It‘s a very mild, inoffensive taste and should be acceptable to most.
posted by The Toad at 7:41 AM on June 16, 2018 [1 favorite]

SF Bay Area parent here: I ate sushi since I was a toddler and likewise I fed it to my daughter. It's safe and yummy. Lots of good suggestions but yeah, I'd order edemame as an appetizer (pop the beans from the pod into your mouth), a cucumber or avocado roll, a maybe a California roll, and then a couple simple fish nagiri. Hamachi is very popular. Eel is cooked in a sort of barbeque like sauce. Most sushi places have visual menus with photos of all the sushi which makes it easier. Fun!
posted by latkes at 8:42 AM on June 16, 2018

I think salmon and avocado is the best beginner roll because honestly, it’s less strange and offensive than the other made up Americanizations that are all sauce and imitation whatever. My first sushi, I didn’t like, but I didn’t hate. Tried it again and pretty soon I was craving it.
posted by stoneandstar at 9:35 AM on June 16, 2018

This is so awesome!!
My cousin introduced me to raw fish sushi when I was about 9. I’m still grateful. I only touched tempura and California rolls before that.

The two specific nigiri that changed my life:
- Yellowtail/Hamachi: Smooth, buttery, mild. Not at all “fishy”
- Tuna: mild with a slight textural bite

Cooked sushi that is pretty safe tasty bets
- spider roll: deep fried soft shell crab and rice. So yummy. Looks a bit crazy or fun depending on your perspective
- caterpillar roll: avocado, cooked eel and imitation cran. So mild and butter with a bit of saltiness from the eel.
- salmon skin roll: salmon skin fried with rice. Salty and satisfying

I would avoid wasabi at that age. It’s too easily overpowering. Stick with just a dab in some low sodium soy sauce.

Also start slowwwww with the pickled ginger. It took me a few visits to get acclimated. But I’m totally addicted to it now.

I did not like salmon for a long time. I loved cooked salmon but I found raw salmon too fishy. I love it now but it took a few years and it’s still not my fave. That’s yellowtail. Ommmmnnomnom yellowtail....
posted by like_neon at 11:25 AM on June 16, 2018

Philadelphia (avo/cream cheese/smoked salmon) and vegetable (avo/carrot/cuke) really are lovely gateways, and tempura batter has a way of making anything appeal to the fish- or veg-averse palate.

A word of caution: my dad is from Philly, loves fish, and I watched him try to be a good sport with a Philly roll for the first time a couple years ago. Some folks just can’t learn to love it.

On the flip side, any food that makes parents squirm will be more appealing to a Certain kind of kid. Looking back, my folks could have tricked me into all sorts of nutrients this way when I was right around that age.
posted by armeowda at 11:37 AM on June 16, 2018

Vegetarian rolls are great such as, inari (tofu pockets braised in a sweet soy-sauce and then stuffed with sushi rice) or seaweed salad nigiri. People have already mentioned the cucumber, pickled/salted veg or fruit and assorted veg rolls.

For fish, in the US I would suggest lox (cold smoked) nigiri; scallop sashimi or nigiri (so smooth and buttery); hamachi (mild and smooth) and for something meaty a tuna nigiri or assorted tuna roll. If they want sweet with a slight taste than the unagi (eel) is the way to go because the sauce is mirin, sugar, and soy. I notice people either love tobiko or hate it so be cautious regarding that one.

There are so many rolls available to take the squick out of sushi that incorporates fried components like tempura or kaarage. You can always find a roll that works like a California roll or Philadephia but really just read the roll descriptions on the menu because some restaurants like to add a spin to their stuff.

In Australia I notice that it is very popular in the "boat" style places to use mayonnaise, a lot and also the blow torch. But the veg rolls are very available and if you are at the sushi bar you can definitely ask them to work with you on what is popular with young customers.

The nice thing is sushi is, unless you decided on chef's choice, very choose your own. Have fun, sushi has been the gateway to more adventurous eating for one of my children.
posted by jadepearl at 5:57 PM on June 16, 2018

Note that some kinds of sushi are more reliably good across a range of price points. For example, I suspect the people recommending tuna are used to pretty fancy sushi. In NYC, fatty belly tuna (maguro toro) starts at $10 a piece. On the other hand, even cheap salmon is pretty tasty.

By the way, some kinds of sushi are easy to do at home and can be an easy make-your-own meal for kids. Salmon and avocado rolls are great for this, because even regular non-"sushi grade" salmon is safe to eat raw, and most salmon is farmed, which further reduces the risk of parasites.
posted by meaty shoe puppet at 8:39 PM on June 16, 2018

I knew a sushi bar in LA which made plain-rice rolls for kids -- like a tekka maki without the tuna. Kinda strange when you first saw it - empty white circles, like the eyes of characters in a "Little Orphan Annie" comic strip - but if you're into gateway sushi that might be an easy-to-satisfy request.
posted by Rash at 9:04 PM on June 16, 2018 [2 favorites]