Farmed Bay Scallops

Bay scallops offer a sweet, mild taste and a kid-friendly size.

Note that some children develop shellfish allergies, so check with your pediatrician before introducing your child to shellfish for the first time.

How to shop for it

Bay scallops are available year-round in the freezer section of most grocery stories.

You can also buy them fresh in the fall. When buying fresh, the color should be pale beige to creamy pink. (If they are pure white, they may have been soaked in water to increase the weight.) Shop for a fresh, moist sheen and sweet smell. Refrigerate them immediately and use within a day or two.

As with all shellfish, it is important to buy scallops from a reputable grocery store or market, and to always properly cook them.

How to cook it

Scallops cook quickly. Just a few minutes are all they take. Try sautéing, grilling, and broiling—or toss them into soups and stews, simmering for just 3 to 5 minutes.

More about Bay Scallops

The vast majority of bay scallops available in the U.S. are farmed in China using environmentally friendly practices. They are suspended in the water on ropes, causing no damage to the sea floor.

In contrast, sea scallops are far less sustainable. They are caught in the wild by sea-floor dredging, a process that damages the fragile environment and unnecessarily kills other fish living nearby.