April marks the beginning of California avocado season. That’s as local as avocados get for us Brooklynites, so that means it’s time to dig in! And who can complain about that? Delicious, versatile and super nutritious, avocados are simply the perfect family food.
Avocados can be fed to children as young as 6 months. In fact, both of my boys started with avocado. Mash them up plain (you can thin the mash using breast milk or formula) or mix with other early foods like banana, cereal, tofu, peach or pears. You can even freeze avocado as you do other homemade baby food, mashed or in slices. Just expect a little browning (it doesn’t impact flavor).
As for older eaters—toddlers, big kids or adults—the possibilities are endless! As are the health benefits. Avocados are a nutritional powerhouse that are especially good for your heart thanks to oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat that may help to lower cholesterol.
When you shop for avocados, look for ones that are heavy, but pliable. The flesh should give when you press down on the skin. If your avocado is hard as a rock, throw it in a paper bag for a few days to help the ripening process. When it’s time to eat up, use a sharp knife to cut around the pit and then twist to break the two halves apart. Wedge the length of the knife into the pit and twist—the pit with slide right out.
Yummy guacamole is one of my favorite ways to prepare avocado, but here are 5 other inspirations:
- Fruit salad with avocado. Sound strange to mix avocado with other fruit? It’s delicious! Most any fruit will do, but I especially love using mango or pineapple. Grapefruit and blackberries are great with avocado, too. Just remember to use age appropriate fruits if feeding early eaters. Drizzle with a bit of yogurt or honey (for kids over 12 mos) for extra deliciousness.
- Avocado, fennel and orange salad. Buttery avocado. Crispy fennel. Juicy orange. Top with a light drizzle of olive oil and maybe some white wine or champagne vinegar. Perfection.
- Avocado as a sandwich condiment. Skip or reduce mayo or mustard on your next turkey, ham, club or veggie sandwich. Instead, use ripe avocado for a healthy, creamy spread.
- Chilled avocado soup. Blend 1/2 of an avocado with a seeded cucumber, 1/2 c of yogurt, clove of garlic, squeeze of lemon (omit if feeding to kids under 12 mos), salt and pepper. Thin with water if desired.
- Avocado, cheese and bread (the holy trinity). There are so many delicious variations on this combo. My two favorites? A quesadilla with nothing more than grated cheddar or monterey jack and avocado (you can add mashed sweet potato, chopped spinach, thinly sliced onions or chicken). And avocado spread on a thick piece of rustic bread that’s been brushed with olive oil and toasted, topped with shaved parmesan.
Got other ideas? Chime in!
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Kids change the way we cook, but they don’t have to change how well we eat. Get more family-friendly recipes, tips and techniques to satisfy your own hunger and inspire healthy hungers in your children on Stacie‘s blog, One Hungry Mama.