10 ways to serve avocado to kids! Avocado is one of our favorite foods for all ages. Try these avocado recipes for kids and how to use avocado for baby-led weaning.
You don’t have to identify as an avocado toast-loving millennial to make these fruits (yes, fruits!) a regular in your household.
We love avocados for a few reasons, one of them being that they’re a super healthy, super easy food to start introducing to babies as a first food.
Here are some of our favorite ways to serve avocado to babies, and kids of any age, in your family – and why.
Benefits of Avocados
Avocados are known for their crocodile-like skin filled with creamy, mashable flesh that surrounds a single pit.
They’re a great source of healthy unsaturated omega-3 fatty acids, which is why they’re a “friendly fat” centerpiece on The PB3 Plate for plant-based kids.
One fruit offers around 3 grams of protein, 10 grams of fiber, and an array of important micronutrients, like calcium, iron, folate, and vitamin K.
Plus, their mild, neutral flavor makes avocados incredibly versatile in recipes. They can be eaten as-is, but also don’t require much effort to add to other meals and snacks.
Avocados for Baby-Led Weaning
Avocados make an ideal first food for babies because of their texture, digestibility, and nutritional value.
They may not be the most mess-free food for babies. But many parents feel comfortable choosing avocados as a first food because of their soft consistency. Plus, they can provide a lot of calories and fat in a small amount.
To serve them to your baby, first rinse, then remove the peel and pit before preparing it in the way you want.
Some parents prefer serving their baby avocado mashed, which is totally fine.
But for doing baby-lead weaning, you can also opt to offer your babe avocado slices. This helps them work on using their grasping skills to pick up slices and serve themselves.
As your baby gets older, you can continue to serve avocado chunks as part of a balanced meal plate. (We often do this for our kids, which you can see in our weekly “What XX Ate” post on Instagram!)
If you choose to mash the avocado, you can also spread it onto thin strips of toast for baby to pick up and eat.
10 Ways to Serve Avocado to Kids
In addition to making a perfect first food, avocados can continue to make a regular appearance in your family’s diet as your kids grow up.
Here are a few ideas for how to continue using avocados in family meals.
1. Guacamole
Who doesn’t love a zesty guacamole?
Slather that stuff on everything or use it as a dip for tortilla chips and fresh-cut veggies.
All you need are a few ripe avocados, some lime juice, salt, pepper, onion, and cilantro – and then add whatever other ingredients you choose.
Try this recipe for the best homemade guacamole or the Confetti Guacamole we shared on IG (which is in our new book!) to get you started.
2. Blended into smoothies
Avocados offer a mild flavor and creamy texture to smoothies.
They work well in green smoothies and chocolate-nut butter ones, but you could try adding them to any smoothie you like.
You can even cut up fresh avocado into chunks, or mash it with some lemon juice, and store it in your freezer for later use in smoothies.
3. As a sandwich spread
Dairy-free or just looking for a substitute for mayo? Try mashed avocado!
We love a thick layer of avocado on a veggie sandwich, or even on a grilled tomato and cheese.
And if you haven’t tried avocado on burgers – mashed or sliced – put it on the list. This is a great way to use up avocados that may be getting a little too ripe.
4. Roasted
We recently discovered roasted avocado tacos, which just require coating avocado slices in panko bread crumbs and seasonings to roast before using them to stuff tacos.
Try this recipe for some crispy panko baked avocado tacos!
And if you’re not in the taco mood, these roasted avocado slices are amazing on their own or with a side of dip, like honey mustard, plant-based ranch, or vinaigrette.
5. As a topper for soup and salad
Avocados have a way of adding the final touch to pretty much any dish.
Their cool temperature and creamy texture pair perfectly with both a warm veggie soup and a crispy salad.
We often add avocado cubes to taco soup, chilis, and lentil stews, as well as mixed green salads tossed with a light dressing.
6. As a pasta sauce
This is a favorite for our kids!
We often blend avocados into a pesto or cream sauce and mix up some cooked pasta with it.
Try this recipe for avocado pasta sauce.
7. Stuffed
If you’re a fan of hard-boiled eggs or baked potatoes, try using avocados as your next vehicle for stuffed goodness.
All you have to do is cut them in half, remove the pits, and stuff them with things like corn, beans, salsa, herbs, or even cooked grains.
The best part is that you don’t have to wait for them to cook first. You can stuff them, drizzle with balsamic or another dressing of choice, and dig right in.
8. In a breakfast scramble
Whether you scramble eggs or tofu, avocado chunks have a way of bringing all the flavors and textures together.
We love scrambling a variety of chopped veggies and greens, adding eggs or crumbled tofu, and then adding avocado at the end to provide a creamy, cool topper.
If a scramble isn’t really your thing, try avocado in a savory oatmeal bowl.
9. In pudding
This may sound weird, but avocado has such a subtle flavor that you can capitalize on its creaminess without significantly changing the taste of this classic kid-friendly dessert.
Try a new combination of avocado with cocoa, sweetened naturally with pitted dates, in this avocado pudding recipe.
10. Blended into hummus
Hummus is so delicious and easy to make. We’re always looking for new twists for homemade hummus, and avocado lends itself well here too.
For example, try this avocado pesto hummus!
There you have it: 10 ways to serve avocado to kids! Avocados are a beloved food and for good reason. If you’re wondering how to incorporate them in new ways, try some of these avocado recipes for kids. If you have an infant, you might also consider using avocado for baby-led weaning.
Chime In: Does your family love avocado? If so, share some of your favorite ways to use it below!
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