The Ultimate Avocado Recipe Mash-Up for Babies and Toddlers
In search of some new baby-friendly ways to serve avocado?
I hear you…I sometimes get stuck in a routine of prepping the same foods and recipes in the same old ways. Lately, my girls have been complaining that I’ve been making the same thing too often. It’s easy to fall into that trap when you find something your family likes and start making it more frequently, thinking it’s easier because you know they will eat it. And it IS easier, of course, until they decide they are tired of it and want something new!
Babies need variety too, for lots of different reasons. First, they the more we expose them to a variety of flavors and textures early on the more likely they’ll be to accept a wider range of flavors and textures down the road. Diet diversity is key during infancy. There is even new research suggesting that diet diversity in general during babyhood may reduce the risk of food allergies.
This doesn’t mean that serving a certain food frequently is bad, especially when it’s an incredibly nourishing food like avocados. In fact, repeatedly exposing babies and kids to new foods increases acceptance over time. But changing up the way you serve a food can help make a baby’s feeding journey more successful, because it reduces the likelihood that a baby will tire of that particular food, increases the number of opportunities your baby gets to explore new preparations, textures, and flavors, and creates more variety in the range of nutrients a baby receives.
Lately, I’m loving recipe roundups as a way to stir up some kitchen creativity! Recipe round-ups are great because you get several different takes on a theme, ingredient, cooking method or trend, making it easy to change up your routine for yourself or your baby without completely giving up something you know already works.
Avocados happen to be one of my own personal favorite foods, but they are also a magnificent first food for babies! Below are some of the many reasons why…
Avocados are:
Nutrient dense!
A source of almost 20 different vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, including magnesium, potassium, iron, B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, pantothenic acid, beta-carotene and folate
Filled with both soluble and insoluble fiber (about 1/3 is soluble and the rest, insoluble)
Brimming with healthy fats that support infant brain development and overall growth in babies
Naturally creamy and soft in texture, when ripe
Rich in lutein, a carotenoid that plays an important role in the growth of the infant brain
That creamy texture and mild flavor lends itself well to a variety of different recipes and preparation methods, and avocados also add an appetizing pop of green color to the plate, which draws people in.
I tend to use them in a lot of different recipes (like this spicy salmon taco) because not only do they taste great and add richness, but their fat content helps the body absorb important fat-soluble nutrients including vitamins A, D, E and K, as well as lutein.
What’s the best way to offer avocado during baby-led weaning?
There are so many great ways to prepare avocado for babies that give them opportunities to practice self-feeding with a safe, soft texture. Here are some of my favorites:
Mix mashed avocado with chia seeds for an added boost of iron, omega-3s, protein and fiber and serve on a pre-loaded spoon
Serve in wedges as a finger food for babies using a palmar grasp. You can leave half the peel on the wedge to help with grip.
Alternatively, if the wedge is too slippery for your baby to pick it up, roll it in hemp seeds, ground flax seeds, bread crumbs, infant cereal, or a little shredded coconut for better grip and a nutrient boost!
If you are interested in learning more about how to prepare avocados for babies, here’s a baby-led weaning avocado hack that will help.
And for more recommendations on first foods for babies (including avocados) during baby-led feeding, check out this post.
My goal when I write a post is to always offer something that will make someone’s day just a little bit easier. Below is a collection of recipes from some amazing recipe developers and accounts that work well for babies and toddlers, but also for the whole family.
It’s so helpful for babies to eat the same foods as their caregivers, so that they can benefit from the role modeling that happens during meals - plus, it’s sooooo much easier on parents when everyone eats the same foods. Making multiple meals leads to kitchen burn-out pretty quickly, so I’m hoping this post will help you avoid it! Because it’s important to take care of yourself too. Avocado is also a great energy-dense snack that, because of its fiber and fat content helps fuel you for hours rather than minutes throughout day (something we all so dearly need!)
P.S. If you’re looking for more balanced snack ideas to keep you feeling good throughout your busy days, this post has lots of ideas.
In any case, I can’t wait for you to try some of these amazing quick and easy avocado recipes for yourself and your little ones! I love them all and I know you and your family will too…
"Guacamole pared down to the most basic ingredients,” created by registered dietitian, Katie Morford of The Mom’s Kitchen Handbook.
“An avocado toast that is custom made for toddlers. While you’re at it, prepare an extra slice for yourself, embellishing it with favorite seasonings and slicing it in half instead of into bite-size pieces,” created by registered dietitian, Katie Morford of The Mom’s Kitchen Handbook.
“A simple salad that is just as tasty for grown ups as it is for kids. Toddlers can work on their fine motor skills learning to pick up all the fixings with their fingers. Older kids and parents can enjoy it as a salad, spooned onto tortillas, or scooped up with tortilla chips,” also created by registered dietitian, Katie Morford of The Mom’s Kitchen Handbook. If serving to a baby, be sure to finely chop the scallions, cut the cherry tomatoes into quarters or eighths, smash the beans, and skip the salt!
“A creamy baby puree with healthy fats from the avocado and a bit of sweetness from the mango. If not serving right away, lay a piece of plastic wrap over the surface to prevent browning,” also created by registered dietitian, Katie Morford of The Mom’s Kitchen Handbook.
“These Chicken Avocado Poppers are a fun way to incorporate some extra protein and healthy fats into meal and snack times. Make up a batch in advance for a quick bite to eat on the go,” created by registered dietitian, Elysia from Haute & Healthy Living.
Avocado Anything Dip
“You can serve it on practically anything…this is definitely my pick when I’ve got avocados on hand that are a bit overly mushy, too. It transforms them into something rather magical,” created by registered dietitian, Jackie Newgent.
“My food philosophy in general is that all foods can fit into a healthy lifestyle. The girls and I particularly love chocolate anything! But given that dessert happens pretty much every day in my home, I love experimenting with ways to build more nutrients and nourishment into treat foods. Now, I know you may be thinking, chocolate and avocado? She’s gone too far this time.” But you’ve gotta try this to believe how good it is!
Tortellini with Avocado Pesto
“Let your blender do most of the work to make this tortellini with avocado pesto! Tender cheese-stuffed spinach tortellini are tossed with homemade avocado, spring pea and basil pesto.
It's a delicious vegetarian dish with loads of fresh flavors,” created by registered dietitian, Julie from the Healthy Epicurean.
* If serving to a baby under 12 months, just be sure to omit the salt.
If you’re getting ready to start your baby on solids, download my FREE Baby-Led Feeding Essential Checklist to make sure you have everything you need to get started. You might also want to check out my new online course for parents, based on my best-selling book which will walk you through the whole process of starting solids using a baby-led approach.
Alternatively, if your baby is almost ready to start solids and you’re looking for someone you trust to map out the entire first 12 weeks of your baby’s solid food feeding journey, check out my new Safe & Simple 12 Week Meal Plan! Over 30 recipes, weekly shopping lists, tons of balanced baby meals, a complete plan for top allergen introduction, & lots of guidance (with photos) on how to safely serve each food.