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Serve avocado to your baby with ease and confidence using these tips and easy recipes – avocado baby puree, mashed, as a finger food, and more!
When can Babies Eat Avocado?
Avocado is a great first food and can be offered to babies as soon as they’re ready to start solids, usually around 6 months.
It’s important to remember that your baby is unique and that rather than going by the calendar, you need to make sure your baby is DEVELOPMENTALLY ready to start solids.
If you’re unsure, be sure to grab my FREE handout!
Health Benefits
Fun fact: You may already know that avocado is a fruit, not a vegetable. But did you know that it is actually a berry?
Avocado is one of the best first foods for babies. It’s an excellent source of fiber, which aids in digestion, and healthy fat, which is essential for supporting their rapidly growing brains!
Serving avocado alongside foods that are rich in fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E, K), like carrots and sweet potatoes, can really increase the absorption of these nutrients.
This nutritious fruit is also a good source of vitamins C, E, B6, as well as zinc which all help strengthen the immune system.
How to Pick the Best Avocado
First, you want to check the peel and make sure there are no large indentations. Then, gently press down around the stem (not the sides, to avoid bruising it). If it gives slightly but retains its shape, then it is ripe. If it leaves a dent or feels mushy, then it’s overripe.
To enjoy all week long, purchase both ripe and unripe avocados at the same time.
Firm, unripe avocados will take about 4-5 days to ripen at room temperature. You want to check them daily to make sure they don’t ripen too quickly. The temperature of your kitchen plays a role in this.
Once ripe, store in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator to slow down the ripening process.
But if you need them to ripen faster, place the avocados in a brown paper bag along with a banana or apple.
You will know if your avocado has gone bad by smell or if it gets super mushy. If more than a third of the fruit is brown, then toss it. Otherwise, you can scoop out the brown spots and enjoy the rest.
Is Avocado safe for Babies?
Yes, as long as the avocado is ripe and soft, it is safe. Avocado allergy is rare as well. Here are the top 9 common allergens and the best first foods.
How to Serve Avocado to Babies
The beauty of avocado is its ease and versatility! You can serve as is or combine with all kinds of foods. Here are some suggestions to help get you started.
All of these ideas are suitable for 6 months and up! Just be sure to use ripe avocado.
Avocado Baby Puree
- First wash and remove the peel and pit from the avocado. Add the flesh to a blender and blend until smooth.
- You can add a little breast milk, formula, or water to thin out to desired consistency (optional).
Mashed
Add avocado to a shallow bowl and mash with the back of a fork. If making a large batch, be sure to drizzle some lemon juice or olive oil to prevent browning.
To serve, try preloading onto a spoon (this baby spoon has the perfect design). And here are the rest of my top baby led weaning essentials.
Now here are some simple and fun ways to invite variety and make every bite of pureed or mashed avocado count.
- Sprinkle some seeds, like hemp seeds of ground flax seeds
- Combine with cooked whole grains, like quinoa, barley, oatmeal, or baby cereal
- Spread onto toast, pancakes, or waffles
- Combine with legumes, like lentils and smashed beans
- Add to egg salads or chicken salads
- Combine with other mashed or finely chopped vegetables, like sweet potatoes, broccoli, and zucchini.
If you want to learn how to prepare other specific food(s), check out my How To Series!
Sliced for Baby-Led Weaning
Cut avocado into thick spears. Due to its creamy texture, they can be quite slippery. To make it easier to grip, you can leave some of the peel on or roll them in hemp seeds, finely ground nuts, shredded coconut, or fortified infant cereal.
Once your baby develops their pincer grasp and is able to pick up smaller pieces of food, you can cut into bite-sized pieces.
Avocado Baby Food Recipes
Smoothies
Add to smoothies for creaminess and you don’t have to worry about it overpowering the flavor of the other ingredients.
You can make these with breastmilk or formula, and for added texture and nutrition, try mixing the smoothie into cooked grains like oatmeal or quinoa or lentils even!
Zucchini Avocado Muffins
Avocados in baked goods can replace butter or oil and make it moist and delicious!
Tomato Soup
Instead of heavy cream, add avocado for an equally rich and hearty tomato soup experience.
Salmon Bean Salad
You can mash and preload onto a spoon or spread on toast to make it easier for babies to eat.
Green Pasta Sauce with Spinach
All you need are a handful of ingredients, one pot, and a blender to make this 20 minute green pasta sauce! It’s the perfect way to serve spinach to babies!
Tips to Prevent Browning
Here are some ways to slow down the avocado from browning too quickly. With all of these, you will want to store it in an airtight container in the fridge for extra protection.
- Once cut, wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
- Squeeze some lemon or lime juice on top of cut, pureed, or mashed avocado.
- Or brush with olive oil
Frequently Asked Questions
You can! And if you’re now wondering how much, I want to encourage you. Rather than getting too caught up on the exact serving or portion sizes per day, aim for balance and variety in the foods you serve. Too much of any food, even the so-called “super foods” can be bad if consumed in excess.
The best way to freeze avocado is to mash with some lemon juice. Transfer to ice cube tray or single serve freezer trays and freeze for up to 1 month. To thaw, simply thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating below and let me know how you liked the recipe! Your feedback means so much to me!
Avocado for Babies
Ingredients
- 1/2 avocado
- 1 tablespoon ground nuts, seeds, or crushed infant cereal
Instructions
Pureed
- Add the flesh to a blender and blend until smooth. Add a little breast milk, formula, or water to thin out to desired consistency (optional).
Mashed
- Add avocado to a shallow bowl and mash with the back of a fork. If making a large batch, be sure to drizzle some lemon juice or olive oil to prevent browning. Can preload onto a spoon or combine with other foods, like oatmeal, cereal, lentils, vegetables, etc. (see above for ideas)
Sliced
- Cut avocado into thick spears. To make it easier to grip, you can leave some of the peel on or roll them in hemp seeds, finely ground nuts, shredded coconut, or fortified infant cereal. Once baby develops pincer grasp, you can cut into bite-sized pieces.
Notes
- Once cut, wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
- Squeeze some lemon or lime juice on top of cut, pureed, or mashed avocado.
- Or brush with olive oil
