Are you considering introducing avocado to your little one during their baby-led weaning journey? Look no further!
In this article, we’ll explore the various ways to serve avocado in baby-led weaning, ensuring a fun and safe experience for your child. We’ll guide you through:
- Different avocado serving methods for various ages
- The benefits of avocado as a great BLW food
- When and how to introduce avocado to your baby
- The best avocado combinations and recipes
- Tips for storing avocado
Let’s get after it!
Key takeaways
- Avocado is a nutritious, easy-to-grip, versatile, allergen-friendly, and delicious option for baby led weaning
- Introduce avocado to your baby around 6 months of age, as long as they have good head and neck control and show an interest in food
- Avocado can be served mashed, with peel, or without peel, depending on your baby’s age and abilities
- Experiment with various avocado combinations, such as avocado and banana puree, avocado toast, or avocado slices with grilled chicken
- Store avocados according to their ripeness, using techniques like refrigeration or a paper bag with an apple or banana to control ripening
How do you serve avocado in Baby Led Weaning?
As with all foods, the first time we introduce avocado it is always better to do it without adding anything and in its natural form.
This way your baby will experience its natural flavor and then it will be easier for him to accept it in other forms.
Mashed +6 months
Perfect option if you don’t feel like cleaning up the mess caused by letting your baby eat avocado (yes, we’ve experienced it ourselves).
When your baby starts using utensils, it’s a perfect way to offer avocado and let your baby develop fine motor skills.
Finger with peel +6 months
As with the banana, leaving a bit of avocado peel is a way to make it easier for your baby to grasp.
This is the way we recommend, as it gives the baby autonomy, which is one of the benefits of Baby Led Weaning.
Finger with No peel +8 months
We have written for over eight months, but this is simply because grasping a skinless avocado slice can be difficult for a 6-month-old baby, as it is slippery.
Why Is avocado a great BLW food?
| Key Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Nutritious | Loaded with fiber, healthy fats, and essential vitamins and minerals for baby’s health and brain development. |
| Easy to Grip | Creamy, soft texture that newborns can grab and hold, ideal for BLW. |
| Versatile | Can be prepared in numerous ways, easily integrated into your infant’s diet. |
| Allergen-Friendly | Hypoallergenic food suitable for most babies. |
| Delicious | Mild taste and creamy texture that babies usually love. |
Nutritious
Avocado is a superfood loaded with fiber, healthy fats, and vitamins and minerals including folate, potassium, and vitamin E.
These nutrients are crucial for a baby’s general health and brain development.
Easy to grip
Avocado has a creamy, soft texture that newborns can grab and hold, making it ideal for BLW.
This makes it an excellent food for them to self-feed and experiment with.
Versatile
Avocado may be prepared in numerous ways, making it simple to integrate into your infant’s diet.
You can mash it and serve it as a spread, slice it and serve it as an appetizer, or include it into purees and other recipes.
Allergen-friendly
Avocado is a hypoallergenic food.
Delicious
It has a mild taste and creamy texture that babies usually love.
All these qualities make avocado an amazing option for Baby Led Weaning.
When should you introduce avocado to your baby?
Around 6 months old is the perfect age for your baby to start trying out new flavors and textures.
As long as they have good head and neck control, can sit up on their own, and show an interest in food, they should be ready to try avocado as a first food or as part of a mixed diet of purees and finger foods.
What are the best avocado combinations?
There are certain foods that combine perfectly with avocado, either in purees or offered together in divided plates for BLW.
If you are doing baby-led weaning, we recommend you read our article on the benefits of using divided plates for babies and toddlers. Additionally, we have an article on how to structure your baby’s and toddler’s meals for maximum nutrient absorption.
– Best Avocado Puree combinations
| Combination | Description | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Avocado and Banana | A sweet and creamy combination, simply mash ripe avocado and banana together to create a smooth puree. | Rich in potassium, fiber, and healthy fats, this combo is perfect for promoting healthy digestion and providing energy. |
| 2. Avocado and Sweet Potato | Blend cooked sweet potato with ripe avocado for a velvety, nutrient-dense puree. | Packed with beta-carotene, vitamin C, and healthy fats, this combination supports immune function and eye health. |
| 3. Avocado and Peas | Mix cooked peas with mashed avocado to create a vibrant green puree with a hint of natural sweetness. | High in protein, fiber, and vitamins A and K, this mix helps support growth and bone health. |
| 4. Avocado and Chicken | Combine cooked, finely shredded chicken with ripe avocado for a smooth, protein-rich puree. | Offering a good source of protein, iron, and healthy fats, this combination aids in muscle development and brain function. |
– Best Avocado Solid combinations
Avocado mashed with toast or crackers
Easy for babies to pick up and chew, and provides a mix of creamy avocado and crunchy toast or crackers. Perfect for mixing textures. Don’t forget to choose a bread that is appropriate for babies.
- Mash the avocado and spread it on a toast
- Add some pepper and sesame seeds for extra flavor
Avocado slices with grilled chicken or fish
With this mixture of ingredients, you get a wonderful source of both protein and beneficial fats. Plus, the avocado adds a lovely creaminess and taste, while the chicken or fish gives a nice, substantial texture. Be aware of the amount of protein you offer daily.
Avocado slices with cherry tomatoes
This combination is a colorful and tasty way to introduce your baby to new flavors and textures. Creamy avocado and the cherry tomatoes provide a burst of sweetness and crunch.
Make sure to cut the cherry tomatoes in quarters. Don’t offer them whole since are a choking hazard.
Avocado slices with boiled eggs
Good amount of healthy fats and proteins. This mixture is great for nutrient density and the flavour is amazing as well.
Avocado slices with roasted vegetables
Vegetables pair well with anything, and avocado is no exception.
What is the best way to store avocado?
The best way to store avocado depends on their stage of ripeness.
Not yet ripe
You can store them at room temperature until they are ready to be used. This typically takes a few days to a week, depending on the starting level of ripeness.
You can speed up the ripening process by placing the avocado in a paper bag with an apple or banana, which will release ethylene gas and accelerate the ripening process.
Ripe
Refrigerating ripe avocados extends their shelf life.
Before storing in the fridge, put the avocado in a plastic bag or wrap it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. This prevents browning and overripeness.
Cut
After cutting one avocado, put it in an airtight container with plastic wrap or aluminum foil in the refrigerator.
This prevents browning and prolongs freshness.
Baby Led Weaning Avocado FAQ
1. Is avocado healthy for babies?
Avocado has various health benefits for newborns.
It is low in sugar and high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats.
Avocado’s monounsaturated fatty acids may boost heart health and lower cholesterol, and its beneficial fats help newborns absorb fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Avocado is gentle and digestible, making it a good first food for babies.
Serve babies ripe, smooth avocado.
2. Is avocado a common allergen?
It is not considered a common allergen.
3. Is avocado a choking hazard?
Avocado is not considered a choking hazard. However, you should offer it to your baby the way we explain in this article to avoid possible choking scenarios.
4. Can I give avocado as a first food?
Avocado is generally considered to be a good first food for babies.
5. Is avocado good for teething babies?
Yes, avocado can be a good food for teething babies because it is soft and easy to chew. You can offer it cold from the fridge or even frozen and it could help your baby with teething pain.
Baby-Friendly Guacamole Spread with Sesame Seeds
Ingredients
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp dried basil
- Juice of a half lemon
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- Cut the avocado in half, remove the seed, and scoop out the flesh into a bowl
- Mash the avocado with a fork until it reaches a smooth consistency
- Add the dried oregano and dried basil to the mashed avocado and mix well
- Squeeze the juice of half a lemon into the mixture and stir until everything is combined
- Sprinkle sesame seeds on top of the guacamole
- Spread the guacamole on a slice of whole grain toast and serve
Conclusion
In conclusion, baby led weaning avocado is an excellent option for introducing your little one to new foods and textures.
Its numerous benefits, such as being rich in nutrients and easy to grip, make it an ideal choice for babies starting their journey with solid foods.
From serving avocado in its natural form to combining it with other ingredients for delicious recipes, there’s no shortage of ways to incorporate this superfood into your baby’s diet.
As your child grows and develops, continue to explore the versatility of avocado, ensuring a well-rounded and enjoyable baby-led weaning experience.
We’re Maria and Alberto, a married couple and educators who are nutrition enthusiasts. Even before we had kids, we were already crazy about nutrition.
We’d read scientific articles, watch videos from nutritionists, and spend hours listening to nutrition podcasts.
Today, we continue doing this, but in a different way, as we’ve learned to sift through the noise and trends. Nutrition, like any other field of knowledge, the more you read and learn, the more you develop a comprehensive understanding of reality, and that’s what has happened to us.
Before having our first child, we focused on learning everything we could about child nutrition, using the same techniques we had already employed, backed by our extensive knowledge in nutrition.
Our mission is to help other parents with their children’s nutrition, to help them become the best versions of themselves.
If we are what we eat and drink, which is absolutely true, let’s do it right!
