There’s something about standing in the produce section, looking over all of the delicious California avocados, and deciding which ones you’re going to take home. Picking a perfectly ripe avocado can be tricky, but once you do there’s no better nutritious snack option. Having avocados in your kitchen that are ready to eat or ripening, plus some quick snack ideas that you can use them in, is a great way to have a low-carb snack accessible to you.
What makes avocado healthy?
Avocados are famous for being delicious and very healthy. But what exactly is it about avocados that makes them so good for you?
Avocado is a creamy fruit that is chock full of healthy fats, which are good for your heart. They also have lots of potassium—even more than bananas. Potassium is also good for your heart and for your pressure. And, of course, they have all kinds of vitamins (like Vitamin C and Vitamin E) and good fats, which will boost your immune system and keep your cells healthy. Basically, adding avocado to your meal is a great way to keep your heart healthy and your body feeling good.
How do you know when an avocado is ripe?
The trickiest part of buying avocados is knowing when they’re ripe and ready to eat. When you’re staring down an entire table full of avocados, it can be hard to know which ones you should buy. If you’re using them immediately or soon, you want to pick some that are ripe or almost ripe. But if you’re not going to use them for a few days, you should pick some that are not quite ripe—they’ll ripen while they’re sitting on your counter.
There are two ways to tell if an avocado is ripe: color and feel. Before it’s ripe, an avocado will be green and pretty firm. When it’s too ripe, it will be brown and soft to the touch. The one you bring home should be somewhere in between, depending on how long you’re going to wait before you use it. Pro tip: don’t use your fingertips to apply pressure when you’re testing avocados at the grocery store, as this can cause them to bruise. Instead, hold the avocado in the palm of your hand and squeeze with your thumb.
How to store avocados
The ripeness of your avocados will determine how you should store them. According to Avocados of Mexico, you should keep a ripe avocado in your fridge. It will be good for 2-3 days. Unripe avocados should be left out on the countertop. After about 4-5 days, you’ll notice that they’ve ripened. Use them, or put them in the fridge.
You can find great options for ways to incorporate avocado into breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snacks. It goes with almost every meal and can be used as a main flavor or a garnish. If you need some delicious avocado recipes and dishes for you to make when you’re craving a snack, here are some healthy snack recipes.
All Alone
The easiest way to eat an avocado is to just eat it straight out of the skin. Slice one in half lengthwise, then add whatever seasonings you’d like— sea salt, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, or cayenne pepper. It’s ready to eat! If you have a little extra time, you can grill each half with some olive oil and lemon juice for some extra flavor. Avocado halves are a perfect option when you’re looking for quick snacks.
Avocado Toast
Maybe it is single-handedly keeping millennials from purchasing a house, but that doesn’t mean avocado toast isn’t a great snack. Spread some fresh avocados onto a piece of whole grain toast. Sprinkle some seasonings on the top, like salt and black pepper or everything bagel seasoning. Or, if you’re feeling extra fancy (or hosting a fancy brunch), add some sliced strawberries and drizzle them with balsamic vinegar.
There are hundreds of iterations on avocado toast online, ranging from simple to elaborate. Sophie from Move GB mixed curry powder into her avocado for a more savory snack. Look around for ideas with your favorite toppings and flavors. Experiment until you find the ones that you like. Avocado toast, no matter what the topping, is a delicious way to fight snack attacks.
Guacamole
Avocado is an ingredient in many delicious dips. But is there any more iconic use of an avocado than guacamole? It’s the perfect addition to your dinner or lunch spread. Combine some mashed avocado in a small bowl with fresh lime juice, diced tomato and onions, garlic, and any other mix-ins your heart desires. Eat it as a side dish with tortilla chips or mini quesadillas. It will stay good in the fridge for a few days, so you can keep coming back to it. A good, creamy guacamole will be your go-to snack in no time.
Stuffed
Due to their shape, avocados are the perfect food to stuff with other foods. You can make some easy avocado boats! It’s the perfect way to eat snack-sized avocado salads and pack lots of flavors and healthy foods into a small serving size.
As a topping
Avocado is great on its own or as the star of the show, but it’s also the perfect garnish or addition to another dish. It’s the perfect complement to all kinds of recipes. Add chopped avocado to the top of a salad or some soup. You can add slices of avocado or avocado mash to sandwiches and burgers.
SmoothieDid you know that you could make a smoothie out of avocados? Chocolate Covered Katie claims that their creamy texture makes an avocado smoothie taste just like a vanilla milkshake. She has a great recipe on her blog, but the concept is simple: Add some peeled avocado chunks (fresh or frozen) to a blender with some milk or your favorite milk substitute and some vanilla and sweetener. Blend it all up until it’s smooth and creamy, and bon appetit! You’re ready to drink You can also experiment by adding other fruits to the mix, as well as cocoa powder or protein powder.