Avocados make for a great snack because they are satisfying, versatile and require minimal prep. They can be cut open and eaten with a spoon with squeeze of lemon juice or mixed into more elaborate dishes. Try out my recipes for avocado snacks below!

Avocado Nutrition

Avocados make for a tasty and filling snack because they’re packed with healthy fats and fiber. One avocado has 13.5 grams of fiber—over half of the recommended daily intake. And don’t fear the fat! The fat in avocados is mostly the good, heart-healthy unsaturated fat. They’re also plentiful in important vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin C, E and K, potassium, magnesium and zinc.

The fiber in avocados can have lots of beneficial effects! High fiber diets have been shown to help lower cholesterol levels and avocado intake with a balanced diet has been shown to have an impact on cardiovascular disease prevention.1

We’re learning that the gut is particularly important in staying healthy, and thankfully avocados are beneficial there too! They act as a prebiotic in the intestines, meaning they feed the bacteria in our gut, helping to keep them happy, in turn, improving our digestive and overall health.¹

Avocados are also high in a type of carotenoid called xanthophylls, which can lower the amount of LDL cholesterol that gets oxidized, and therefore helps to protect our blood vessels. They also have been shown to help slow down the progression of age-related macular degeneration, cataracts and cartilage degradation. ¹

As you can see, avocados are more than just a delicious snack!

Avocado Tips

Here are some tips on how to buy, store and use your avocados, so you can get snacking ASAP!

• How to buy: If you want a ripe avocado to eat immediately, you should be looking for one that is dark green/brown in color and gives slightly when pressed but doesn’t feel overly soft or mushy. An unripe avocado will usually be a brighter, green color. I like to buy 3-4 avocados at a time, making sure I have one or two that are ripe and ready to eat right away and another couple to let ripen on my counter. That way I know they won’t go bad and I’ll always have a perfectly ripe avocado around!
• How to store: Unripe and firm avocados should be stored at room until ready to eat. If you have a ripe avocado that you’re not quite ready for yet, place it in the refrigerator to help prevent it from going bad. If you want to ripen your avocado more quickly, place it in a paper bag and leave it on your countertop. To speed up the process add an apple or banana to the bag. These fruits produce a natural gas called ethylene, that triggers ripening.
• How to cut: Did you know that there were roughly 8,900 avocado related ER visits in 2018? These tasty fruits can be a bit tricky to cut and de-pit, but once you know the proper technique, you won’t become one of those statistics and you’ll be ready for all of the follow avocado snacks!
  • Use a chef’s knife or paring knife and carefully cut around the pit lengthwise until you can twist the avocado open.
  • To remove the pit, place avocado half on a cutting board. Aim your knife at the pit and tap it into the pit—not too hard but with enough force that the knife will stick into the pit. Twist the knife to release the pit from the avocado. Make sure to not use the pointy tip of the knife to stick into the pit—this is how people end up stabbing their hands!
  • Use your thumb to push down on the pit, away from the blade to remove it from the knife or bang knife on the side of your garbage can to release the pit.
  • For a visual of this process, watch my step-by-step video tutorial.

Try these Avocado Snacks

Avocado Toast with Smoked Trout – As you’ve probably seen on your Instagram feed, avocado toast has become the obvious avocado go to snack, but with good reason… it’s SO YUMMY! Try a new twist on this popular snack by adding smoked trout for a protein boost.

Avocado Egg Salad—Traditional egg salad can be heavy, with mayo as a main ingredient. Using avocado as the creamy base for egg salad can really up the nutritional value of this snack! You’ll get extra vitamins, minerals and fiber, with less saturated fat when swapping out mayo for avocado. Win, win!

Avocado Green Goddess Dip – Dips are my favorite when it comes to snacking. Usually you’d think guacamole with avocados on the mind, but sometimes you have to switch it up! This dip always makes snack time feel a little fancier. Serve with crisp veggies, like carrots, cucumber or sugar snap peas.

References

1. Bhuyan, Alsherbiny, Perera, et al. The Odyssey of Bioactive Compounds in Avocado (Persea americana) and their Health Benefits. Antioxidants. 2019;8(10):426. doi:10.3390/antiox8100426.