How to Serve Avocado to Baby | Baby Foode (2024)

Learn how to prepare avocado for baby in 4 delicious and easy ways! As yummy superfoods, avocados are ideal as the first food for babies – 6 months and up. Serve them as a baby food puree, mashed, or as finger food for baby-led weaning.

Medically reviewed byJamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).

Avocado Baby Food

Avocados 🥑 are one of my all-time favorite foods for babies!

Whether you are making all of your baby food or have tapped out in life and only want to make one homemade recipe for your baby, avocados would be my first and only recommendation.

Besides being affordable and easy to find, avocados are among the top healthiest foods for babies, if not the number one. You can easily have them blended into a smooth puree, smashed into a chunky puree, sliced into finger food, and cut into pieces with an easy-to-grip handle for baby-led weaning.

So, no matter what style of feeding you are doing with your little one, avocados have got you covered. 👍

Plus, after you are done making your baby an easy avocado meal, you can also slice some for your own snack! And in my opinion, every time avocado is involved in a meal; the day just gets better.

First time making homemade baby food?Then, I would suggest that you start by reading my very in-depthGuide on how to Make Homemade Baby Food– which goes over all the important information such as thebestcooking tools to have on hand,safestorage,how to knowwhen babyis ready for solids,how tointroduce purees,the best first foods for baby,and more! If you are doingBaby-Led Weaning, then be sure to check out myComplete Guide to Baby-Led Weaning– which coverswhat exactly is baby-led weaning, to every parent’s concern ofbaby-led weaning and choking, this guide goes over it all. I will also sharehow to knowwhen babyis ready for BLW, thetop 10 best first foods, a helpfulsample blw feeding schedule, helpfultools to have on hand, and much much more!

Want more information?Then make sure to check out my best-sellingcookbookfor even more information and recipes!

Top Reasons to Serve Avocado to Baby

1. Avocados are beyond healthy for babies – they contain healthy fats that help your baby’s brain grow!
2. They are fast – you can make and serve avocado to your baby in 30 seconds flat!
3. They work for all feeding styles — puree, chunky puree, finger food, or baby-led weaning. How versatile!

Benefits of Avocado for Baby

Avocados are one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet, and I’m not exaggerating!

• Super Nutritious – Avocados are full of 20 different vitamins and minerals, most notably vitamin K, folate, vitamin C, potassium, vitamin E, magnesium, and vitamins B-5 and B-6, along with a good amount of fiber and heart-healthy fats.
• Health Benefits – They improve heart health, support eye, skin, and hair health, fight cancer cell growth, enhance digestive health, boost one’s mood, keep the nervous system healthy, provide healthy fats for brain growth, and are good for gross motor skills.
• Boosts Immunity – Avocados are loaded with antioxidants, anti-inflammation, and antimicrobial properties, which help prevent your baby from getting sick.

Ingredients

• Avocado: you will need half of ripe avocado for these recipes. Because avocados don’t keep well, I recommend making these recipes on-demand so the puree or solid food is fresh and free of any browning.
• Spices or Herbs: you can certainly add in a pinch of spice or herbs to your avocado puree. A pinch of freshly chopped cilantro, chives, parlsey, or mint would be tasty or you could add in a pinch of garlic powder, cumin, paprika, mild chili powder or a squeeze of lemor or lime juice.

Avocado Picking Tip: when shopping for an avocado, you want one that is darker in color and yields to firm gentle pressure. A ripe avocado will feel soft to the touch but not “mushy” when you press on it. You can store unripened avocados in the fridge until you are ready for them. You will want to take them out of the fridge and place them on the counter 1-2 days before you need them.

Tools Needed

• highchair
• suction bowlorbaby bowl
• baby spoon
• open lid cup
• bib with catch pocket
• sleeved bib
• splat mat tocover the floor
• knives
• blenderorfood processor

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Serve Avocado to Baby

There are a variety of ways to prepare avocados for your baby. Here are 4 of my favorite ways:

• Mashed – This is a quick and easy way to make a chunky or smooth puree, ideal for babies 4-6+ months old.
• Sliced with Some Peel Left – When you leave the peel on half of a slice of avocado, you are making a little easy-to-hold handle for your baby. They can hold (or palmar grasp) the peel and then eat the peeled portion. It’s perfect for baby-led weaning (6+ months) or finger foods (9+ months).
• Smooth Puree – When blended with half of a banana, avocado becomes mouthwateringly smooth. This is great for babies 4-6+ months old who love smooth and creamy purees. Plus, it only takes 40 seconds to make.
• Slices Rolled in a Coating – This is another excellent alternative for babies who want to eat with their fingers but need a little help getting a good grip on the avocado slices since avocados can be a little slippery. You can do this option with slices or diced avocados. They’re also ideal for baby-led weaning (6+ months) or finger foods (9+ months).

Looking for more easy baby-led weaning and puree recipes?Then check out my favorite ways to serveapplesandbananasto babies!

Avocado for Baby-Led Weaning

There are several ways you can serve avocado to your baby if you are doing baby-led weaning depending on your baby’s age.

6-8 months: cut avocado into thick slices and leave half of the peel on (see photo above) so your baby has an easy-to-grip handle.

8-10 months: slice the avocado into thin slices without the peel.

10-12 months: cut the avocado into small chunks so your baby can practice their pincer grasp.

Avocado Puree with Banana

When you blend avocado and half of a banana, it becomes super-duper smooth. This is ideal for babies who love a rich, smooth, and creamy puree. Plus, it only takes 40 seconds to make!

Instructions: Place half an avocado and half a banana into a small blender or food processor and puree until smooth, adding a tablespoon of breast milk, formula, or water if needed.

Coated Avocado Slices

These coated avocado slices are another healthy option for babies that want to eat with their fingers but need a little help getting a good grip on the avocado slices since avocados can be a little slippery. You can opt for slices or diced avocados as well once your baby has developed their pincer grasp.

Instructions: Slice and peel avocado and roll in hemp seeds, whole wheat bread crumbs or crushed baby puffs.

Or watch a shortened version of this videohere.