Avocado For Your Baby: Introducing the Superfruit to the Next Generation

It’s pretty common for moms to stress about their babies. We want what is best for them and that includes what we put into their bodies. Knowing how healthy avocados are for us adults, it’s only natural to wonder if they are good for your baby too. Is avocado good for them? How should you give avocado to your baby? In today’s article we discuss making avocado for your baby.

Is Avocado Good For Your Baby?

Avocados are full of healthy unsaturated fats that are especially important for your baby’s rapidly growing brain. This nutrient-dense food also has plenty of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber your baby needs to grow healthy and strong. Here is a rundown of some of the nutrients in an avocado:

In addition to the nutrients listed above, avocados also contain small amounts of the minerals selenium, copper, zinx, and manganese. 

When Can You Provide Avocado For Your Baby?

Let us first preface this by saying if you have any questions about what and when to feed your baby, you should consult with your pediatrician. Every baby is different,  but most babies generally drink milk for the first 4 to 6 months of their lives. If your child starts staring at your food, smacking their lips, and otherwise showing interest in your food, they are probably ready to start trying pureed foods. Some other signs your baby is ready for solid foods are:

• Good head control.
• They readily open their mouth to receive food from a spoon.
• They do not push food out of their mouth with their tongue or otherwise spit out food (many babies will do this when starting solid foods).

Stages of Baby Food

While you might start feeding your baby foods other than breastmilk or formula around 4 months old, you will not jump right into feeding them regular solids an adult might eat. You should gradually introduce babies to more solid food as time goes on and develop more control and more teeth. Avocado is a fantastic choice for some of a baby’s first solid foods: the soft, creamy texture is perfect for babies. Avocado’s mild flavor makes this superfood easier for your little one to eat when they are first trying solid foods. 

How To Prepare Avocado For Your Baby

Since avocado flesh is already soft and creamy, preparing an avocado for your bouncing bundle is pretty straightforward. First, to prepare an avocado, make sure the fruit is very ripe; an underripe avocado will be harder and could pose a choking hazard. Begin by cutting the fruit in half. Next, remove the pit and skin. How you prepare your avocado can differ based on your baby’s age and abilities.

Avocado For Your Baby: 6 Months

As we’ve said previously, you likely won’t start making solid foods like avocado for your baby until they are between 4 and 6 months of age. When introducing your baby to avocado, mash it up into a smooth, creamy, consistent mixture. Do not add spices or salt to the avocado, your baby should eat it plain. You can also try cutting the avocado into strips your baby can hold and gum on. Once they progress to foods like infant cereals, you can roll the avocado in it to make it easier for your baby to grab. Once you introduce your baby to soft breads, you can introduce them to the world of untoasted avocado toast!

9 Months

At 9 months, babies start working on picking things up (and usually putting them in their mouths too). Some 9-month-olds are cutting teeth, while others are not. Dicing up pieces of avocado into cubes is a great way for your baby to work on picking food up and putting it in their mouths. The cubes of superfruit are large enough for your baby to grab but soft enough to eat even if they don’t have any teeth yet. 

12 Months

When your child is 12 months old, you can still give them pureed or diced avocado like you did when they were younger. Additionally, you can begin to incorporate more items like homemade guacamole, steamed vegetables, or soft pitas. The diversity and variation available for avocado meals are virtually endless. 

To read more about babies and avocados, check out our next article: Avocado Recipes For Babies

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