Are you looking for an simple avocado snack that’s not guacamole (not that there’s anything wrong with guac)? This recipe is perfect for you! The outside comes out perfectly crisp and crunchy, while the inside stays warm and creamy. It’s also simple enough that if you have an older child, they can help you in the kitchen (as long as they won’t lick the raw egg off their fingers).
Avocados are a popular first food for babies, but due to their slippery texture, they can be challenging for little ones to self-feed. The coating on these fries makes them a little more firm and easier to grab and perfect for baby led weaning. You can cook them a little less to make them a less crispy for babies who are just starting out.
This post may contain affiliate links and when you click on the links I may earn a small commission at no charge to you. As an Amazon affiliate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Benefits of Avocado
Avocado has a ton of fiber which can be super helpful for the constipation that can appear when babies first start solids. They are also a great source of healthy fats which are super important for your baby’s brain development.
Avocados are also a good source of magnesium, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, folate, and potassium. While I don’t recommend stressing too much about each individual micronutrient, studies show the benefits of offering a wide variety of foods to children to help meet micronutrient needs (1).
Choosing Avocados
Avoid fruit that has portions that are softer than other sections. This probably means they are bruised. Color may indicate ripeness, but it depends on the type of avocado. The Hass avocado will turn black or dark green when it is ripe.
When checking for ripeness, instead of squeezing with your fingers, gently squeeze it with the palm of your hand (2). This can help prevent bruising.
If the fruit is hard, it is not ripe. If there is a slight give to the fruit, it should be ready to eat in about 2 days if it’s stored at room temperature. If it yields to pressure, it will be ready to eat within a day. Most grocery stores will have a variety of ripeness so that you can choose what you need.
Ripening Tips
Avocados have a very short window of ideal ripeness. Use these tips to help prevent food waste and offer the best tasting avocado to your baby.
- To speed up ripening (and make the avocado softer), store it in a brown paper bag with an apple, kiwi, or banana.
- To slow down ripening (and prevent it from turning to complete mush), place your avocado in the fridge. Try to wait to put your avocado in the fridge until it has ripened a bit. Don’t put in hard avocados or they may not ripen properly.
Air Fryer Avocado Fries
Equipment
- 1 air fryer optional – oven option in notes
Ingredients
- 2 whole avocados
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp chili powder
- 1 whole egg
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Slice the avocado into fry-shapes.2 whole avocados
- In a small bowl, mix flour and spices.¼ cup flour, 1 tsp cumin, ½ tsp chili powder
- Whisk egg in another small bowl. Place bread crumbs in a third bowl.1 whole egg, 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- Dip each avocado fry in the flour/spice mixture, then the egg, then the bread crumbs and place in the air fryer.
- Air fry at 400° for 7 minutes, flipping once.
Notes
Nutrition
Krystyn Parks is a Registered Dietitian and Lactation Consultant who specializes in feeding children. She has a Master’s Degree in Nutritional Science from California State University Long Beach. She is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and has been registered with the Commission on Dietetic Registration since 2013.