Avocados and Nutrition

Avocados are the focus of the 'Eating My Colourful Vegies and Fruit' activities because they are uniquely suited to the overall aims of the resource. It’s important children eat fruits and vegetables from all the colours of the rainbow.

From a nutritional perspective avocados deserve a place in any list of desirable greens as they make such a valuable contribution to a child's diet. They are high in beneficial monounsaturated fat which is a great source of essential energy. A child's energy requirements are significant because of their rapid growth, development and activity levels. It's therefore important to include high-energy snacks and meals in their diet, without filling them up with nutritionally empty foods.

Avocados are anything but empty as they contain a wide selection of the nutrients vital to every aspect of an infant's growth and development. These include vitamins C, E and K and folate, as well as the minerals potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper and manganese. They’re naturally low in salt and sugars, and contribute to your child’s all-important fibre intake.

Making sure a child's meals contain all the nutrients they need can be challenging, particularly as their eating habits are evolving, and at times may be erratic or fussy. The mild flavour, creamy texture, versatility and convenience of avocado makes it a perfect food to use when helping children to try foods for the first time. This is particularly true in an early childhood centre setting where there may be limited cooking facilities and OH&S considerations.

More information the nutrition benefits of avocados can be found by clicking on the follow links:

Avocados - Nutrition Information Panel

Avocados and family health

Go for 2&5 - Avocados

Fresh for Kids - Avocados