Avocado can add a creamy texture to more than toast. Decide whether you want it as a spread, a side, or part of a bowl.
That purpose helps you choose the amount. You do not need the same portion for every use.
Three ways to use one avocado
For a lunch bowl, combine drained tuna, diced cucumber, and avocado cubes. Add lemon juice and black pepper. For breakfast, serve avocado slices beside eggs and tomatoes. For a spread, mash avocado with lemon juice and chopped parsley. Add the spread to bread just before you eat.
Choose the amount for each meal before you cut the fruit. A thin sandwich spread needs less avocado than a bowl where avocado supplies most of the texture. If you use nutrient data by weight, weigh the edible flesh. Do not include the skin or pit. A quarter of a small avocado and a quarter of a large avocado are different portions.
Choose a texture for the meal
Slices can sit beside eggs or a salad. Mashed avocado can work as a spread when you enjoy the flavor.
A small amount of lemon or a favorite seasoning can change the result. Add a little first, then taste.
Compare your actual portion
If you track nutrients, use the amount you eat. Avocados differ in size, so a fraction of a fruit is not always a consistent measure.
Use reliable composition information or the label for a packaged product. Include the other ingredients in a prepared avocado spread.
Keep the bread in the comparison
For toast or a sandwich, the bread and toppings form one meal. Choose the bread for its taste, texture, and current label.
A soft topping can need a bread that holds together well. Try the combination before you prepare several portions.
Use a simple bowl format
Combine avocado with vegetables and another food you enjoy. Choose the sauce after you consider the flavors already in the bowl.
Keep the components separate when different people want different amounts. This also makes the portions easier to see.
Buy for the meals ahead
Choose a quantity you expect to use. Examine packaged avocado products for their storage directions after opening.
A favorite food is easier to use when it has a planned place. You can repeat the format while changing a vegetable or seasoning.
Our bread guide helps with toast and sandwiches. For other formats, start with the texture you want and assemble the meal around it.
Photo: Ivar Leidus, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
