Welcome friends, to the greatest week of the year! Avocado Week is officially here and Nikky from HealthNut Nutrition and I could not be more excited to bring you our version of Avocado Christmas!
March is National Nutrition Month here in Canada so we couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate than by bringing you a whole week of avocado goodness.
You guys know I am whole-heartedly obsessed with avocados, so Nikky and I teamed up with Avocados from Mexico – Canada to highlight exactly why we both love this nutrition-packed fruit so much.
We have lots of epic recipes and videos coming your way this week, but first we wanted to kick things off with some Avocado Hacks and Tips to show you just how amazing this green gold fruit really is. But first…
Watch me and my friend Nikky from HealthNut Nutrition share some of our favourite avocado hacks!
-Avocados are high in monounsaturated oleic acid, a “heart healthy” fatty acid that is believed to actually help lower bad “LDL” cholesterol and increase good “HDL” cholesterol.
-They are a great source of lutein, a carotenoid antioxidant that helps with eye-health and preventing eye diseases.
-Half an avocado contains 3.4 grams of fiber, which helps improve digestion. Fiber also slows the breakdown of carbohydrates in your body, helping you feel full for longer.
-Avocados are low in saturated fat and contain no cholesterol or sodium.
-They contain more potassium than bananas!
And now onto the tips! If you want a video explanation, I’ve included the time during the video so you can see a visual example.
HOW TO RIPEN AN AVOCADO (1:45)
Have you ever gotten to the store and all of the avocados haven’t quite ripened? Here’s a trick to get them to ripen faster! Grab and banana and a paper bag and place the banana and the avocado inside the bag. Roll the top of the bag to seal shut. The banana releases a gas that helps to ripen the avocado! Check back in a day and you should have a ripe avocado waiting for you.
HOW TO CHECK IF AN AVOCADO IS RIPE (1:07)
It’s such a misnomer that the best way to check to see if an avocado is ripe is by look or touch. Unfortunately, neither the outer skin, nor the touch can tell you if an avocado is ripe. The best way to check is to pop off the little nub at the top of the fruit and check it’s colour. If it’s bright green, you’re good to go. If it’s yellow, place the nub back on and let it ripen for a day or two. If it’s brown, it may be time to part ways…
BONUS POINTS!
Want to check to see how fresh the avocado is? Rub the little nub on your hand and if it’s wet, it’s still full of moisture and fresh as ever! (1:34)
HOW TO CUT AN AVOCADO -Version 1 (2:12)
This is the conventional way to cut avocados. Slice around the horizontal center of the avocado, score pit with a knife and twist to remove the pit. You’ll need to use a bit of force to get the knife into the pit.
HOW TO CUT AN AVOCADO – Version 2 (2:24)
After visiting Mexico this has become my go-to way to cut avocados. Cut along the circumference of the avocado and then squeeze the side with the pit. If the avocado is super ripe, the pit comes right out!
HOW TO CUBE AN AVOCADO (2:40)
Using a butter knife, slice avocado horizontally. Then slice avocado vertically to create cubes. Score as small or as large as you want. Use a spoon to scoop out the cubes, and discard the skin. This trick is great for adding avocado chunks to salad or toast.
HOW TO STORE AN AVOCADO (3:10)
On the rare occasion you have leftover avocado, use this trick for storage! Just place the open avocado with the pit into a container and add a piece of onion. The onion helps to prevent oxidization of the avocado so it doesn’t brown. For extra protection, squeeze a bit of lemon or lime juice on top of the avocado as well.
Make sure you check out Nikky’s blog and subscribe to her YouTube channel to stay up-to-date on her latest posts! Lots more avocado goodness coming your way this week.
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Avocados from Mexico – Canada. Thanks for supporting the brands that help make THM possible and bring more delicious recipes your way!
What are your best avocado hacks? Who’s excited for Avocado Week?!
JOIN THE THM NEWSLETTER
Join 20,000+ members of the THM Community to get access to exclusive recipes, healthy lifestyle tips and behind-the-scenes news from our team!
38 Comments
Bita
March 21, 2016 at 11:40 pmThanks girls!! Fun little vid. I think I’d heard about most of your tips except the one about cutting horizontally – will try that one… soon as my avos are ripe enough! xo
Davida Kugelmass
March 22, 2016 at 3:28 pmYou’ll never go back! Enjoy 🙂
rachel @ athletic avocado
March 21, 2016 at 8:34 pmOh my gosh I seriously love this! Every time I put my avocado back in the fridge in turns brown! Never knew that you could put an onion besides it and it will stay green! Thanks for sharing!
Davida Kugelmass
March 22, 2016 at 3:28 pmYup! It’s the ultimate life hack!
Alison @ Alison's Allspice
March 21, 2016 at 8:30 pmI have heard many tips and tricks for avocados, but you still managed to find some new ones for me. I am going to try storing my avocados with onions this week! Thanks!
Davida Kugelmass
March 22, 2016 at 3:28 pmHope it helps!!
Dani @ Dani California Cooks
March 21, 2016 at 5:07 pmI’m going to try the onion/avocado storage hack tonight!! I’ll let you know how it turns out. I always have trouble storing avos and they end up going bad, so i usually just buy really small avocados so i use the whole thing.
Davida Kugelmass
March 21, 2016 at 8:10 pmThat’s a good plan! I just end up buying too many cause if I find them on sale I buy like 10 haha.
Cassie
March 21, 2016 at 1:47 pmI love the onion hack–keep those avocados green! And I LOVE avocados with all my heart. <3
Davida Kugelmass
March 21, 2016 at 2:16 pmYeah girl! They really are the best!
Mark Forge
March 21, 2016 at 1:30 pmI was an avocado virgin until summer last year. Tried it, have no idea what the fuss is all about. It tastes like… nothing.
Davida Kugelmass
March 21, 2016 at 2:16 pmThat’s unfortunate for you! They taste delicious to me.
Richard Fredrick
August 9, 2020 at 10:15 amI like to have a slice of avocado toast with my morning coffee or tea. If the avocado tastes a little blah, I add a tiny, tiny pinch of Kosher salt. As just about any professional chef will tell you, salt enhances the flavor of just about anything. Just use it very sparingly.
Shannon
March 21, 2016 at 12:36 pmThese are awesome! I always check the little nub to check for ripeness!
Davida Kugelmass
March 21, 2016 at 1:09 pmI wonder if there’s a more legit term for the “nub”? At the same time I kind of love calling it that haha. Thanks so much, Shannon!
Jen @ pretty little grub
March 21, 2016 at 10:33 amGreat tips! I used lemon on my avocado and was able to cut it onto salads for 3 days and not have them turn brown!
Davida Kugelmass
March 21, 2016 at 10:36 amcitrus + avo is ALWAYS a good idea!!
Jennifer Mitchell
March 21, 2016 at 10:30 amI’m so excited!!
Davida Kugelmass
March 21, 2016 at 10:36 ameeeee me too!!!
Stella @ Stellicious Life
March 21, 2016 at 9:45 amYay, so excited to see what you have planned for Avocado Week!
Being an avocado-fan I knew most of these tricks (minus the last one – I just squeezed some lemon juice on it but didn’t know about the onion trick.) 🙂
Love the idea that the whole week you’ll be sharing avocado recipes and fun facts 😉
Davida Kugelmass
March 21, 2016 at 10:34 amStay tuned, my dear! Lots more avo goodness coming your way this week!
Ashley @ Fit Mitten Kitchen
March 21, 2016 at 9:17 amBEST POST EVER!
Okay, not ever, but pretty damn close! I was just texting my youngest sister how to know when you’re avo is ripe. Definitely sharing this with her 😉
Davida Kugelmass
March 21, 2016 at 9:30 amShare it with the world!!! It’s a life-changing tip (until the people at the grocery store yell at your for pulling off the nub of every avocado…)!
Marina @ A Dancer's Live-It
March 21, 2016 at 7:56 amOmg Davida this is awesome! Yay Avocado Week!! I LOVE avocados and all of these hacks are so helpful. 🙂 Have an amazing day!!! <3
Davida Kugelmass
March 21, 2016 at 8:00 amI’m so excited that you’re excited!!! Gonna be a great week!!!