As summer ends and routines return, the World Avocado Organisation, in partnership with paediatric nutrition expert Lucy Upton, is highlighting how avocados can help families reset their eating habits after the season’s indulgences.
A natural reset point
September offers an opportunity to return to balanced eating while juggling family life, work, and well-being. After weeks of travel, barbecues, restaurant meals, and the occasional treat, nutrient-rich foods can help restore balance to everyday meals. The World Avocado Organisation points to avocado as a particularly versatile choice, providing fibre, healthy unsaturated fats, vitamins, and minerals in one naturally nutrient-dense food that can be added to meals without making families feel restricted.
Registered dietitian and paediatric nutrition expert Upton stresses the importance of a realistic approach to family nutrition as children and parents settle back into their routines, noting that clashing schedules and eating preferences can make this difficult. She encourages parents to focus on small, achievable changes rather than perfection at every meal, pointing out that avocado suits all ages, from baby-led weaning to child-friendly recipes, making it a single ingredient that works for the whole family.
Supporting gut health
Changes to routine, diet, and meal patterns over summer can make digestive health a priority once families return home, particularly with the added stress of resuming school and work schedules. Avocados contain 6.7g of dietary fibre per 100g, which contributes to normal digestive function in children and adults. The NHS recommends about 15g of fibre a day for 2–5-year-olds and about 20g for 5–11-year-olds. Recipes such as avocado and chocolate energy balls can be prepared in advance to help support regularity and sustain energy through the school or working day.
“Busy schedules, selective eating and the increasing reliance on convenient foods can all make it harder for families to prioritise fibre rich choices. The good news is that improving fibre intake doesn’t require a complete overhaul of the family diet, small additions to familiar meals can make a meaningful difference,” says Upton, registered nutritionist.
Packed with essential nutrients
Avocados provide a range of vitamins and minerals that contribute to normal body function. They are a source of potassium, which supports normal muscle function and helps maintain normal blood pressure, and folate, which contributes to normal psychological function and helps reduce tiredness and fatigue. They also contain vitamin E, which helps protect cells from oxidative stress, and vitamin K, which contributes to normal blood clotting and helps maintain normal bones.
A source of heart-healthy fats
Avocados are naturally rich in unsaturated fats. These fats are an important part of a balanced diet, and replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats contributes to maintaining normal blood cholesterol levels. Adding avocado to meals is therefore a simple way to include more unsaturated fats in the diet while adding flavour and a satisfying texture.
Versatile and satisfying
The combination of fibre and good fats makes avocado a satisfying addition to any meal or snack, and its versatility makes it a staple for meal planning as families settle back into routine. Whether the craving is sweet or savoury, avocado can turn simple ingredients into balanced, nutrient-rich meals, from salads to bread rolls.
“Healthy eating doesn’t have to mean a complete overhaul of how a family eats. I often encourage parents to think about ‘nutrition by addition’. Looking at what is already on the plate and asking, ‘What could I add?’ Adding avocado to toast or a sandwich, stirring vegetables or pulses into a familiar dish, or simply introducing one new food can all add nutritional value without adding complexity. The goal isn’t a perfectly balanced plate at every meal, but a varied and balanced diet across the week,” adds Upton.
The body has its own natural processes for dealing with waste, and a varied, balanced diet provides the nutrients needed to support normal physiological functions, so the post-holiday period does not need to involve restrictive diets or detox programmes. September can instead be an opportunity to focus on consistency, eating a wide variety of fruit and vegetables, choosing sources of fibre, vitamins, and good fats, staying energised, and keeping active. Avocado offers a simple, tasty way to bring nutrient density back to the plate as summer gives way to autumn.
Avocado bread
Serves: 2 people
Ingredients
- 1 avocado
- 1 egg
- 40 g grated mozzarella cheese
- Salt to taste
- Seeds for garnish
Method: Remove the avocado skin and mash it with a fork until smooth and creamy. Add the egg, grated mozzarella, and a pinch of salt and pepper, mixing until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous. Pour the mixture into a small oven-safe or air-fryer-safe mould and sprinkle the seeds on top. Cook at 180°C for 12 minutes in the air fryer or at 200°C for 20 minutes in the oven, until the surface is golden brown. Leave to rest for a few minutes before removing from the mould and slicing. Fill as desired.
Avocado and chocolate energy balls
Serves: 12–14 balls
Ingredients
- 1 ripe avocado
- 12 pitted dates (approx. 200 g)
- 30 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 50 g fine rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
Preparation: Remove the pit from the dates and peel the avocado. Place the dates, avocado, cocoa powder, and cinnamon in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Add the oats and mix well until the mixture is firm and easy to handle. Shape the mixture into small balls using your hands, dampening them if necessary, then roll the balls in cocoa powder. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.