Can Avocados Be Frozen? Your Burning Questions Answered By an RD

Ever found yourself with an excess of avocados and wondering how to save them for a rainy day? Personally, this event is rare and far between (any excuse to make guacamole, right?!) But if you do find yourself in this predicament, frozen avocados can be a great addition to smoothies or any other blended avocado treat (like an antioxidant-packed chocolate-avocado pudding!) Before you grab those avocados in the fridge and throw them in the freezer, let’s dig a little bit deeper into an avocado’s nutrient-preservation, changes in texture and best methods for storing them. How to Preserve an Avocado’s Nutrients Lots of fruits and veggies come canned or frozen, so you can enjoy them year-round. That’s not the case with avocados, which typically can only be bought in their whole, fresh state. As with all fresh produce, nutrient concentrations will decline with time. When it comes to avocados, they’re excellent sources of potassium, folate, vitamin B6 and healthy fats. Freezing will not drastically change these healthful benefits, but as time goes by you can expect some nutrient losses, especially in an avocado’s water-soluble vitamins. Will Freezing Avocados Change Their Texture? Don’t expect frozen avocados to hold up for an avocado toast or salad topper as their consistency and texture will definitely shift. Fruits like avocado (yes, it’s a fruit!) have a high water content, and as this water freezes and expands, the creamy texture you’re expecting will certainly change. How to Freeze Avocados Despite the cons, you may still want to freeze some avocados. (Hey, they’re pricey and maybe you got a good deal on a box of them. We don’t judge.) Whatever you’re reason, follow this foolproof, step-by-step guide for how to freeze avocado: 1. Assess ripeness. The ripening process will completely stall when you toss avocados in the freezer, so make sure your avocado is perfectly ripe. 2. Prep your avocado. Slice your avocado, remove the pit and scoop out the flesh before placing it in a freezer bag or container. I like to slice mine into strips for easier blending. 3. Toss with lemon. Add 1 – 2 teaspoons of lemon juice to prevent any browning. 4. Remove as much air as possible. If using a ziplock bag, try to remove as much air as possible for better preservation. Now, what to do with your frozen avocados?! Try this delicious and easy Choco-Avocado Pudding recipe that is loaded with antioxidants from avocado (vitamin E, lycopene) and cocoa powder (flavonoids) or this Avocado Banana Smoothie for a nutrient-dense breakfast: Choco-Avocado Pudding Ingredients: 1 medium avocado 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 6 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk 1 tablespoon honey 1 teaspoon sliced almonds Directions: Blend all ingredients until smooth and enjoy! (Image: Shutterstock)

7 Creative Avocado Recipes That Have Nothing to Do With Toast or Tacos

From salad dressing to chocolate pudding.

In the Kitchen with Keri: How to Go Way Beyond Avocado Toast

We share heaps of healthy information on Nutritious Life’s blog every day, but “In the Kitchen with Keri” is your chance to spend some quality time with the wonder woman behind it all, Keri Glassman, MS, RD, CDN. It’s where she invites you into her space to share the ingredients she’s currently obsessed with, recipes she can’t get enough of, and other tips and tricks learned over many years of life as an always-ahead-of-the-curve nutritionist and wellness expert. From Open-Faced Sandwich to Toast I’ve always loved open-faced sandwiches. Now, thanks to the avocado toast craze, I call them “toasts” along with everyone else (and have to focus on making them look super pretty in addition to delicious, naturally). Why toasts? First of all, I like that you’re getting just one slice of bread at a time instead of eating a full sandwich, to avoid excess carbs. (Not because you shouldn’t eat them, but because you can easily overdo them!) And you can basically layer anything you’ve got in your fridge onto one of these and have a delicious, healthy meal ready to go in minutes. Breakfast! Lunch! Snack!  You can really meet a lot of nutrient needs and bring variety and flavor to the table without having to plan far ahead. For the bread base, I’m a big fan of Ezekiel’s Food for Life. I like it because it’s made with sprouted grains, is organic, and it doesn’t contain added sugar or other unnecessary, unhealthy ingredients. A good organic sourdough is another great option. These are a few toasts I whipped up recently. 3 Ways to Go Way Beyond Avocado Toast First, since we’re talking avocado toast, I love starting with the mashed avo and then layering on whatever vegetables and protein I’ve got. In this one pictured, I had leftover Spicy Roasted Zucchini and Corn, so I threw that on top. You could also add sliced turkey or leftover grilled chicken to turn it into more of a meal—veggies, protein, and healthy fats, all represented. RELATED: Delicious Roasted Veggies, 3 Ways For the most simple of the bunch, I spread hummus on the toast for plant protein and then top it with colorful heirloom cherry tomatoes and a little bit of fresh basil. Mediterranean magic made in less than a minute! Finally, it doesn’t have to be all about savory. Sometimes your sweet tooth will be tingling, and you don’t want to give into cravings for less nutritious foods (I’m talking to you, cupcakes). RELATED: Finally: Learn How to Prevent Sugar Cravings I spread a little goat cheese on the toast, top it with fresh blueberries, and then drizzle it with a little bit of honey. Pro tip: Use Ezekiel’s Cinnamon Raisin bread for this one for even more sweet deliciousness, or sprinkle some cinnamon on top (for flavor and about a 100 health benefits). That’s it! You’re ready to take a big bite … after posting your gorgeous #toasts on Insta, of course.