BEST COOKING RECIPES

Just like adults
most children can benefit from getting at least five servings of colorful fruits and vegetables every day; many children
however
fall short. A study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association reported that 23 to 33 percent of infants and toddlers studied did not even get a single serving of fruit in a day.

Most children need to more than double their daily intake of fruits and vegetables. Keeping your kitchen stocked with a wide variety of produce
including fresh California avocados
is one way to get children to increase their daily consumption of fruit.

Incorporating California avocados into your children's diet is a great way to give them a healthy start. This delicious fruit is not only great tasting
but easy to prepare. A single serving of California avocado (about 1/5 of a medium avocado or about two tablespoons mashed) is 55 calories and contributes essential fatty acids
vitamins
minerals
fiber and phytonutrients.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that solid foods may be introduced to infants between four and six months of age; and that for the first year foods be mashed or pureed. For a quick snack
just mash a California avocado with a spoon and feed directly to baby.

When you are introducing avocados to older children you can offer it with other foods or alone as a great- tasting snack. Just remember
children often refuse to eat new foods
but persistence with fruits and vegetables will pay off with a healthy diet for your child.

For older children
you can try this easy and delicious recipe
featuring California avocados:

Pick Up Sticks

Recipe provided by the California Avocado Commission. For more healthy recipes online
visit www.5aday.org or www.avocado.org.

Ingredients:

12 long
thin pretzel sticks

1/4 ripe California avocado
seeded
peeled and cubed

6 oz 75% light Cheddar cheese
cut into twelve 1/2 -inch cubes

1/2 large red apple
cored and cubed

12 red grapes

Instructions:

Cube avocado and apple.

Use a wooden skewer to poke holes in avocado
apple and grape.

Using a pretzel stick as a skewer
thread on one grape
one cheese square
one apple cube and one avocado cube.

Repeat process making 12 "Pick Up Sticks."

Serves 3

Nutrition information per serving: calories: 212
total fat: 7.7g
saturated fat: 3.3g
% of calories from fat: 32%
% of calories from saturated fat: 14%
protein: 19g
carbohydrates: 17g
cholesterol: 20mg
dietary fiber: 2g
sodium: 402mg