Courtesy of the California Avocado Commission

Avocado toast has become an “it” food on consumers’ breakfast tables. Google Trends reports web searches for the item have risen 31% between June 2014 and June 2015. Not content to leave the profits at home, independent restaurants have been quick to jump on the avocado toast trend, and in April, quick service giant Dunkin’ Donuts introduced its own version.

There’s no doubt that avocados have jumped in consumer awareness and popularity. A super tasty, versatile fruit (the pit is a seed), avocados are a nutrient-dense food that provides vitamins, minerals and other nutrients with relatively few calories. Increasingly, consumers are smitten with the avocado’s dual appeal: a wonderfully smooth, nutty flavor with product benefits embraced by chefs and nutritionists alike.

When slightly mashed and slathered on toasted bread, fresh avocados transform a breakfast side into a satisfying meal and provide foodservice with a springboard of creativity. Consider these menu invitations to step up to the breakfast table:

• California Avocado Toast with Poached Eggs, Shaved Beets and Truffle Salt, Cheeky’s, Palm Springs, Calif.
• Mashed Avocado, Chorizo and Black Bean Texas Toast, Compass Group, Business Excellence Team
• Avocado Toast Benedict, The Butcher’s Daughter, New York City

Not surprisingly, chefs see no need to limit the pleasures of avocado toast to one daypart. With a flavor profile that complements a wide range of ingredients and seasonings, operators are menuing variations of avocado toasts 24/7.

• California Avocado and Pea Toast
• California Avocado Butter and Smoked Trout Toast, Sqirl, Los Angeles
• California Avocado and Crab Toast, Orchard City Kitchen, San Jose, Calif.
• California Avocado Toast with Prosciutto, Fennel and Medjool Date, Plow, San Francisco
• California Avocado Toast, Sea Urchin, Sesame, Seaweed, Huxley, San Francisco
• Sardine Toasts with California Avocado, Shakewell, Oakland, Calif.
• California Avocado Toast with Dill Gravlax, Claudine, San Francisco
• Spicy Shrimp California Avocado Toast, Fig, Santa Monica, Calif.
• California Avocado Ice Cream Toast, olive oil, condensed milk drizzle, sea salt, Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream, New York City

Chefs seeking to showcase local, seasonal ingredients can look for quality Fresh California Avocados from March through August. California Avocados are at peak quality in spring and summer, and ideal for slicing, dicing and/or spreading on an array of wholesome or decadent, but always delicious, toasts.            

About the California Avocado Commission
Created in 1978, the California Avocado Commission strives to increase demand for California avocados through advertising, promotion and public relations, and engages in related industry activities that benefit the state’s nearly 5,000 avocado growers. The California Avocado Commission serves as the official information source for California Avocados and the California avocado industry. For nutrition information and recipes visit CaliforniaAvocado.com/Foodservice or join us onFacebook at Facebook.com/CaliforniaAvocados and @CA_Avocados on Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for updates.