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National Avocado Day

Food · July 31

A day for the avocado, the creamy green fruit behind guacamole, avocado toast and many a sliced-on-top salad.

National Avocado Day falls on Saturday, July 31, 2027. That is 277 days away.

The avocado is a fruit with a large single seed, a pebbly or smooth skin, and pale green flesh that turns soft and buttery when ripe. It grows on trees, and it is often treated like a vegetable in the kitchen because it tastes rich rather than sweet.

Ripeness is the whole game. An avocado usually ripens after it is picked, so the hard ones at the store are not a mistake, just early. A gentle squeeze tells you a lot: firm means wait, a slight give means ready, and a soft dent means it may already be past its best. Cut flesh browns when it meets the air, which is why guacamole recipes so often call for lime or lemon juice.

Most people mark the day by eating one. Guacamole is the obvious choice, mashed with onion, cilantro, salt and citrus. Avocado toast has its loyal following too, and slices turn up on tacos, sandwiches, burgers and rice bowls. Some cooks blend avocado into smoothies or dressings for a thick, smooth texture without any dairy.

The seed comes out easily once you cut around it and twist the halves apart. Some people try sprouting one on a windowsill, propped over a glass of water with toothpicks so the bottom stays wet. It takes patience, and the result is a leafy houseplant rather than a fruit bowl, but watching the root push down is satisfying in its own slow way.

Ways to celebrate

• Make a bowl of guacamole with lime, onion and cilantro.
• Try avocado on toast with a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Practice the gentle squeeze test on avocados at the store.
• Sprout an avocado seed in a glass of water on a windowsill.
• Add sliced avocado to tacos, a sandwich or a salad.

Dates

All national days on July 31

Also on July 31

• National Mutt Day
• National Raspberry Cake Day
• National Jump for Jelly Beans Day
• Uncommon Instrument Awareness Day

Categories: Food days