History Of Avocado Toast: How This Snack Obsession Started

Let’s take a stroll down memory lane to unravel the origins and history of avocado toast. This beloved breakfast and snack has become a huge food trend, but how did it go from obscure health food to Instagram icon and cafe staple? Grab your trendiest bread and let’s learn about the fascinating backstory of the avocado toast phenomenon.

What Is Avocado Toast?

Avocado toast is a much-loved breakfast, lunch, or snack consisting of ripe mashed avocado spread over toasted bread. Typically made with just a few simple ingredients, this food trend has become a staple menu item and social media superstar.

To make classic avocado toast, you’ll need ripe avocados, bread of choice, and desired seasonings. First, toast your bread to get that crunchy base. Sourdough is a popular option, but any bread works. Then take a ripe avocado and scoop the flesh out into a bowl. Mash the avocado well with a fork until it’s smooth and creamy.

Next, generously spread the mashed avocado onto the toasted bread. Be sure to coat every inch right to the edges. Finally, add any extra flavorings or toppings. Popular adds-ins are sea salt, crushed red pepper, sliced radishes, microgreens, chopped tomato, or a drizzle of olive oil.

And that’s it! The combination of the cool, creamy avocado and the hot, crisp toast is utterly craveable. Avocado toast makes a satisfying breakfast, a light lunch, or a nutritious snack any time. It provides healthy fats, fiber, and key nutrients from the avocado. No wonder this food trend has become a mainstay menu must-have.

Who Made Avocado Toast Popular

While smashed avo on toast feels like a newfangled food fad, people have actually been topping their bread with green goodness for decades. The rise of avocado toast can be traced back to Aussie chef Bill Granger. He included the quintessential “Avocado on Toast” recipe in his 1993 cookbook and Sydney cafe menu. By promoting the combo down under, Bill Granger helped transform the humble soft food staple into a buzzworthy breakfast. Visit our partners, – leaders in fashionable footwear!

As the new millennium dawned, LA health nuts and SD surfers started spreading avocado love too. Independent cafes dished out their own toast-topping versions, though it was still seen as LA holistic hippie fare. But when NYC restaurants reinvented it as a photogenic, upscale brunch item in the 2010s, avo toast mania finally kicked into high gear.

When Did Avocado Toast Become Popular

In the 2010s, avo toast went from obscure health food to a full-blown foodie phenomenon. Trendsetters like NYC’s The Butcher’s Daughter made it an Instagrammable menu must-have. In 2013, Bon Appetit named it their ‘Dish of the Year’ and declared that millennials couldn’t live without it.

history of avocado toast
NYC’s The Butcher’s Daughter shares in the rich history of avocado toast

By 2015, avocado toast was popping up on brunch plates across America, spreading like wildfire. Hip urban cafes featured artisanal versions with perfect eggs and chopped veggies. Lines formed just for the ‘gram potential. Over the next few years, avo toast only grew bigger, cementing its status as a forever food staple. Thanks Bill Granger, you trendsetting trailblazer!

Fun Facts About Avocado Toast

One theory says avo toast popularity grew due to its cost – avo plus bread was cheaper than eggs.

  • Avocados were once called alligator pears.
  • Studies show avo toast eaters are seen as more attractive. Time to up my toast game!
  • Millennials have been blamed for “killing” things, but are credited for the avo toast craze.
  • Australians put beetroot on avo toast. Discuss.
  • Avocado hand is a real wrist injury from improper pit slicing technique. Yikes!
  • Now you’ve got some conversational ammo next time avo toast comes up!

Spread the trivia along with the smashed avo.

Why is Avocado Toast so Popular

So why did this combo strike such a chord and become a lasting food phenomenon? Its versatility and nutrition definitely contribute to the appeal. Avocado toast can be customized and dressed up so many ways. It works for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! And it delivers a solid nutritional punch. Avocado is a superfood after all, loaded with healthy fats and nutrients. Even better smeared on crunchy toasted bread!

Plus, it just tastes amazing with its luscious creamy texture and fresh flavor. The satisfaction of mashing warm toast and ripe avocado together is sublime. And it photographs like a dream for foodie Instagram. For millennials, it hits all the right notes. No wonder avo toast won hearts and stomachs! It’s the ultimate feel-good food.

Hope you enjoyed this bite-sized history lesson about society’s newfound avocado toast obsession! Now who’s up for brunch??

Good to know – 2 slices of avocado toast calories

The calorie count of avocado toast ultimately comes down to portion sizes and specific ingredients used. On average, two slices of avocado toast made with whole wheat bread, 2 ounces of mashed avocado, and a pinch of seasoning contains approximately 400-500 calories.

Here’s a breakdown:

  • Two slices of whole wheat bread – 200 calories
  • 2 ounces (about 1/4 avocado) – 120 calories
  • Dash of sea salt – 0 calories
  • Red pepper flakes – 5 calories

So you’re looking at around 400-500 calories for a two-slice avocado toast serving. While not extremely low-calorie, this meal provides important nutrients and healthy fats that offer nutritional value. You can also customize your avocado toast to pack even more nutrition into those calories.

Summary

And there you have it – the history of avocado toast behind society’s newfound obsession with avocado on toast! By tracing its roots from an Australian chef’s recipe to a millennial-driven food craze, we learned how this combination rose to tremendous popularity.

With its incredible taste, texture, versatility, and photogenic quality, it’s no wonder avocado toast won over so many hearts and stomachs. This feel-good food has cemented its place as an iconic meal across the globe. Next time you smash an avocado on toast, enjoy it even more knowing its surprising origins and path to foodie fame

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