Celebrate a California-Style Cinco de Mayo with Fresh California Avocados

Plan A California Fiesta

The color. The music. The food! Give your Cinco de Mayo party a touch of California—with Fresh California Avocados and these tips.

LIGHT UP THE ROOM

Create an intimate yet festive and sophisticated ambiance with strings of lights. Look for cactus, chile pepper or cowboy boot bulbs. Use them indoors or out on the patio or deck. Don't forget to hang a colorful piñata and banners!

EYE-CATCHING INVITES

Make your invitations personal and fun! If you're mailing them, use California postcards or copy an old photo of yourself on the beach. E-mailing your invites? Take a picture of yourself eating your favorite guacamole or entice your guests with one of our Cinco de Mayo recipes.

FIESTA FOOD

A Cinco de Mayo party is all about food! Whip up a variety of dishes that are tasty and easy to eat while socializing. Make some spicy and some mild to appeal to all your guests' tastes. Do as much as you can ahead of time. After all, you want to enjoy the party, too.

HAVE A FAVORITE GUACAMOLE?

Ask your guests to create their favorite guacamole and set up a taste-testing table. Or get competitive! Have a guacamole contest and let guests cast their ballots for their favorite. Give away a basket of Fresh California Avocados as a prize. They are in season now!

BE FRESH

To avoid discoloration of make-ahead avocado dishes, sprinkle avocados with fresh lemon juice, lime juice or white vinegar after cutting the fruit. Then, prepare your dish per the recipe instructions.

FOR HEALTH-CONSCIOUS GUESTS

You can't have a Cinco de Mayo celebration without guacamole. The good news is guacamole is a nutritious alternative to saturated fat laden dips.

California Avocados can be part of a healthful diet. One-fifth of a medium avocado (1 oz) has 50 calories and contributes nearly 20 vitamins and minerals making it a good nutrient choice. Avocados, due to their mono and polyunsaturated fat content, are a great substitution for foods rich in saturated fat. Don't forget that avocados provide the "good fat" (poly and monounsaturated fat), so you can feel good about including them in your fiesta menus.

GUACAMOLE OLÉ

Dip into guacamole with a low-fat tortilla chip. You'll get a fiesta in every bite while eating less fat.

FESTIVE BEVERAGES

Make sure you have about twice as many glasses as you have guests and you should be in good shape. Make it fun. Use different color and shape glasses and try this festive touch: add a sliver of avocado on the rim of each glass for a delicious and colorful surprise.

CHILL

You'll need lots of ice! One pound per person is the rule of thumb. Cool drinks with a tasty twist! Make California Avocado pearls. Use a melon scoop to form "pearls" of California Avocado then freeze and use them instead of ice. They'll add a touch of class to drinks and when the beverage is gone, guests will enjoy a delicous treat.

MINGLE, MINGLE, MINGLE

Don't forget to party! Talk to friends, dance, play games and enjoy all the delicious California Avocado dishes you prepared.