Is there anyone these days who hasn't heard that avocados are good for your health?

Every time I open social media, I see endless posts like "Eating avocados regularly makes your skin glow" and "It's great for heart health."

Even I, living in Fullerton, was tempted at first and started picking one up every time I went grocery shopping. But the problem is... they can be quite expensive.

Every time I open my wallet, the price for one avocado is pretty high, and to find a good one, you need some luck, plus if it's too hard, it needs a few days to ripen.

But once you start eating it, you can't give it up. The taste of creamy avocado melting in your mouth when you scoop it out with a spoon. A little salt and a drizzle of olive oil on top of bread. And if you add a fried egg? Honestly, it makes for a home-cooked brunch that rivals café menus.

Our weekend mornings have almost become solidified with avocado toast. My husband loves it for its nuttiness, and my child initially rejected it because of its green color but now dips it in ketchup. Seeing that makes me happy, and even though I know it's expensive, I still add it to the cart.

Living in Fullerton, there are plenty of options like Trader Joe's, Costco, Safeway, and Korean markets. But no matter where you go, the avocado section is always popular, and fresh ones disappear quickly. Especially on days when the price drops, it seems like everyone has heard the news, and if you go late, only the hard or overly ripe ones are left.

Anyone who has picked avocados knows this, right?

You can't just judge by color; it has to be just the right softness when you gently press it. If it's not ripe enough, putting it in a paper bag with a banana can help it ripen faster, and I was curious enough to try it at first. After a few days, it really does ripen smoothly. However, if you're not careful, it can ripen too quickly and become overly soft.

Looking at the nutritional content, there's no need to worry about the fat content being higher than expected. It's good fat that helps your body. It helps with constipation like a lubricant, and since it provides a good feeling of fullness, when you're on a diet, eating a generous amount of avocado instead of bread can keep you satisfied. It also raises blood sugar slowly, so it's good for those who are mindful of sugar intake, and it's rich in vitamins, which is said to be good for the skin.

Perhaps that's why, among women in their 40s these days, there's a trend saying, "You should eat at least one avocado a day." The problem is the budget. With tuition fees for kids, electricity bills, and insurance premiums to consider, seeing the price of avocados makes me sigh.

So, I've found some tricks. I buy them in advance on sale days, let the unripe ones ripen, and occasionally use frozen avocados. The texture may be a bit off, but they work great in smoothies. Blending them with kiwi or banana makes a creamy and sweet avocado shake.

Avocados are definitely good for health and taste great, but from a Korean mom's perspective, they are sometimes treated as a 'luxurious vegetable (or fruit?).' Still, to take care of our health, we need to invest to some extent. Once you hit your 40s, you have to think about your insides, manage your blood pressure, and lower cholesterol, so you need to pay attention to good fat intake.

If you're going to eat it, the answer is to eat it deliciously and economically.

Looking at my husband, who says, "It's expensive, but it's really nutty," I jokingly say, "You could earn more money," and we laugh together.