Oh, avocados. There are endless jokes, memes and Instagram posts dedicated to this tropical fruit. No longer confined to Mexican restaurant menus, everyone across the nation now wants avocados. For breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner – but especially brunch.

As well as its creamy texture and delicious flavour, the avocado is packed with nutritional properties and is very versatile in how it can be eaten. Best known as the main ingredient in guacamole, avocado can be added to smoothies, sandwiches and salads, or smashed on toast.

They’re best grown in humid regions which makes them difficult to harvest in Britain, but we still get through a staggering amount of them here in the UK. However increased global demand and reduced harvest have led to an almost 50% price surge and headlines about Mexican deforestation, and locals unable to afford to buy avocados all leave a bad taste in your mouth. Surely all of this will have an impact on our avo addiction?

Broad Beans on Toast

Mashed broad beans are a great alternative to avocado on toast. They’re grown in Britain and are much cheaper to buy. Broad beans offer a variety of healthful benefits including protein, iron, potassium, fibre and vitamins A and C. Unlike avocados, they take a bit of cooking (though there’s less risk of losing a hand). Simply boil them whilst still in the pods for 3-5 minutes, remove them from the pods, and puree. Then you can add flavours of your choice such as garlic, your favourite oil, salt, pepper, chilli or herbs.

Broad beans will actually last a lot longer than avocados, meaning there’s a lower chance of waste. Raw or cooked, they can be refrigerated in a resealable bag or container for up to a week. They freeze for even longer. Spread them on toast as they are, or add tasty toppings such as boiled eggs, halloumi or goat’s cheese. This easy snack may very well become your go-to bite to eat at any time of day.