Pupils in Room One at Waihi Beach Primary School are drinking in their learning by the cupful.

Smoothies made with avocado and milk, plus a few other fruits, have become a hit with the 30 nine-10 year olds since teacher Lizette Turnbull showed how to make them as part of a health project.

Room One students and teacher Lizette at Waihi Beach School have discovered the delights of avocado smoothies and avocados on toast.


Bella and Sarah (both 10) enjoying avocado and toast in Room One, Waihi Beach School.

'I was discussing my plans to teach the children about how to be healthy with my father-in-law Sid, who suggested focusing on the benefits of avocados, and promised to deliver them by the boxful to the school,” says Lizette.

Since making the promise, avocado orchardist Sid Turnbull has kept Room One supplied with avocados on a regular basis.

Most mornings there's the smell of toast in the classroom, as students make avocado and toast, and several times a week, under supervision, they also whip up smoothies in a blender using avocado, bananas, berry fruits and Fonterra milk.

'The beauty of this programme is the children are finding out for themselves how good avocado taste and how they do really help control appetite, by making you feel full.

'When the class was having both a smoothie and avocado on toast we all of found we weren't hungry, even at lunch time,” says Lizette.

This message is an important one at a time when obesity rates are rising, particularly among young children.

The students also carried out research about avocados, including using the New Zealand Avocado website, and the cookbook by avocado ambassador Nadia Lim.

The students say:
'Avocado are a super food.”

'They help fill you up.”

'Avocado is good for your skin. If you get some on your hands, rub it in.”

'Avocados are better as a snack than chips or noodles.”

'Avocados taste good.”

Some students hadn't tried the fruit before – but of 30-strong class, only two don't like avocados. Most now also eat them at home, after telling their parents how good they are.

'Studying avocados has been great for this class because we had access to the fruit, but also because it makes sense to study a product which is grow in our area. If we'd been a Te Puke school, then we would have probably studied kiwifruit,” says Lizette.

Lizette says avocados are freely available in the Waihi Beach area, often from roadside stalls, so are a nutritious, enjoyable fruit within reach of the budget of most families.

Avocado smoothies are a hit with Room One students including Alex (nine), Ryan (10) Haille (10) and Mia (10).