For those happily wondering why their friends are serving so much guacamole this weekend, it's thanks to a Philadelphia organization with a surplus of South American avocados and a mission to reduce food waste.
This week Sharing Excess is giving away avocados for free to anyone who shows up at FDR Park in South Philly in a multi-day event dubbed "Avogedden." Wednesday was the first day the fruit was distributed and Evan Ehlers, founder of the nonprofit food charity, said gave away more than 230,000 avocados to people who came to the park and another 150,000 to local food banks.
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Wednesday's avocado giveaway had been scheduled to take place from noon to 6 p.m., but only lasted about half that time before that day's supply ran out. It is scheduled for two more days – Thursday and Friday – at the same time.
"We've got another three trucks (coming Thursday to FDR), and yes, we do foresee running out," Ehlers said Wednesday evening, adding that that avocados are most likely form Peru. Sharing Excess, partners with grocery stores, restaurants, wholesalers and farmers to redistribute surplus food every week. The organization got this produce from another nonprofit combating food waste, the Farmlink Project.
How to get free avocados in South Philly
Anyone who wants avocados should head to the FDR Park entrance near 20th Street and Pattison Avenue on Thursday or Friday between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. Arriving earlier is better – remember Sharing Excess distributed its allotment of hundreds of thousands of avocados on Wednesday in about three hours.
On Thursday and Friday, Sharing Excess is limiting the individual hauls to one case of 48 avocados per person due to the high demand.
On Wednesday, those waiting in line to claim their boxes of little green treasures were entertained by people dressed in avocados costumes and the Philadelphia music collective Omar's Hat.
What to make with avocados besides guacamole
Avocados are excellent sources of vitamins, mineral and healthy, unsaturated fats. They also have notoriously short shelf-lives and become overripe quickly.
What can you make with your avocados before they become overripe? There are tons of Instagram-worthy dishes that utilize this delicious produce.
There's always the obvious avocado toast breakfast, but for more adventurous home chefs, Delish offers up 70 unique avocado recipes for those now faced with a cases full of the fruit, things like: avocado chips, avocado hummus, avocado bun BLTs, taco-stuffed avocados and chocolate avocado pudding are all possibilities.
Avogedden
Thursday, Oct. 20, and Friday, Oct. 2112 p.m. to 6 p.m. (while supplies last) | free
FDR Park
Pattison Ave & S. 20th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19145
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