I recently hosted a girl’s brunch and had a hard time figuring out what to serve. I don’t usually struggle with brunch menus, but I had a few dietary restrictions to account for like a vegan, a pescetarian, and a non-dairy eater. Since eggs and cheese usually play a big role in my brunch menus, I had no idea what to serve. To top it off, I wasn’t feeling well and needed a menu that would be simple and easy to put together. I finally decided to set up an avocado toast bar for the girl’s brunch. It ended up being perfect for a vegan brunch!
The girls stayed over most of the day and it was really easy to transition the avocado toast bar into a salad bar for lunch. I just replenished the items, added a few more choices like romaine, arugula, vegan friendly proteins, and a lazy susan filled with different olive oils and balsamic vinegars. Easy breezy entertaining ideas like this that look super cute are my favorite! The reason I feel this brunch is perfect for a girl’s brunch is because the girls raved about how light and healthy it was, while Bassam felt it wasn’t enough food. I think avocado toast might be more of a girl thing? I also served croissants, fruit platter, and mini smoothies, but I would also add on an egg dish if I had more people coming over or was hosting a couple’s brunch.
How To Set Up An Avocado Toast Bar for a Girl’s Brunch
Preparation:
1. Pick and prep your toppings:
Get creative with this! I think it’s fun to think outside the standard avocado toast box and have lots of different fun topping choices. Chop or slice everything up depending on how you think it’ll work best on avocado toast. Here’s what I laid out, but don’t be limited by my list!
- Chia seeds
- Sliced hard boiled eggs {for the non-vegans}
- Feta cheese {also for the non-vegans}
- Baby tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Radishes
- Walnuts
- Olives
- Capers
- Edamame
- Hearts of palm
- Sundried tomatoes
2. Make your avocado spread
The heart of the bar! I factored 1.5 avocados per person and I think 2 avocados per person may have been a better estimate. I made the spread by mashing up the avocados with fresh squeezed lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Make sure the avocado stays pretty chunky! If you think your brunch will last a few hours, it may be a good idea to divide the spread into two bowls. Keep one out and one in the fridge. You can switch out the old one with the refrigerated one after a few hours to keep everything fresh.
Set Up:
3. Create a toasting station
I have an outlet on my island so it was easy to set up a toaster. Find a spot where you have an electrical outlet and set up the toaster there plus a cake stand filled with good bread. I used whole wheat sourdough, but you can use whatever you like. It could be cute to include a sign here that says something like, “Step 1: toast your bread”.
4. Lay out a pretty spread
Pretty presentation always make everything taste better and it makes a simple meal like this look so much fancier. I pulled out my pretty serving trays and tiers to create varying heights. I placed all my toppings in mini serving bowls. For the centerpiece, I used candles and flower arrangements I already had around the house. It took me just a couple of minutes to set this all up, but I think it looked pretty. I’m a big fan of investing in pretty serveware and I’m always picking up new pieces. They really help to elevate whatever you’re serving and make it look pretty and special. Also, I don’t always use serveware the way it’s intended to be used, which I think adds a unique touch. For example, I used a pretty cheese knife as the avocado spreader and used a cake tier as a bread holder. Get creative with items you have around the house to add some interest to your own presentation.
Done!
5. And now everyone eats!
Seeing the different creations everyone makes and the combinations they come up with is so much fun! It’s also a great conversation starter, which is one of the reasons I love doing DIY stations at parties. Giving people something to do always helps make them feel more comfortable. If I were to do an avocado toast bar again, I probably would add some small signs next to ingredients so no one has to question what they are looking at and maybe some signs listing out the steps.
Staci says
This is such an amazing idea! I love avocado toast and it’s so simple and easy to set up. You created a beautiful brunch Lena, love it!
happilyeveradventures says
It was so so so easy! Thanks for you sweet words. I highly recommend doing it if you’re ever looking for easy brunch ideas!
Julia Dent says
I have never seen an avocado toast bar before, but this looks like so much fun! Such a great way to have a healthy party! 🙂
happilyeveradventures says
It was so much fun and SO EASY! I highly recommend it for a light brunch.
Erin Rolfson says
Lena this looks so beautiful! And delicious! I definitely need to try this.
happilyeveradventures says
You totally should! It was really fun and so easy!
Michelle | michwanderlust says
This post has me going WOW!! on so many levels. First off – I love the idea of an avocado toast bar! It looks delicious and healthy – that rare combination. And it doesn’t look like too much work!
Second, your kitchen and all your cutlery and dishes look AMAZING. I’m moving to a new house in a couple of months and your kitchen is basically my dream kitchen. Thanks for the inspiration!
happilyeveradventures says
Ah congrats on the new house! You are going to have so much fun setting it up! Home decor is one of my fave things (after travel and reading…)
I’m glad to hear you like the avocado toast bar! It was SO EASY, you should definitely do it when you move into your new home!