When we go grocery shopping, my kids are trained to look for red tape.  Red tape around bananas, that is.  To some, that red tape would be a repellent, signaling a fruit that will turn bad and be wasted if purchased.  For us, the red tape means one of our favorite sources of potassium and fiber is a bargain at 39 cents per pound.

For the past several months these are the only bananas I have purchased, sometimes 10-12 pounds at a time.

Here’s what we do with 10 pounds of bananas.

On the day that I buy them, and maybe even for the next few days, we eat them fresh.

• whole for breakfast or a snack
• sliced on cereal
• sliced with strawberries and whipped cream for dessert
• smooshed up in banana pancakes
• sliced in yogurt
• smooshed up in homemade banana ice cream – YUM

After the first day or two I peel them, break them into about three pieces, and freeze them on a cookie sheet.  Transfer to a ziplock bag and you’ve got a handy fruit to use in a variety of yummy, inexpensive meals and treats.

• My kids enjoy snacking on frozen banana chunks, straight from the freezer.
• Smoothies — frozen bananas give us much thicker smoothies (and they help hide the greens in this uber-healthy recipe). We like that!
• Muffins
• Bread
• Grandma’s banana cake with brown sugar icing… my favorite!

Bananas are such a versatile fruit. I use them nearly every day, and since I’m purchasing them for 39 cents per pound I’m getting a lot of banana for my buck!

When not freezing or smooshing or baking with bananas, Amy can be found caring for her three young children and encouraging her blog readers to enjoy The Finer Things in Life.

photo credit