I am eating a banana.
I am not eating it because it is good. I am eating it because it is going bad.
Here is my question. How do you stop eating a banana that is going bad? Who will eat it if you don’t?
To be clear, it is not bad yet. It is still yellow outside, only slightly brown spotted. Firm-ish, but not quite firm, and with that slightly sweet flavor of banana past its prime.
There is another banana-and-a-half on the banana hanger, part of the same bunch. When I am done with this one, I should probably eat those too. Soon. Because the longer I wait, the worse they will get, and the worse they get, the less likely they are to be eaten at all. You know?
They are fine bananas. Just a little past.
How many bananas do I have to eat to do my duty in this world?
I fetch the peanut butter from the pantry. If I put a smear of peanut butter on each bite as I eat it, probably it will taste better and I will not notice that I do not like the banana.
Well. The peanut butter is delicious, but it is not working.
I am eating a banana I do not like.
Do I throw away a good thing because it does not please me?
Do I wait for it to magically improve?
This post made me giggle. Thanks!- I needed that. ????
You may throw away a thing because it does not please you. Do you realize how many things God is ‘wasting’ as I write? (Not because they don’t please Him…) So I think it’s ok to throw things away. My two cents 🙂
Stick them in the freezer and wait till you have enough for banana bread. Yum!
I agree with this. Bananas never go to waste at my house because as soon as they are overripe I put them in the freezer and then make banana bread!
Get out the vanilla ice cream and the milk and your blender yet too. Put lots of ice cream in the blender, chunk the bananas into it, add a big glob of peanut butter and add some milk. Blend it all up and add more milk until it’s the right consistency. I have some precious memories of my dad making these for us all one time when my mom was recovering from a miscarriage. ????
Yes! To banana milkshakes or smoothies! If you freeze the bananas the you don’t need ice cream 😉 just milk n sugar n vanilla. But it’s better with some ice cream yet too ????
Have to disagree… that’s even worse. 🙂
Haha! Sounds dreadful!
But I have a solution! You need a pig!
Pigs turn good food going bad (and even good food not going bad but not loved by picky children who get portions and then stir them into unrecognizable slurries) they turn, I say, food of all kinds. . . into bacon. Which does not go bad. (At least not very often.( In my house.) )
Surely you have room in your life for a pig? ????
Bananas that are a “little past” are great in smoothies! We’ve been on a smoothie binge this summer, while I’ve been trying to use up canned peaches and pears that have sat too many years on the shelf. One quart of fruit, several overripe bananas, some frozen strawberries or blueberries, a little stevia, milk to get it to the consistency you want – yum! Once I even threw in a tomato that was showing signs of decline, and my family never noticed. 🙂 The only thing I can’t hide is green stuff!
What is the point of a past-stage banana? Is it fulfilling its calling when you force feed it to yourself? Perhaps it will be its best self as potassium-rich compost for the garden.
I understand completely the need to eat it so it won’t go to waste! But I agree that the solution is to freeze them. You can blend them and package them in recipe sized portions for banana bread. That never goes to waste! And makes a nice gift for a neighbor.
Funny – I laughed when I read “How many bananas do I have to eat to do my duty to this world?” I like bananas that are just a little past the good stage. Too bad I can’t help you out.
Bless your heart. You peel it and throw it into a bag you always keep in the freezer for smoothies and banana bread. ????
Pretty sure this wasn’t just about bananas, but I want to say that’s how I like mine, getting a little soft and sweet, all traces of starchy greenness gone. Even better frozen. But the children eat them in various less-ripe stages. If I want one to be saved to ripen for me, I will write my name on it. ????
My neighbor makes banana bread, too, when her bananas are overripe. It is delicious!
I also feel responsible not to waste anything and I try to plan ahead and to be careful that the items in my fridge are used up on time. But there are times when I forget something or we all get sick. Then I will throw away things.
I really dislike it when my single friends or sister visit us for several days and bring all their old food that they want to get rid of: Mushy pears, dry bread, expired cheese… This makes me roll my eyes.
I agree… freeze them (even in the skin, although if you take time to peel them it is easier later). Then banana bread… or a green smoothie.
I like bananas just as they turn yellow, without any spots. And with peanut butter! We don’t care for them in smoothies and I’m the only one who likes banana bread (it’s much better with chocolate chips too!) but obviously I can’t eat a whole loaf. They provide good fertilizer for the garden so if I need to throw some out at least something is benefiting from the brown ones!
Wait. Don’t eat that banana right now. Tomorrow morning, when you are hungry, spread peanut butter on a slice of bread. Or two or five. Slice your bananas onto this. Sprinkle with a handful of chocolate chips. Top with another slice of bread (peanut butter on this slice is optional). Fry on a griddle until melty and delicious and then serve them to your hungry children for breakfast. Yummmm.
Or my version of a banana smoothie. Frozen bananas, lots of peanut butter, enough milk to get the consistency right. A splash of vanilla, and if you’re feeling extra, a handful of chocolate chips or some other chocolate addition. Blend and enjoy! No sugar needed.
Or go bury the banana in your garden.
I think I’ll just chuckle, because I identify completely. It’s really hard to make these monumental kitchen decisions… ????????♀️