When Are Bananas in Season?

Strap in, we’re talking bananas. Immortalized by cult BBC show Red Dwarf (at least in my mind) as “a yellow fruit that you unzip and eat the white bits,” you can chop banana into oatmeal, toss it on toast, bake it into bread, or simply enjoy one as a healthy snack.

What a fruit. But when are bananas in season?

Good news: always. The tropical climates in which they thrive sustain year-round growth, making bananas available 365 days a year across the United States.

Got any further burning banana-based queries? Fetch has you covered. Read on for all you need to know about this universally-adored piece of fruit.

Get rewarded for produce purchases with Fetch Shop

I mean, it’s one banana, reader. What could it cost? 10 dollars?

Thankfully not, but I was darn sure shoehorning that quote in somewhere. It goes here as a seamless segue into the fact that Fetch Shop is a great way to earn points per dollar on purchases from partner stores like Target and Sam’s Club whenever you’re picking up groceries, and those points can then be redeemed for free gift cards. As I said, seamless.

Simply:

1. Download the Fetch app.
2. Open the “Discover” tab and find the Fetch Shop icon (it looks like a shopping cart) at the bottom of the screen to the left of the camera icon.
3. Browse available retailers, click the one you want, then shop as usual through their online store.

We’ll award Fetch Points for every dollar spent. Even the fabled $10 banana wouldn’t seem like such a splurge.

Do bananas grow on trees?

Yes.

Okay, fine: No. Not technically.

Banana plants are giant herbs. What the likes of you or I might foolishly take for a trunk is dubbed a “pseudostem” by botanists – something about being composed of multiple leaf-stalks rather than wood – and it’s that pseudo-thing that holds both leaves and fruit.

They look like trees and most people call them trees, but science says they’re not, and we just have to sit here and take it.

Madness. Total and utter… bananas.

How to tell if a banana is ripe

Ripeness matters when it comes to the ’nana. Whether eaten under ripe or over ripe, they can cause digestive problems, taste bad, and won’t be as nutritious.

The good news is that bananas offer several visual and textural cues to clue shoppers in on when they’re ready to enjoy.

Here’s a few things to check while selecting ripe bananas in stores:

• Color: Ripe bananas will have no green left on the stem and be speckled with small brown spots – don’t mistake those for bruises, which will be larger and localized to one or two places.
• Softness: They shouldn’t be falling apart in your hands, but a yellow banana with brown spots should feel noticeably softer than an unripe banana.
• Peel-ability: Green bananas are a struggle to peel, whereas overripe ones usually snap off at the stem when moved thanks to small holes that have already appeared. Ensure your bananas open easily, but not too easily.

How to ripen bananas fast

Bananas are ideally stored at 54°F (12°C). Going much cooler stops them ripening, while warmer temperatures give the process a kick in the pants.

Should you need your bananas a little sooner than expected, here’s how to ripen them…

In a few days

Bananas emit ethylene gas as they ripen. The more gas, the faster they mature. Take advantage by popping them in a closed paper bag (not plastic, which prevents oxygen getting in).

Should take 1 to 3 days, but you’ll hurry things along by putting the bag somewhere warm or adding other ethylene-releasing fruit, such as apples, pears, avocados, or apricots.

In less than an hour

Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C), then place unpeeled bananas on a lined baking sheet and bake for about half an hour, checking every 15 minutes.

Once ready, they’ll be soft enough for baking and peels will have started to blacken.

In a few seconds

Need ’nanas in a flash? Then it’s your microwave’s time to shine. Poke unpeeled bananas all over with a fork, then place them on a plate and microwave on high for 30 seconds at a time until soft.

Word of warning, bananas thus zapped may lack the sweetness of oven-ripened fruit, but they’ll still be perfectly mashable for pancakes and banana bread.

How to store a banana properly

Your expertise in choosing bananas at the store shall count for naught if you store them improperly once back at home. Such storage snafus can impact everything from taste to nutrition, so follow these standard rules of thumb.

Store in a cool, dry place

As mentioned above, stick to an ideal storage temperature of 54°F (12°C), slightly less than room temperature and out of direct sunlight.

Separate from other fruit

As also mentioned above, the ethylene released by other fruits as they ripen can cause bananas to ripen faster, and vice versa. We recommend keeping them out of the fruit bowl to prevent rapid ripening.

Avoid enclosed containers

Bananas are best stored in the open air, ideally hung on a banana stand so they don’t bruise by lying on top of each other.

Keep out of the fridge

As tropical fruits, bananas aren’t partial to cold storage. Putting unripe bananas in the fridge results in a black peel and fruit that doesn’t ripen at all, while refrigerating a ripe banana turns it mushy faster and suppresses the proteins that help form its distinct taste.

How many calories are in a banana?

As fruit goes, bananas are quite calorie-dense. That’s a good thing; eating one can fill you up between meals while still offering a score of health benefits.

Here’s how calories break down:

• Extra small (under 6 inches): 72 calories
• Small (6-7 inches): 90 calories
• Medium (7-8 inches): 105 calories
• Large (8-9 inches): 121 calories
• Extra large (9 inches or longer): 135 calories
• 1 cup sliced (150g): 134 calories
• 1 cup mashed (225g): 200 calories

And those health benefits we mentioned above? Too many to list, but here are the headlines:

• High pectin content helps lower cholesterol, normalize bowel function, and reduce bloating.
• Loaded with potassium, which helps regulate heart function, manage blood pressure, and protect against heart disease and strokes.
• Several types of potent antioxidants reduce your risk of heart disease and macular degeneration.
• Filled with amino acids, including tryptophan, which converts to serotonin and boosts your mood.

Can dogs eat bananas?

Bananas are actually good for dogs in moderation. All that potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6, and vitamin C is as beneficial for them as it is for us, and every part of the banana is safe for your dog to eat.

Still though, their relatively high sugar content makes bananas a canine treat rather than a daily snack. And while the peels aren’t toxic, eating unpeeled bananas can cause dietary upset due to all the fiber they contain.

Can cats eat bananas?

Cats aren’t known for their sweet tooths, but yours may get curious enough to sample a banana just to discover what all the fuss is about.

That’s fine – bananas aren’t toxic to cats. However, as obligate carnivores, cats can’t handle them as well as dogs. All that sugar and fiber can cause gastrointestinal problems, and the skin is a choking hazard. The nutrients remain beneficial, but there’s far better ways for your cat to get them.

Fun facts about bananas

The Fetch editor requested 5 fun facts about bananas. I’ve compromised by including six, with one being a downright lie:

1. The scientific name for banana is “musa sapientum,” which translates to “fruit of the wise men.” Probably why apes and monkeys are so smart.
2. Alexander the Great is credited with introducing bananas to Europe in 327 BC. Probably why he’s known as “the Great.”
3. Humans share 44.1% of our genetic makeup with bananas. Probably even more after we’ve eaten a few, if I know my science.
4. The International Banana Museum in Mecca, California houses over 20,000 banana-related items. Probably worth a visit.
5. The world’s most popular fruit, over 100 billion bananas are eaten every year. Probably just by me, but who’s counting?
6. Bananas are sentient, biding their time. Probably.

Only real ones spied the deception.

Easy banana recipes

One of the best things about bananas is being able to use them even after they’re too ripe to eat by themselves. There’s thousands of banana-based recipes online perfect for using up overripe bananas and reducing food waste. Here’s three we’d recommend personally (that’s my actual banana bread recipe – if it’s good enough for me, it’s good enough for you).

Best banana smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1 banana, roughly chopped
• 1/2 orange, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1/3 cup of Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup of water or milk
• 1 to 2 teaspoons of honey

Recipe:

1. Throw the chopped banana and orange into a blender, then add the yogurt and water or milk.
2. Turn on the blender and blitz until smooth and creamy.

Easy banana bread

Ingredients:

• 2 very ripe medium bananas, peeled
• 1/3 cup of butter, unsalted or salted
• 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda (not baking powder!)
• Pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

Recipe:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Mash bananas in a large mixing bowl until smooth.
3. Melt butter over heat, then stir in until combined.
4. Mix in baking soda and salt, then stir in the sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla extract.
5. Slowly fold in flour until fully combined.
6. Pour mixture into a buttered 8×4-inch loaf pan, then bake for 55 to 65 minutes until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

2-ingredient banana pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe banana
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• Optional toppings (we like maple syrup, jam, powdered sugar, and fresh fruit)

Recipe:

1. Mash banana, then stir in the eggs until combined.
2. Heat a pan over medium heat.
3. Drop about 2 tablespoons of batter into the pan, leaving at least an inch between each.
4. Cook for about a minute until bottoms look browned, then flip and cook for another minute.
5. Remove from the heat and add any optional toppings.

Make every bunch of bananas more rewarding with Fetch

Here we are again, the end of another ripping good article on fruit. We’ve had some laughs, done some learnin’, and related the all-important value proposition that is using the Fetch rewards app to accumulate reward points and earn free gift cards.

But if you want to say the real reward points were the smiles we shared along the way, I ain’t objecting.