10 Things to Do With Your Ripe Bananas

I placed a platter of banana chocolate chip muffins on the table for my sons and those muffins disappeared in minutes. I heard one kid claim they tasted “just like banana bread,” hence the name of our new favourite baked banana treat.

I don’t know about you, but somehow I end up with no less then three overly ripe bananas sitting on the counter at the end of each week. Here’s how I deal with the leftover fruit I face at the end of each week if I don’t have time to cook/bake with it:

Toss bananas into the freezer, peel and all, and reserve for another day.
Slice bananas into 1″-thick pieces and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until firm, then transfer to a ziptop baggie and store in the freezer. Use in smoothies as needed.
Mash 2-3 bananas (or however many your favourite banana bread recipe calls for) and place them in a ziptop baggie. Store packets in the freezer (make sure they’re labeled) until you have time to make banana bread.

However, if I feel like using them up immediately, below is a list of ideas for making use of your leftover bananas in new and interesting ways:

Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Muffins: These aforementioned muffins are perfect for tucking into the lunchbox or serving to friends at an after-school playdate.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Ice Cream: Perfect for a healthy after-school snack.
Banana Pancakes: Mash 1-2 bananas and add them to your favourite pancake recipe with no ingredient alterations required.
Whipped Banana Birthday Cake: Do you have a birthday to bake for? This whipped banana birthday cake is the perfect for any at-home celebration.
Banana Oatmeal: Add a large dollop of mashed bananas to your morning oatmeal, stirring it into the cereal before serving.
Chocolate and Banana Paninis: Perfect for breakfast, lunch or an after-school snack these sweet sandwiches are sure to delight the little ones.
Banana Bread Scones: A healthier and fun twist on classic banana bread.