Part of meal planning can be as simple as buying larger quantities of food at the grocery store and bananas are a versatile food that should be at the top of everyone’s list. This begins to build the foundation of weekly healthy meal planning that will save you time and money!

Bananas are a staple in my house and I try to buy them at different stages if at all possible so that they ripen at different times. Bananas are one of the easiest foods to turn “this into that”.

A simple banana can be enjoyed alone and is a great example of multiple ways to use one ingredient. Bananas can be added into anything from smoothies, chocolate banana ice-cream, banana bread, or to my new favorite, Insanely Healthy Oatmeal Cookies.

What I love most about this recipe is that it is healthy, delicious, AND easy to bake with kids. I promise you, it will not turn into a project! These “cookies” can be enjoyed as a mid-day snack, dessert or even part of a nutritious breakfast:)

How to Store Bananas:

​Here are a few quick storage tips on how to store bananas on your counter and how to freeze this amazing fruit, as no banana should ever hit the compost pile!

• Remove bananas from plastic produce bags once you get them home, as the bags hold too much moisture and will cause the fruit to rot.

• A helpful hint is to pull each banana away from the bunch and store slightly away from one another on the counter to help them ripen slower. Bananas, like many other fruits, emit ethylene gas. This gas controls the fruits browning and ripening. By separating the fruit you are reducing the gases ability to cause browning and over-ripening of the bananas as well as the other surrounding fruits, therefore, increasing longevity. Covering the end of the stems will also help contain the release of this gas!

• Speaking of banana stems…If you have ever struggled to open a banana from the stem side, you are not alone! Next time, try peeling it from the opposite side by gently pinching the flat ridge between your fingers and then peeling. This is how monkeys do it and it is much easier!

• If freezing bananas, peel the banana, slice into small chunks, and then freeze on a lined cookie sheet of parchment paper or Silpat so that they do not all clump together. Once frozen, you can remove the sliced bananas from the cookie sheet, store in freezer-safe containers, and use for smoothies or Chocolate Banana Ice Cream. You can actually freeze bananas that have past their prime to be used at a later date for baking. Simply pop the frozen bananas into the microwave for a quick defrost and they will be good to go!

Be sure to share pictures of how you used bananas to turn “this into that” and enjoy!