Yes, Canned Bananas Are A Thing (But They're Not Worth It)

Perhaps it's a lingering instinct left behind from our distant primate relatives or a simple reflection of its delicious flavor and versatility, but people go bananas for bananas. In fact, more than 100 billion of the boomerang-shaped fruits are consumed each year globally. And, like many popular foods, canned varieties are often a convenient option compared to their fresh counterparts — which may require extra effort and attention to work with. But bananas aren't beans, and although canned bananas do exist, they're not worth buying.

Because there is a high demand for them, the food market can sustain year-round banana availability, which means most foodies have access to the freshest, tastiest bananas each season of the year. Canned bananas would really only be a practical option if fresh varieties were difficult to find during certain times of the year. Plus, many canned banana varieties are packed in syrup, which compromises their organically sweet taste that's as fresh as it is saccharine. Plus, bananas require little elbow grease to expose the edible portion; you just peel the skin and dig in! And did we mention that a can of bananas is likely more expensive than a whole fresh banana, the average price of which is only 58 cents per fruit?

We know what you're thinking — canned bananas are perfectly mushy and primed for baking! Although soft, ripe bananas are preferred for baking, the canned stuff still isn't worth the money.

To ripen a firm banana on the fly, turn to your kitchen appliances and you'll have a crowd-pleasing batch of moist banana bread without needing to purchase canned bananas. Oven-roasting unpeeled bananas at around 350 degrees Fahrenheit for up to 20 minutes can give you perfectly mushy, ready-to-bake goods without waiting multiple days for the fruit to ripen. If you want an even easier option, you can poke holes in an unpeeled banana and microwave it, checking its texture every 30 seconds until it's nice and soft.

To avoid employing on-the-fly kitchen hacks, buy a bunch a few days before you want to bake your treat, and let them ripen naturally for the best flavor and sweetness. Letting them rest in the sunshine can expedite the process. And when you do shop for them, look for those deceptively delicious brown spots that indicate ripeness.

Any reason for using canned bananas can be easily dismissed. Although we're not in the business of yucking anyone's yum, fresh bananas are a more practical option in just about every way. Though there are many underrated canned foods worth eating more of, bananas just aren't one of them.