How to Save Your Fruits, Your Time & Your Money

🍌 Coming Up in Week 1: Bananas Beyond the Brown

Overripe bananas don’t belong in the trash. In fact, they’re golden for freezing, baking, and blending into smoothies, breakfast bowls, desserts—even baby food.

In this week’s stretch guide, we’ll walk you through simple ways to preserve them so you can extend their shelf life and get the most out of your grocery run.

🍌 How to Preserve Overripe Bananas

🧊 A. Freeze Them

• Peel and slice bananas

• Flash-freeze flat on a tray, then transfer to freezer bags
  Best for: Smoothies, banana “nice” cream, blended oats

🍌 B. Mash and Store

• Mash ripe bananas and portion into ½-cup servings

• Store in silicone molds or freezer-safe containers
  Best for: Baking, pancakes, oatmeal
  💡 Tip: 1 medium banana = approx. ½ cup mashed

🍞 C. Bake with Them

Overripe bananas add natural sweetness and moisture to baked goods.
Use thawed frozen or freshly mashed bananas in:

• Banana bread

• Muffins

• Breakfast bars

• Healthy snack bites

📊 Quick Usage Guide: What to Do with Frozen Bananas

Banana Recipes 

🥤 1. Frozen Banana Smoothie

Quick banana smoothie in a mason jar—refreshing, nutritious, and ready to go.

Ingredients

• • 1 frozen banana

• • ½ cup frozen blueberries or strawberries

• • 1 cup soy or almond milk

• • 1 tbsp peanut butter (optional)

• • 1 tbsp chia or flax seeds

Instructions: Blend all ingredients until smooth. Serve cold. Add spinach for extra fiber!

🥞 2. Banana Pancakes 

Quick & fluffy banana pancakes—perfect for weekend brunch

Ingredients:

• • 1 ripe banana, mashed

• • 2 eggs

• • ¼ cup all-purpose or whole wheat flour

• • ¼ tsp cinnamon

• • ¼ tsp baking powder (optional)

• • Pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. 1. In a bowl, mash the banana.
   2. Add eggs, flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Mix until smooth.
   3. Pour batter onto a greased, heated pan.
   4. Cook for 1–2 minutes per side until golden.
   5. Serve with fruit, yogurt, or a drizzle of honey.

🍞 3. Stretch Pantry Banana Bread

Deliciously moist banana bread—perfect for freezing or enjoying fresh from the oven.

Ingredients:

• • 2–3 overripe bananas (mashed)

• • 2 eggs

• • ¼ cup oil or melted butter

• • ½ cup sugar or honey

• • 2 cups flour (whole wheat or all-purpose)

• • 1 tsp baking soda
•  
  • 2 tsp baking powder

• • 1 tsp vanilla extract

• • ¼ tsp salt

• • ¼ tsp cinnamon

• • ⅛ tsp cloves

• • ⅛ tsp nutmeg

• • ¼ cup milk (any kind) or water

• • Optional: ¼ cup chopped pecans or almonds

Instructions:

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a loaf pan.
   2. Mix bananas, eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla, and milk.
   3. In another bowl, whisk dry ingredients and spices.
   4. Combine wet and dry. Fold in nuts if used.
   5. Pour into loaf pan and bake for 35–45 minutes or until inserted took pick comes out clean. Cool, slice and enjoy.

👉 Stay tuned for Week 2: The Smoothie Fruit Freezer Guide—your go-to for prepping and preserving summer fruits like strawberries, mangoes, and pineapple for smoothies, snacks, and more!

💛 Thank you for reading!
Whether you’re here to save money, reduce food waste, or make healthier meals for your family—I’m so glad you’re on this journey with me. Keep stretching those ingredients and savoring every bite.

With love,
Alice aka SpiceQueen
Creator of The Stretch Pantry