If you follow me on Twitter, than you probably know that I hate bananas.
Actually, I have a love /hate relationship with bananas.
I love the flavor of a banana, but I hate the texture.
I love frozen bananas covered in chocolate and nuts.
I love banana bread and banana flavored things. I love dried banana chips.
But plain ol’ bananas?
My mouth hates those.
People are always telling me that I need to buy green-ish bananas, because they are firm! Not mushy at all! Tell that to my mouth, you guys.
The other day I bought a nice greenish bunch of bananas, like the internet told me to do. I opened one up to have a quick snack before leaving for the gym.
The first bite was okay. The second bite? Not so much.
I almost puked.
There were tears running down my face from gagging so hard.
My husband walked into the room just after the gagging episode and was all “Are you okay? What happened?” And I was all “I am trying to eat a banana and I gagged.” And he was all “you’re not supposed to shove the whole thing down your throat.” And I was all “I know that, smart ass. I didn’t. I just took a bite and the texture made me gag.”
And he laughed so hard.
Now, anytime I eat a banana, he watches, shakes his head and says things like “I don’t understand you, woman. Bananas are delicious.”
Then he laughs.
You’re probably thinking to yourself “if she hates bananas, why does she eat them?”
I know, right? I eat them when I need a quick, filling, healthy snack. Usually before or just after working out. They’re so easy. No dicing, cutting or preparing. Just peel that bitch and eat it. Bonus: they’re full of potassium! So, that’s why.
Better a banana than a bag of chips, yes?
The hope I have is that one day I will suddenly, magically love bananas. That the texture will not bother me and I can enjoy one without gagging or making faces of disgust. That hasn’t happened yet.
My hatred of bananas is a constant source of amusement to my husband, who shot this footage of me trying to eat a banana after my workout yesterday.
Basically, that’s what it looks like every time I eat a banana. Sometimes there is more gagging involved than other times.
So, yeah.
Eating bananas is hard, you guys.
I’m kind of cracking up. You did really well. And I agree, greenish bananas are better. I can’t eat mushy bananas, but if they’re just under ripe, I can eat them.
Just ripe bananas don’t bother me, altho sometimes they aren’t quite ready yet and they are too startchy. I don’t like mushy things. In fact the girls at Blissdom who ate lunch with me on Saturday about watched me lose my lunch over a mushy veggie sandwich. The bottom slice was so gross and just total mush.
So while I love bananas…I totally understand. You are eating it, and I think that is winning at least half the battle.
I firmly believe that bananas have a minimal window – perhaps only a couple of hours – of optimal ripeness. Too green is NOT THE ANSWER. Green bananas are SLIMY. And if they start to have any brown spots: FORGET IT. Mushy.
Hurrrrgggh.
What if you made a quick smoothy with them? yogurt, banana, some protein powder! GREAT for after a workout.
I just use my magic bullet, and drink out of the cup 🙂
I have texture issues as well, although bananas are not one of the things that get me.
How do you feel about yogurt smoothies? If I take some yogurt, banana, and frozen fruits and berries and put them in the blender it makes for a nice treat that is pretty healthy-ish. That could be one way to get those bananas down. Even though I’d much rather have a warm piece of banana bread with butter on it. And NO NUTS!
I understand COMPLETELY! Sometimes I can eat bananas, and sometimes the sliminess makes me gag.
P.S. You guys are so cute together!
I feel you lobbed us a huge softball here, but don’t people use bananas to get over their gag reflex? I’m just asking.
I don’t have an issue with bananas, but YOU ARE NOT ALONE in food/texture issues. In spite of all my husband’s teasing, I remain resolute that there is NOTHING WRONG with caring about the way things FEEL in your mouth (*snort*). Check it: I like just about everything made with tomatoes…including fresh salsa…but I cannot actually eat a raw tomato. CANNOT DO IT. I do not care if this doesn’t make sense to other people. Hang in there! 🙂
OK Yvonne, try this… cut a banana into slices, put on a plate in the freezer. When they are frozen you can throw them in a tupperware container, but if you do it right away, they stick together. Then eat them frozen. They are sweet like candy, but the texture is less gross. I eat a handful when I want icecream, and it takes away the craving.
jenna
Slicing them up really helps. It’s a much better eating sensation then to actually having to bite into the banana. It’s the only way I can eat one.
Oh my gosh, bananas do the same thing to me! The first bite tastes great, but then all the others make me gag. I either have to eat something with the banana (like peanut butter or dried cranberries) or I’ll put them into a smoothie.
I wonder if there’s some scientific reasoning to this. 😉
Y! I have that, too!
now, imagine this:
older brother’s youth group at my house for fun and games. they decide to do a “banana race” (yeah, not that) where two people are blindfolded and try to eat a banana as fast as they can. I volunteer, so I can impress them, EVEN THOUGH I HATE BANANAS! I choke that bitch down as fast as I can to the cheers of the room, only to remove my blindfold to find that I was the only one blindfolded and it was a huge joke on me. Now? Bananas make me barfy AND humiliated.
Me too!! I like banana flavor but absolutely cannot stand the texture of a real banana.
1. Have you tried a yogurt-banana smoothie to help it go down better/faster? If you have one of those immersion blenders (amazing), just throw the banana in the cup with some Fage or other low fat yogurt, or maybe just skim milk?
2. Boyfriend hated pickles 3 yrs ago when we started dating. One day he decided he wanted to like them. Even though he didn’t. So he just started eating them whenever one was served in a restauarant or at a party. Slowly but surely, he actually disliked them less and less, and is now at the point where he can say he likes pickles. The man is crazy, for sure–I sure as HECK wouldn’t eat pickles for years until I liked them, cuz that would NEVER happen…but I guess it works for some people. His next challenge? Canteloupe.
I can’t eat bananas plain…yuck! But I love them in a banana split. Of course, I think ice cream and hot fudge would taste good on anything!
Lindsey Petersen
http://5kidswdisabilities.wordpress.com
Your not alone I cannot stand the texture of bananas…..gag
I am the same exact way with bananas and no one ever understands! How nice to find a kindred spirit.
I love the suggestion of slicing them up and freezing them to have as a snack. What I do is 1/2 them and freeze them (sans skin) then mix with milk (and sometimes other fruit) to make a smoothie.
Check this out (takes a lot of work and a powerful food processor, but SO good): http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/stay-cool/how-to-make-creamy-ice-cream-with-just-one-ingredient-093414
I totally feel your banana pain. I too hate them, and for the texture as well. And I can’t even force myself to eat them, so I consider you some kind of wonderwoman. I can think of NO OTHER fruit or veggie that I CANNOT eat… and most others I LOVE… but not bananas.
OMG, there is a video of you eating a banana on YouTube? Imagine the creepy perverts who will be watching it!
dude…I have that same banana thing!! i think it might be genetic because my oldest son has the same thing- instant gag! My MIL thinks I’m faking it and that i just don’t like them. Love banana flavor…cannot swallow real banana without instant gag.
My mom has the SAME problem with bananas. The rest of my family (including me) loves them so much!!
OK, I think that there are some good suggestions for ameliorating the texture issues (freezing, smoothie-ing, etc.)
But I remain stuck on the idea that you *have* to eat bananas – you deserve to eat things that you like! If bananas aren’t a good post-workout food, go for apples or pears or grapes or something else that works for you. (I was hesitant to post those, thinking that you may go for bananas b/c of a low glycemic index. Then I actually googled and saw that all of those things have a LOWER GI than bananas, so that’s my edu-mah-cation for the day.)
You put SO much effort and dedication into your health, it pains me to see you forcing yourself to eat something that you don’t like. One of the best parts about being a grownup is that we don’t have to eat things we find disgusting. If you have to pay taxes and do jury duty, you totally need to exploit the few benefits that go along with that.
I am the EXACT same way! lol Not with bananas, but with almost every other fruit and vegetable there is! Grapes, onions, tomatoes, berries, kiwi… it’s awful! And the gagging, oh the gagging!! I usually just don’t eat the foods I don’t like, so you are being a much better girl then me! 😀
I am the same way unless I REALLY want one. If it’s not a major craving then by the time I’m done I feel like puking. Also… JELLO. I cannot eat Jell-o without feeling sick as a dog. The sliminess is just awful.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
I feel the same way about bananas, but I will eat them on cereal or on toast. Mmm, peanut butter & banana. Why is that? weird.
Yuck! I hate bananas too. I couldn’t tell you if they make me gag because I haven’t eaten one in years. My one year old loves them and I have a really hard time giving them to her if the texture is too soft. I’m with you on the flavor though. I love banana bread without nuts and fried bananas. I am not a picky eater at all but bananas are not something I like. I struggle to eat fruit salads if there are bananas in it even if I don’t touch them.
The video was hilarious. I agree with the comment about the pervs and banana Youtube video though. You and your hubby are very cute together.
I have no advice as I like bananas but I feel you on the “I hate the texture” thing. I feel the same way about yogurt.
Yea… I don’t get it. I love bananas. I love them almost green, I love them ripe, I love them overripe. I’m easy when it comes to bananas. And……… this post just made me want one. 🙂
I just laughed my but off at this post! There is definitely a very small window of time that bananas are good. Not completely green, just a little green at the top. Once they are past that, it’s smoothies for the rest. And I’m with Auntie G with the tomatoes. I love tomato sauces and salsa but I won’t eat raw tomatoes unless they are roma and all the seed goop is scooped out. GAG!!! 🙂
I have said your title phrase so many times.
People call me a picky eater, mainly, my inlaws who eat just about anything, but I’m really not. When I don’t like something it’s ALWAYS texture based, not taste based. I don’t like food that is soggy, so cereal and milk, bread or crackers in soup, etc. I also cannot stand the texture of cottage cheese. Even typing the words cottage cheese I had to repress my gag reflex. *shudder*
But I love green bananas 🙂
haha! thats so funny. I myself have a love/hate relationships with banana’s. some days i love them, and by the next day I won’t even want one near me. weird, i know
Be careful, you are gonna get a porn director calling you. Or at the very least, a 80’s hair band will want you in their video. Just sayin.
I know EXACTLY what you mean. I always think I want to eat a banana because they do taste good, so I take one bite and it is fine…the second bite however, is when I start gagging. I have never had more than two bites of a banana! Yogurt is the same for me. Two bites and GAG! I can eat yogurt with granola in it. Maybe you could dip the banana in granola, crushed graham cracker or nuts to change the texture.
I’m so with you, I can’t eat bananas. Actually, I despise them, hate the flavor in any way. But the texture, AAAUUGHHH!! Vomit. Gross. I can’t do it. I don’t even pretend to try. Good for you though for forcing your way through them, because they are really good for you.
Blech.
I hate bananas. They make my breath smell like garlic, I swear. And I have to say, no amount of “it’s good for you” would convince me to eat one.
Texture is crucial! I refuse to eat wet bread, touch raw chicken, or empty a rice pot that has been soaking with water.
Smear each bite with peanut butter first. Yeah, more calories, but at least the banana is palatable!
I’ve been meaning to post this “recipe” on my blog for a bit now, but keep forgetting. Slice a banana, pop it in the freezer for a few hours, and then stick it in the blender. The texture is just like ice cream. Seriously, my kids have NO idea that they are eating bananas for dessert. They really think it’s ice cream! Awesome! Sometimes I even add in a bit of peanut butter (protein!) or honey. And, yeah, chocolate chips too, when I’m feeling extra nice.
i TOTALLY understand!!! (for some reason michael jackson’s “you are not alone” is playing in my head) i can’t eat bananas after the first bite because i gag too! the same thing happens when i eat avocados…but not guacamole (thank goodness!)
I have thw samw problem. 1. That banana your eating is not green enough 2. slice the banana with a sharp knife. into thinish rounds, it cuts way down on that gross texture. 3. only eat them cold toss one in the fridge for 20min before eating
I feel the same way about yogurt. I’ve been trying it for decades and every time I eat it I think…Yep. Still makes me gag–even with all the “dessert” flavors. Don’t even get me started on the greek crap. Whoo boy…
honey, i had no idea bananas could be scary! you poor thing 😉
Well the good news is that insulin resistant folks and diabetics(me) shouldn’t be eating bananas anyway! Ah, I miss grapes the most. Those are my favorite and a total nono.*sniff
I am the exact same way. I read your first lines and said, “THAT IS ME!!!” (But I only said it in my head ’cause I’m around people.)
Forced one down each and every day I was pregnant with each of my three kids. Never going near one again. Eff the potassium.
I TOTALLY get this. My mother HATES the texture of bananas but LOVES the flavor. My grandmother has to make my mother banana-LESS pudding. She makes a big batch of real banana pudding for us normal folks and then the fake crap for my mom. Its so weird. I will admit…the texture is nasty. But I don’t get all gaggy and teary eyed like ya’ll do 🙂
I feel exactly the same way. I love anything banana flavored… but you can keep the actually bananas. Yuck. Totally a texture thing.
I’m amazed by the comments on how many people really hate bananas.
I dont understand all you weird banana people. You must be like those people who think cilantro tastes like soap. Or maybe it’s like my aversion to celery, which made me throw up when I was a kid, and makes me gag when I eat it now that I’m a grown-up. HATE. CELERY. If I accidentally get a piece in my mouth, I have to spit it out, or swallow it whole immediately.
Hm. Maybe I understand y’all a bit better than I thought.
Anyway, lima beans have waaay more potassium than a banana anyway. So maybe a snack of limas would work better for you? (Not for me…they’re another food I just cannot manage to get across my palate. Blech.)
Hi Yvonne! Something like this is called “sensory food aversion”, a term defined by Dr. Irene Chatoor, a child psychiatrist, who specializes in infant and toddler feeding disorders. What you have obviously isn’t an eating disorder, but some people (especially children…by the time they’re adults they have often gotten used to more kinds of foods) have so many sensory (i.e. texture) issues with food, that what they eat is extremely limited. Just wanted to let you know, so you can tell people that this is NOT all in your head, but you are just more sensitive to some textures 🙂 Here is an article about this in children: http://www.zerotothree.org/site/DocServer/29-3_Chatoorv.pdf
All I know is I have to give you props for eating something you despise so much. You are stronger than I am.
Oh my god! The exact same thing happens to me!
I dono’t really care for bananas either. I have to eat them WITH something – like, chopped up on my cereal or mixed up with other fruit in a salad, etc. I can’t believe you ate so much of that! Also, just as an aside – you are looking GREAT – very pretty hair and face in the video. 🙂 Yay for working out! You go, girl!!!!!
I have seriously never heard of a person not liking bananas. It is genetic. We are from monkeys.
I totally understand. I like bananas with something crunchy at the same time – preferably in the same bite. Would you try a banana in one hand and a graham cracker in the other? Or a sandwich made with toast and peanut butter and banana slices? (Did I just make you gag again?)
I hated Bananas for the longest time. I still eat them only rarely. I eat baby food bananas to get my banana fruit in.
It’s not even so much the fact that they’re mushy. It’s the fact that they’re mushy, lumpy and SLIMY all at the same time.
High Potassium – prunes or kiwis…a snack size of prunes is 3 for about 100 calories; kiwis is two medium sized. Maybe try that…