# Strange Method of Buying Bananas.. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 5, 2011, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-method-of-buying-bananas/566446 "2011-01-05T02:58:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![cuauhtemoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2011, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-method-of-buying-bananas/566446/21 "2011-01-08T15:44:58Z")
I order my bananas online from bananastore dot com. They have pictures of the bananas, and you pick out which ones you like and they send them to you parcel post, please allow four to six weeks for delivery, minimum 500 lbs. Now _that’s_ a strange method of buying bananas. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2011, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-method-of-buying-bananas/566446/22 "2011-01-08T16:54:38Z")
> [@cuauhtemoc](#): > > I order my bananas online from bananastore dot com. They have pictures of the bananas, and you pick out which ones you like and they send them to you parcel post, please allow four to six weeks for delivery, minimum 500 lbs. > > Now _that’s_ a strange method of buying bananas. Unless you are making million loaves of banana bread. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2011, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-method-of-buying-bananas/566446/23 "2011-01-08T17:07:49Z")
> [@cuauhtemoc](#): > > I order my bananas online from bananastore dot com. They have pictures of the bananas, and you pick out which ones you like and they send them to you parcel post, please allow four to six weeks for delivery, minimum 500 lbs. > > Now _that’s_ a strange method of buying bananas. Strange because they’d be shipping you twelve _and a half_ cases. ---
**Author:** ![cuauhtemoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecb155/32.png) [@cuauhtemoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cuauhtemoc)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2011, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-method-of-buying-bananas/566446/24 "2011-01-08T19:04:55Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Strange because they’d be shipping you twelve _and a half_ cases. And you have to pay in Danish Kroners, it’s the only currency they’ll accept. I don’t know how this guy stays in business, I’m serious. ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2011, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-method-of-buying-bananas/566446/25 "2011-01-14T18:13:31Z")
> [@Autolycus](#): > > Blasphemy! I sentence you to death by banana-ing. I was attacked with a banana once. Fortunately I had taken a course on how to defend myself against someone armed with fresh fruit, and it turned out to be very effective. I enjoyed eating the banana afterwards too. Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2011, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-method-of-buying-bananas/566446/26 "2011-01-14T20:06:07Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > But plantains is where it’s at. [Plantains?](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/plantain2.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/plantain.htm&h=378&w=361&sz=46&tbnid=SvYWoqnRXyGrpM:&tbnh=122&tbnw=117&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dplantain&zoom=1&q=plantain&usg=__pvMbVIx3SmVuDoPuGQxGQNY5s8I=&sa=X&ei=bKwwTZO4GIaasAOnzcnXBQ&ved=0CDkQ9QEwAg) ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-method-of-buying-bananas/566446/27 "2011-01-15T00:51:36Z")
The bunches bananas are in at the grocery store are pretty arbitrary, aren’t they? Bananas grow in much larger bunches ~100-200 bananas per bunch. So where they cut them to sell in convenient clumps shouldn’t matter. ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-method-of-buying-bananas/566446/28 "2011-01-15T01:18:08Z")
[Banana?](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYBw_o_2nG0) ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-method-of-buying-bananas/566446/29 "2011-01-15T01:26:40Z")
This lady is slicker than y’all are giving her credit for. She likes to eat her bananas at a prescribed level of ripeness. Therefore, she must make her selections so they incorporate varying degrees of ripicity ™. So you see, she is selecting her Monday banana, her Tuesday banana, her Wednesday banana… mmm ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-method-of-buying-bananas/566446/30 "2011-01-15T02:00:26Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > [Plantains?](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/plantain2.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/plantain.htm&h=378&w=361&sz=46&tbnid=SvYWoqnRXyGrpM:&tbnh=122&tbnw=117&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dplantain&zoom=1&q=plantain&usg=__pvMbVIx3SmVuDoPuGQxGQNY5s8I=&sa=X&ei=bKwwTZO4GIaasAOnzcnXBQ&ved=0CDkQ9QEwAg) [Plantains.](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://lenaskitchen.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/plantain.jpg&imgrefurl=http://lenaskitchen.wordpress.com/2008/05/27/plantain/&usg=__4GgcFbUuODkEz5jHnk5cMMgz7Ic=&h=279&w=432&sz=21&hl=en&start=0&sig2=v7T9fW2PTWkC5QrXRi0GDw&zoom=1&tbnid=LfNidj0wrqjdHM:&tbnh=131&tbnw=190&ei=fP8wTcriL4XGlQfQzIn7CQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dplantain%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D1016%26bih%3D570%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=621&vpy=119&dur=1&hovh=180&hovw=279&tx=138&ty=98&oei=fP8wTcriL4XGlQfQzIn7CQ&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:0) ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-method-of-buying-bananas/566446/31 "2011-01-15T02:29:24Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > [Plantains.](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://lenaskitchen.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/plantain.jpg&imgrefurl=http://lenaskitchen.wordpress.com/2008/05/27/plantain/&usg=__4GgcFbUuODkEz5jHnk5cMMgz7Ic=&h=279&w=432&sz=21&hl=en&start=0&sig2=v7T9fW2PTWkC5QrXRi0GDw&zoom=1&tbnid=LfNidj0wrqjdHM:&tbnh=131&tbnw=190&ei=fP8wTcriL4XGlQfQzIn7CQ&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dplantain%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26biw%3D1016%26bih%3D570%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=621&vpy=119&dur=1&hovh=180&hovw=279&tx=138&ty=98&oei=fP8wTcriL4XGlQfQzIn7CQ&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:0) Okay, that explains a few things. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-method-of-buying-bananas/566446/32 "2011-01-15T07:19:41Z")
I think I am being whooshed a lot in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-method-of-buying-bananas/566446/33 "2016-05-16T18:34:11Z")
I read the OP and assumed the character in the story was tired of buying bruised bananas, and was picking out the ones in the middle of the bunch that are protected by the others. That’s what I do. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-method-of-buying-bananas/566446/34 "2016-05-16T19:27:23Z")
I once had a theory, unproven, that if I bought individual bananas, each from a separate hand, they would have more resistance to any environmental effect that would hasten their spoilage. More so than if they were stored along with their brethren with the same DNA. Of course, one wants bananas to age relatively quickly because greenish from the store, they are not yet ready to eat. But then once they fleck, you don’t want one banana to infect another with some malady that it is not resistant to, and have them all get too ripe too quickly. I also picked out individuals and broke off the stem, so I wouldn’t have to pay a few cents for the weight of the inedible stem parts. I probably saved a dollar a year doing that. ---
**Author:** ![BeeGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@BeeGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeeGee)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-method-of-buying-bananas/566446/35 "2016-05-16T19:38:26Z")
Green tip bananas are gross > **[20110822024414.pdf](https://nfsmi.org/documentlibraryfiles/PDF/20110822024414.pdf)** > > 919.66 KB ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-method-of-buying-bananas/566446/36 "2016-05-16T19:47:13Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > I once had a theory, unproven, that if I bought individual bananas, each from a separate hand, they would have more resistance to any environmental effect that would hasten their spoilage. More so than if they were stored along with their brethren with the same DNA. The problem with your theory is that all common bananas (i.e., generic bananas, rather than specific boutique brands) share exactly the same DNA, since all Cavendish bananas [are cloned from the same plant](http://piecubed.co.uk/bananas-facts/). :smack: This is why the next great banana blight will completely eliminate bananas as we know them. It’s a case of monoculture to the absolute absurd extreme. ---
**Author:** ![Ignatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/3be4f8/32.png) [@Ignatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ignatz)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-method-of-buying-bananas/566446/37 "2016-05-16T21:46:59Z")
Bananas come in “hands”. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-method-of-buying-bananas/566446/38 "2016-05-16T22:11:43Z")
I go even farther than the occasional banana picking. If I’m making something that calls for, say, 1/4 cup of parsley or cilantro or other herb that only comes in huge bunches, I pull a few sprigs out of the bunch and throw it in a plastic bag and get charged the ‘loose herbs’ price. I see no point in buying a huge amount and then throwing it away. The next person gets shorted a small amount, but I feel no guilt over it. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-method-of-buying-bananas/566446/39 "2016-05-16T22:21:00Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > This lady is slicker than y’all are giving her credit for. > > She likes to eat her bananas at a prescribed level of ripeness. Therefore, she must make her selections so they incorporate varying degrees of ripicity ™. > > So you see, she is selecting her Monday banana, her Tuesday banana, her Wednesday banana… > mmm I don’t reduce it to a single day but I usually buy 2-3 bananas of several degrees of ripeness rather than all the same degree. Usually they are already broken off a hand so I just grab a couple ripe ones, a couple still green and some half ripe ones. Gives me a week of perfectly ripe bananas. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2016, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-method-of-buying-bananas/566446/40 "2016-05-16T22:24:27Z")
> [@Ignatz](#): > > Bananas come in “hands”. Who are we to judge them by what they do for recreation? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-method-of-buying-bananas/566446.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-method-of-buying-bananas/566446.md?page=3)