When you think about bananas, you’re probably unlikely to think about all the different kinds there are, right? Most don’t even know the kind of banana they buy at the grocery store weekly is called a cavendish. Which makes up almost 95% of all bananas sold! Can you guess the most widely known fruit all over the world? You guessed it, a banana! However, the different kinds available to us is beginning to be showcased all over the produce department. Although they all look pretty similar in color and shape, other than the red ones of course, they all taste deliciously different and that is what makes them so special. That’s what this easy to read visual guide to bananas is here for, to give the 411! Including plantains, red ones, baby ones, and the classic cavendish!
Banana Varieties
Red Bananas
Year-round availability
Floral with a slight raspberry flavor and creamy white flesh
Eaten raw when the skin turns a very dark red-brown
Baby Bananas
Year-round availability
Also called ‘niño’ or ‘lady finger” bananas
Extra sweet and perfect personal size for kids
Plantains
Year-round availability
Large in size and starchy – Ripen from green to a dull nearly black color
Cooked at all stages in dishes from savory fried chips to sweet mashes
Cavendish
Year-round availability
The most widely used and classic banana variety
Ripen from bright green to golden yellow as they ripen
ideas for using bananas:
Coconut Sugar Caramelized Plantains
