The Delicious Reason You Should Be Freezing Banana Slices

At this point we've all probably heard of freezing bananas once they enter that speckled stage of ripeness where their flavor and texture is more ideal for use in baked goods (like in banana bread). But have you ever froze a perfectly yellow or slightly speckled banana and discovered it just hit different being frozen? As in, it became sweeter and creamier, almost resembling ice cream? The science behind this says it's because of bananas' starch content. 

Just like with freezing other fruits and veggies, once the water inside the cells of the banana starts to freeze, the cells break open which then causes the other contents of the cell (like starch and enzymes) to be dispersed throughout the banana. After this happens, the enzymes begin converting the starch into naturally-occurring sugar.

Frozen bananas are a healthy snack for just about anyone, even babies and toddlers who are teething. Frozen banana slices act as a soother for their sore gums while the soft texture and bite-sized slices of the banana makes it easy for their little mouths to handle. What's more, nowadays there's tons of frozen banana recipes that can be found across social media, whether they're dipped in melted chocolate, drizzled with peanut butter, or blended-up to make a naturally sweetened frozen dessert known as, "nice cream." It's time to get over your banana hangups and start cooking.

If you're thinking about trying out frozen banana slices as a nutrient-packed treat, then we have all the inspo you need to turn plain banana slices into something that looks and tastes like dessert. For babies and toddlers, choosing soft and neutral-flavored toppings or dips is best since they might be eating quite a few, so going heavy on something sugary like a cookie or candy topping may not be the right move. Instead, a dollop of protein-rich Greek yogurt or cottage cheese on top of each banana slice adds a nice creaminess. From there, adding a sprinkling of hemp or chia seeds not only provides a good source of healthy fats but also a slightly crunchy texture. Altogether, it makes for an enjoyable snack for teethers to consume. This is a great video example here.

This combo is just as enjoyable for adults as it can be for children. However, for a more sophisticated frozen banana slice, freeze the slices until completely hard then dip each piece into either a melted or naturally runny nut butter, then freeze again. Once the frozen nut butter banana slices are hard, you can dip them into melted chocolate — milk, dark, or white are all delicious! You could give each slice a sprinkling of hemp or chia seeds, nuts, cinnamon, granola, or how about all of the above! Beware: Your freezer's real estate may soon be taken over by frozen banana slices for everyone in the family.