Life, Home & Table · Story 6

Please tell me I’m not crazy

A Reddit user shared a photo of very brown, almost black bananas and asked if they were still usable. The community overwhelmingly reassured them that the bananas are perfectly fine and ideal for banana bread.

Many home bakers are unsure when fruit has gone too far for baking; the thread highlights a common kitchen question about ripeness versus spoilage.

Key details

• The r/Baking post received over 7,500 upvotes and 640 comments.
• The top comment states that the rule is that bananas are fine as long as they are not moldy.
• Another comment predicts these are the best bananas for banana bread the poster has ever used.
• Several commenters explain that the stringy bits on very ripe bananas are normal and can be minimised by peeling from the bottom.
• One commenter admitted they have thrown away similarly brown bananas because they found the strings off-putting.

Discussion angles

• The main angle is that extremely brown bananas are not spoiled but are actually preferred for banana bread.
• A secondary discussion focuses on the 'strings' on bananas: some find them unappealing, while others say they are normal and easy to avoid.
• One comment adds a humorous anecdote about a monkey's reaction to banana strings, suggesting the topic is relatable.
• The thread expresses strong consensus that the poster is not crazy and that the bananas are perfect for baking.