If you’re anything like me, or any struggling college student who wants to eat healthy, you’ve definitely purchased your fair share of bananas. They’re easy for a snack on the go and they’re not as expensive as the tiny carton of strawberries that may as well cost 100$ when you’re on a budget.

BUT, one of the downsides of bananas is their unpredictable life expectancy. One minute they’re perfectly yellow and the next their brown and mushy. Yuck. Eventually, I had enough with this nonsense and started finding new ways to use bananas on a weekly basis.

1. Throw 'em in a smoothie

Probably the easiest way to use bananas and also probably the most perfect way to use them during the summer when you live in Florida and its over 100 degrees (yikes). What makes it even better is the fact that it doesn’t matter what level of ripeness it is and the smoothie is still delicious.

2. Make some banana bread

The biggest perk of this is the way your apartment, dorm, condo, house, etc. smell while it’s in the oven. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Plus, you’ve got breakfast for a few days (if it even lasts that long).

3. Freeze 'em

This one kind of piggybacks off of number one, you could technically throw some frozen bananas in a smoothie. UNLESS, you wanted to try something amazing and throw the frozen bananas in a food processor and make banana ice cream. Don’t knock it ‘til ya try it.

4. Dip 'em in chocolate

Do I need to even say more?

5. Bake 'em in the oven

Did someone say bananas foster? Not super healthy but the bananas cancel out the other stuff. Right? #balance

6. Dry 'em out

Pretty much every trail mix worth eating has dried banana chips in them (and they are delicious).

7. Put 'em in a pie

Banana cream pie may be the most basic pie (behind Apple). But I’ve never seen anyone complaining when offered a slice.

8. Add 'em to peanut butter toast

Definitely, a go-to breakfast if I’m in a rush, or if I’m not in a rush. Pretty much it’s one of my favorite breakfasts.

9. Plain old banana

I’m not running out of ideas. Bananas are just that good.

10. Banana Pancakes

Listen to that Jack Johnson song if you're not already convinced that this is a good idea.

11. BANANA SPLIT

FOR SURE saved the best for last. I am definitely going to make one after I finish this article.

To be quite honest, I have Hollaback girl by Gwen Stefani in my head as I’m writing this (…is bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S). It’s catchy.