Super Special Bananas

Bananas are an awesome source of potassium and other vitamins, but they aren't everyone's favorite lunchtime treat. Inscribing the skins (without any markers or pens!) and magically pre-slicing them before packing them up alongside the peanut butter and jelly helps ensure that they'll get eaten, and that they'll make someone feel extra special.


You'll Need. . .

• Banana - try to pick ones with even-toned skins that haven't been bruised much and aren't too dark (dark spots will make your messages harder to read)
• A toothpick
• A straight pin or sewing needle

How To

1. Decide what you'd like your extra-special message to be
2. Using your toothpick, etch the message into the skin. You don't want to break the surface of the skin or puncture the fruit, but you should be able to see a slight indentation where you've written
3. Wait 5-10 minutes for your message to magically appear¹
4. Gently insert the pin or needle through the skin of the banana. It's best to pick a point where there is already a brown spot to help hide the evidence
5. Move the pin back and forth through the fruit inside, but be careful not to break through the skin
6. Repeat the process in a few other spots along the banana to make several slices
7. Pack up the awesomely inscribed and pre-sliced banana with the rest of the brown-bag goodies!²

¹_{Nerdy Note: How does it work? Banana peels can be used to help make bruises fade more quickly, but they also get bruised pretty easily. Keeping bananas in a cold place (like the freezer if you're getting ready to make banana bread) results in "chilling injury" and can make them brown up, but so can getting bumped around. By writing on the surface of the peel, you're actually damaging some of the cells, which then turn brown (also called "skin abrasions").}
²_{The best way to open a banana is just how chimpanzees and other non-human primates do - from the stubby end instead of the long-stemmed end. Give it a shot!}

Comments

[sunshiine]

And: Have a splendorous day!

[shesparticular]

That sounds like the perfect banana message to me :)

[happyjo]

This is such a lovely and fun way to cheer someone's day up! :)

[shesparticular]

Thanks so much - I think so too :)

[rimar2000]

Good idea. You are really particular!

[shesparticular]

Thanks so much - and I most certainly am :)

[sunshiine]

I am bored! Wished I had a banana!

[shesparticular]

Go get some :)

[sunshiine]

Too lazy!

[sunshiine]

Pretty snazzy! I thought that you had used a marker to do this. Then I noticed that was not the case. I guess the writing shows up because of the bruising? Anyway pretty cool ible! Thanks for sharing.

[sunshiine]

I guess you are right! That would make a nice message!

[shesparticular]

Yep - no markers or pens needed! At least according to UC Davis, this fun technique relies on a specific type of banana bruising called "skin abrasions" (not to be confused with "chilling injury"). The really fun thing is that you can write on the banana just before packing it up so the recipient won't know until lunchtime that there's a message waiting for them (in addition to fruity goodness).

[sunshiine]

I love it! I had to read it a couple of times not to miss out on the directions. You know how you read through and just get the jest of it. You always find such interesting things to share. Thanks again for a nice Instructable!

[shesparticular]

I totally know what you mean. I debated for a while whether it made most sense to post it as a step-by-step 'ible or not, but it seemed like it was too simple to do that. It's so fun to see what folks think of things I post and the awesome ideas that everyone has to share. And thanks for always being awesome!

[sunshiine]

Thanks!

[sunshiine]

I think a step by step would not have worked very well with this. You would have had to add something to it like the opening and eating of the banana. Your thought was right. It is a good entry!

[anagy6]

My Mom used to do this same thing for me! It did make me eat my banana, except sometimes the inside would have fruit flies :X... but its super cute!

[shesparticular]

It sounds like your mom is pretty awesome!