Wonky Box has gone Bananas

Time to get down to business on bananas, the latest and greatest offering in the Wonky Box fruit family, available in our new Fruit Only Box.

Here at Wonky, we hold our commitment to supporting local growers close to our hearts - you could say it’s our ‘jam’! However, as we’ve expanded our Boxes and explored new ways to delight our customers, we found ourselves thinking long and hard: do we add bananas (an import fruit) into our Fruit Box selection?

Bananas are a beloved snack and lunch box must-have for many - Kiwis devour 72 million kgs of bananas a year! - and we knew that many of our customers would enjoy the convenience of this fruit in their Fruit Box, even if they aren’t NZ grown. After doing some digging, speaking to different suppliers, and trialling these family favourite yellow delights in our Boxes, we've found a match we feel good about, working with providers who share our commitment to supporting their local communities.

We understand that some of our customers may prefer to support local growers exclusively, and we still support that choice. That's why with just a couple of clicks, you can exclude bananas from your Fruit Box using our Exclusions Feature (read about this here), and enjoy only NZ grown fruits instead.

At Wonky Box, we're committed to filling your fruit bowl with planet-friendly produce that provides a fair income to those who grow it. We hope you'll join us in welcoming consciously sourced Bananas to the Wonky family and continue to enjoy the fruity delights that come your way.‍

MAKE THE MOST OF OUR A’PEEL’ING NEW ADDITION

We carefully pack your bananas when they’re still a tad green, ensuring they ripen to perfection on their journey to your doorstep.

Once they arrive, it's time to give them some space from other fruity friends. Bananas give off ethylene gas, which can speed up the ripening process of nearby fruits. Storing them separately on the bench top or in the pantry is the best way to avoid any unexpected ripening surprises.

However, if you've got some avocados or kiwifruit that you’re eager to enjoy, you can harness the banana's ethylene powers for good instead of evil! Pop those unripe fruits into a paper bag with your bananas overnight or for 24 hours, and watch the magic happen. Thanks to the ethylene gas emitted by the bananas, your avocados and kiwis will ripen in record time.

But what if your bananas are ripening faster than you can enjoy them? Fear not! 

A fully yellow banana, or one starting to sport specks of brown, is just begging to be turned into banana pancakes! Simply mash your ripe banana into your pancake batter as a natural sweetener.

As your bananas ripen further, turn them into a delicious loaf of banana bread! Ripe bananas have more moisture and become sweeter than unripe bananas due to the higher concentration of sugars. This natural sweetness and flavour reduces the need for additional sugar in your baking while still achieving a sweet, moist, and flavourful loaf. 

Try our Peels and All Banana Bread recipe here

Finally, you can freeze bananas to preserve their deliciousness for later. Simply slice your bananas into bite-sized pieces, pop them into a container, and stash them in the freezer. Frozen banana is perfect for adding a creamy touch to smoothies or using for future baking adventures. Sure, they might lose a bit of their cosmetic appeal and turn a tad brown in the chilly confines of the freezer, but rest assured – they're just as tasty and nutritious as ever.

We'd love to hear what you think of our latest addition to Wonky Box. Here's to filling your fruit bowl with planet-friendly delights and enjoying fresh, delicious produce together!