How Much Is A Hand Of Bananas? Some US measurements can leave you baffled- to say the least. The term ‘hand of bananas’ can easily be confused with a handful of bananas, but if you haven’t already guessed, this isn’t what it means.
Fortunately, you probably won’t come across many recipes that call for a hand of bananas, but you may very well find bananas sold by the hand at your local orchard or fruit stand.
There are units commonly used to measure dry goods in the US- a hand being one of them. But exactly how many bananas are in a hand? And what is the average cost of a hand of bananas?
How Much Is A Hand of Bananas?
Technically, banana clusters are known as hands, not bunches. Each hand of bananas consists of a total of ten to twenty bananas or ‘fingers’. Hands of bananas weigh between three to seven pounds, depending on the number of bananas. Since bananas are sold by the pound, the average cost of a hand of bananas is anywhere between $1.86 and $4.34.
How Many Bananas Are In A Hand?
Retailers and consumers both mistakenly refer to clusters of bananas as bunches, but this isn’t exactly accurate. While it’s only natural to describe a group of anything as being a bunch, bananas are actually measured in hands.
An entire hand of bananas consists of ten to twenty bananas, which is a lot- especially considering that bananas go bad relatively quickly. But if you have a large family or plan on baking banana bread, you may decide to buy the entire hand.
Most grocery stores sell bananas in clusters of five to eight bananas, which is sufficient for consumers who just want to slice them and add them to a bowl of cereal or enjoy them as an occasional healthy snack.
Measurement Conversions for a Hand of Bananas
It’s highly unlikely that you’ll ever come across a recipe that calls for a hand of bananas, but you may very well find a few recipes that require a cup of sliced or mashed bananas.
Since it takes about three medium-sized bananas to make a cup of mashed bananas and a banana and a half to fill a cup of sliced bananas, it goes without saying that a hand of bananas equals a lot of cups.
Fortunately, many recipes keep it simple by requiring one to two bananas rather than calling for bananas by cup or pint. If you’ve decided to buy an entire hand of bananas, you’ll likely have many bananas left for snacking or other banana recipes.
Cost of a Hand of Bananas
Since prices fluctuate based on the economy, it’s hard to give an accurate estimate of the cost of a hand of bananas. But bananas are historically inexpensive, and the price usually ranges between fifty-eight to sixty-two cents per pound.
Most people only buy one-quarter to one-half of a hand of bananas when shopping at their local grocery store, but if you absolutely love banana bread or pudding and intend on making a large batch of these popular desserts, a hand of bananas will cost you between $1.86 and $4.34 depending on the number of bananas and the current cost per pound.
Nutritional Value of A Hand of Bananas
Even if your potassium levels are low, you probably won’t indulge in an entire hand of bananas, nor would your doctor recommend doing so. But bananas are a very nutritious snack, and their health benefits should be considered.
Each banana only contains 112 calories and is rich in fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. As a matter of fact, just one banana will provide 10 percent of the recommended daily value of potassium and 12 percent of the daily value of vitamin C.
In addition to being rich in nutrients and antioxidants, bananas make you feel fuller, aiding in weight loss. They are also known to stabilize blood sugar, especially when unripe, and support both heart and digestive health.
Why You Should Buy A Hand of Bananas
Understandably, bananas go bad quickly, and squishy brown bananas are not very appealing- even though you can still use them for banana bread. So, you’ll probably balk at the thought of buying an entire hand of bananas.
But a small hand of bananas typically consists of only ten bananas. Although this is more bananas than you usually buy, if you have a lot of bananas, your family will be motivated to eat this healthy snack before it goes bad.
And you can always use the extra bananas for banana pudding, baking, or adding a finishing touch to a bowl of oatmeal or cereal. With a little creativity in the kitchen, it’s possible to find many ways to incorporate hands of bananas into your regular diet.
How Many Hands of Bananas Are In a Bunch?
Although some farmers will only consider a stalk of bananas to be a bunch if it consists of nine hands, bunches can technically consist of anywhere between three to twenty hands of bananas.
You will likely never buy a bunch of bananas unless you’re a retailer.
While this tidbit of information probably won’t do much besides influence your mindset during your next trip to the grocery store or fruit stand, it could still come in handy.
Of course, you would never want to request a bunch of bananas from your local orchard unless you come prepared with a truck and plan on selling them!
Many people mistakenly refer to clusters of bananas as bunches when they are technically hands or fingers.
Granted, an entire hand may seem like too many bananas for your family, but you should try to eat more bananas for the health benefits alone.
Frequently Asked Questions to How Much Is A Hand Of Bananas
How Long Does It Take For a Hand Of Bananas to Ripen?
You can harvest a handful of bananas four to six weeks after the fingers have reached their full size and the flowers have dried and can be rubbed off easily. Each banana should be well-rounded and firm before the entire hand is picked.
Why Is A Bunch of Bananas Called A Hand?
Dry goods and product can’t be measured in the same way as liquids. If you think about it, each cluster of bananas resembles fingers on a hand, so that’s how growers refer to bananas.
How Many Hands of Bananas Are In a Bunch?
Bunches can consist of anywhere between three to twenty hands of bananas.