How to Make Banana Chips to Prevent Food Waste

Stop throwing out your brown bananas! Let’s make this food waste-fighting recipe instead.

All you really need is brown bananas, that’s it! Of course, you could add things like cinnamon, sugar, chocolate, honey, tajin, or whatever floats your boat.

Start by slicing your bananas thinly, but not too thin. You want them to be able to hold together and hold their shape but still be able to dehydrate all the way through. I found that the thickness of a quarter or just a little thicker worked well.

As you slice, lay them out on a baking tray (I prefer using a silicone baking mat so that they don’t stick and I don’t have to use a ton of (or any at all) oil). Make sure they are not touching so that they don’t bake together.

Once you cut all the bananas you’d like to dehydrate for the time, preheat your oven to its lowest settings, most are around 170F. Now is the time to add any toppings to your bananas. I like them plain or with just a touch of cinnamon.

Place your tray in the oven and set a timer for an hour. At the hour mark, carefully flip the chips. If they are tearing, bake them for another 30 minutes before flipping.

Once all your chips are flipped, bake them for another 30 minutes. Take one out and let it cool to test the consistency. If it crisps up at room temperature and is no longer flopping or chewy, they’re done! You want your chips to be perfectly crisp, but not burnt. They should be dehydrated all the way through if you want them to be shelf-stable.

After they reach your desired consistency, take them out and let cool completely. Store in an air-tight container on the counter or in the pantry. If they are 100% dehydrated, they will theoretically last forever, though they may go stale eventually.

Enjoy!