But is this *really* a bunch of bananas?
Let’s explore banana terminology.
A single banana is called a finger.
A pound of bananas is usually comprised of three fingers. Did you know that the average American eats 27 pounds of bananas per year? That's over 80 bananas annually per person!
A group of attached fingers is called a hand.
There are five hands of bananas here. 📷: Ramon Medrano has his hand near many hands of bananas growing at Banelino Fairtrade banana cooperative in Dominican Republic.
Multiple hands that grow in clusters are called a bunch.
This bag contains one bunch! Bags serve a few purposes. First, they offer protection from insects and animals that would love to dine on them. They also protect against cold temperatures which could inhibit growth and flavor of the bananas. Collectively, this protection increases both banana quality and quantity. 📷: A bagged bunch of bananas at San Miguel de Brasil Fairtrade banana cooperative in Ecuador.
And this is what a bunch looks like when it’s not covered by a plastic bag.
📷: Unbagged bunches of bananas ready for processing at Agrotes SAS Fairtrade banana cooperative in Colombia.
Ready to buy yourself a (colloquial) bunch of bananas?
Choose Fairtrade! You can often find Fairtrade Equal Exchange bananas at NCG Co-ops.