Bananas in Costa Rica

In my Tica home, bananas are always fresh. There are often many bunches in the kitchen either on the table ripening or on the counter waiting to be eaten. The bananas are of multiple sizes too. Sometimes we have baby bananas that are the size of my fingers, while other times we have "normal" sized bananas that are similar to those sold in the US. I have noticed that regardless of the size, the flavor is still very sweet and fresh. When bananas are about to go bad, my Tica mom puts them in a smoothie that is normally had at breakfast. We never go without bananas for more than a few days. My Tica dad always brings them back from the market and everyone in the family eats them in some form. 

Plantains are eaten a lot less often in my Tica house, but I eat them almost everywhere when we go on weekend events or eat out with other students. Plantains, in my experience, have always been cooked. They have been fried plain, with honey and chile, or just baked until mushy. I enjoy them in all forms and even learned how to make them while in Tortuguero over Semana Santa. We eat them with rice and beans and some sort of protein. Plantains are normally eaten at lunch or dinner, as opposed to bananas which are predominantly for breakfast or dessert. 

Bananas and plantains are very different in Costa Rica than in the United States. In the US, bananas are considered to be a breakfast fruit or a morning snack. When they go bad, my mom makes banana bread that is normally consumed within two days it is so good. Plantains are never eaten. I only knew what they were before Costa Rica because I had tried them in my Spanish class in high school. It will be interesting to return home and not have them as a constant presence in my diet.

Bananas are very important in Costa Rica, both culturally and economically. Economically, bananas are a major export crop. Even though Costa Rica's main economic factor is ecotourism, the economy would still be in serious jeopardy if anything ever happened to the banana. Culturally, the banana has a  solid place in Tican diets but has a negative connotation in the work force. Working in the banana plantation is considered to be very low class and is often associated with Nicaraguans and other immigrant workers. Ticans would not have a problem working in a coffee plantation, but working in a banana plantation would never be acceptable. This ties to the history of Costa Rica because it was always seen like this in social systems in the past. Ticans would be the plantation owners and have slaves and immigrants do the intense physical labor in the fields. Even though field workers now get minimum wage and are treated better, it still has that strong negative connotation within Costa Rican society and culture. 

PHOTO:

So even though the avocado is the focus, there are bunches of bananas in the background. Bananas are sold in bunches here when they are near ripe. They are displayed with other fruits that are also common, like melon, avocado and pineapple. Placing the bananas with other important Costa Rican fruits helps show the importance and prominence in Costa Rican diets.