Last year, I moved out on my own for the first time. Though I lived on the shores of adventure, the only vendor for miles available to those without suitable vehicles and schedules was Mariner's Market.
That place is OBVIOUSLY run by the mafia, as only the mafia would monopolize the food market that much. They're prices were appalling. I was on a shoestring budget at the time, and the bus to the city stopped running to and fro at 6 pm everyday. Because reasons.
See, I had a job. A job I thoroughly enjoyed, mind you, but that didn't change the fact that we were all payed peanuts. $3.75 an hour. (It's not exactly a job you get for the money, let me put it that way. You work there for life experience and all that. It's a long story.)
What was a poor college age gal to do when her days off were so far away, and she was low on food and dollahs? Ordering take-out was out of the question, as I lived in a small, yet ritzy (supposedly), tourist trap not to be "tainted" by fast food anything. I mean, the pyramid scheme failed, and Mexico was out of the question... and don't even get me started on what went wrong with the jelly fish... Although the sweet bread from the back alley was always good in a pinch.
I jacked coffee and cookies from the meeting rooms whenever I could. Once I lifted a chicken breast from the dining hall (with the permission of the cooks, of course as I had plenty of good friends in the kitchen.) My partners in crime understood the struggle, and they would offer me bread and cheese. In turn, I would help them.
But what could any of us do, in a pinch?
We got da bananaz. We got allllll da bananaz. See, fruit is cheap. They are like the books of the food world. The demand for anything actually good for you is low these days, so the prices follow suit.
Dad also sent me some of this expensive chocolate whey protein, so hooray for parents!
Plus, bananas are safe to eat in a nuclear fallout because the peels protect them from radiation. So there's that.
Here are a few recipes and ideas for those of you who are short on time, energy, and dollahz. Enjoy or something. Go ape. I dunno.
Banana Protein Shake AKA The Stefani
When I was on the go all ding dong day, and the slave drivers told my (actually pretty awesome) supervisors 400 freeloaders guests were going to overrun the place like the anchoviiiies in that one Spongebob episode a DAY before anyone could show up and destroy the place, we'd get a half hour lunch.
This is what I would have for a filling lunch substitute when I wasn't panicking about the impending stampede.
1 freakin' banana (cut up, just ripe enough to be awesome)
1 half scoop of CHOCOLAAAATE whey protein powder (entirely optional)
1 and 1/4 cup of milk (Or, however much milk suits you. I would just get some milk and pour it in the blender until I thought it was fine. Not too much though. Don't want this stuff too watery.)
1 scoop of peanut butter (Optional)
Strawberries or blueberries (or both) could also be added. I highly recommend the blueberries.
Spoiler!
Put alladat in a blender for, like, 30 seconds or something. It's good, trust me. And you don't feel like there's a hole in your stomach while your working all day. You might even feel happy. This shake actually helped me lose weight (in addition to me having to learn how to manage my food and time better), and really did in a pinch. You can omit the peanut butter and it'll still taste fine.
Alright, NEXT!
Sweeeet Banana Milk Shake AKA The Sweet Escape
This is for when you just got paid and want to indulge a bit.
2 scoops of whatever ice cream you lifted off of your roommates... I mean borrowed... (I'm kidding, I bought it myself.)
3/4 cup of milk
1 (or 2) freakin super special awesome banana(s)
1 scoop of peanut butter (optional)
Put alladat in a blender.
Top it off with whipped cream and you got a winner
Use whatever ice cream floats your boat, but I'd suggest something that isn't too tangy or sour.
Spoiler!
*sigh*
So, I do hope you had fun reading my incessant rambling. This is just some stuff I made this one week when I was low on food and on a tight schedule. Have a nice day.
What about you guys? You got any simple, cheap, banana based ideas?
This sounds ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!! 
