How Many Bananas in a Pound? Banana Yield, Peeled
A pound is about 2 1/2 medium bananas, 7 to 7 7/8 inches long: USDA’s nutrient database weighs the fruit of one at 118 g and counts the peel as 36% of a banana. Peeled and sliced, a pound of whole bananas gives about 0.64 lb, roughly 1 3/4 cups (USDA Food Buying Guide).
USDA yields for banana
From the USDA Food Buying Guide: how much ready-to-use or cooked product one pound as purchased gives. The figures work the same in metric: 0.64 lb per pound is 0.64 kg per kilogram.
| As purchased (USDA description) | Result, as USDA states it | Yield | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bananas, fresh; 100-120 count, Regular, Whole | 1 lb AP = 0.64 lb (about 1-3/4 cups) peeled, 1/2-inch slices of bananas (ready to use, raw) | 64% | FBG table |
| Bananas, fresh; 150 count, 7 to 7-7/8 inch, Whole | 1 lb AP = 0.64 lb (about 1-5/8 cups) ready-to-serve banana slices (ready to use, raw) | 64% | FBG table |
How much is waste
USDA’s nutrient database (SR28, NDB 09040) lists 36% of “Bananas, raw” as refuse: skin.
How much to buy
At 64% (peeled, sliced bananas):
| Ready to use | Buy as purchased |
|---|---|
| 1.00 lb (0.45 kg) | 1.56 lb (0.71 kg) |
| 5.00 lb (2.27 kg) | 7.81 lb (3.54 kg) |
| 10.0 lb (4.54 kg) | 15.6 lb (7.09 kg) |
| 25.0 lb (11.3 kg) | 39.1 lb (17.7 kg) |
Cost per usable pound
At 64%, the price as purchased becomes, per pound and per kilogram:
| Price as purchased | Cost per usable pound |
|---|---|
| $0.50/lb ($1.10/kg) | $0.78/lb ($1.72/kg) |
| $0.65/lb ($1.43/kg) | $1.02/lb ($2.24/kg) |
| $0.80/lb ($1.76/kg) | $1.25/lb ($2.76/kg) |
Example prices. Put yours in the food yield calculator.
The MiseKit app
USDA says 64% for banana. What does your last case say?
Book yields are averages. Your supplier, your cutter and your spec decide the real one. Run a yield test in MiseKit and it keeps every result, flags the cases that come in under your standard and costs each cut from what you actually got.
- Every test kept, by supplier and date
- Short cases flagged in dollars, not just percent
- Cut costs flow straight into recipe costs
Free for one location and one person. No card needed. Works on the phones your cooks already carry.
Run your own numbers
Good to know
- The two USDA sources agree: the Food Buying Guide’s 64% usable fruit and the nutrient database’s 36% peel describe the same split.
FAQ
How many bananas are in a pound?
About 2 1/2 medium bananas (7 to 7 7/8 inches long), about 3 small or about 2 large. USDA’s nutrient database weighs the peeled fruit at 118 g, 101 g and 136 g, with the peel at 36% of the banana.
How much does a banana weigh with the peel?
About 6.5 oz (184 g) for a medium banana, from USDA’s 118 g of fruit and 36% peel.
How many bananas do I need for 1 lb of sliced banana?
About 1.6 lb (1 ÷ 0.64), or about 4 medium bananas.
Sources
- USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs (yield tables; public domain)
- USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 28 (refuse)
USDA figures are averages; size, grade, trim, ripeness and cooking change them. Weigh your own main items before you cost a menu on them.
Last reviewed October 11, 2026.
More ingredient yields
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- How Much Fruit Is in a Mango? Mango Yield per Mango and Pound
- How Much Fruit Is in a Cantaloupe? Cantaloupe Yield per Melon
- How Much Fruit Is in a Watermelon? Watermelon Yield per Pound