PHOENIX, AZ – Have you ever considered putting a banana next to some peaches on the grill? What about adding one to Thai noodles or on top of a tostada?

Peel the Love Dole Food Truck

The Dole Food Co. wants consumers to consider cooking with bananas in new ways, and it’s bringing a food truck to metro Phoenix to inspire people to do so.

“Most people have never considered throwing a banana on the grill,” said Bil Goldfield, Dole Fresh Fruit brand communications manager. “The sugar gets caramelized and it’s almost like custard when you grill it.”

From Thursday through July 7, the truck, called the Peel the Love Food Truck, will stop at several Phoenix-area Walmart stores, the Independence Day Music Festival at Salt River Fields, the Phoenix Zoo and Fabulous Phoenix 4th at Steele Indian School Park.

The truck will pass out food samples such as banana pineapple coconut smoothies; banana whoopie pies with dulce de leche; banana pudding pops; Thai noodle, chicken and banana salad; Southwest banana tostadas and banana split brownies.

“Bananas are popular with everybody; they have something like a 90 percent household penetration,” Goldfield said. “We’re not out to educate someone who’s never heard of a banana. We’re trying to show it can be used in savory dishes and that banana bread is not the limit of baking with bananas.”

Peel the Love Food Truck stops

  • 4-7 p.m. Thursday at Walmart, 1825 W. Bell Road, Phoenix.
  • 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday at Walmart, 2501 W. Happy Valley Road, Phoenix.
  • 6-10 p.m. Saturday at After Dark in the Park at Deer Valley Park, 19602 N. 19th Ave., Phoenix.
  • 4-7 p.m. Sunday at Walmart, 6145 N. 35th Ave., Phoenix.
  • 4-6 p.m. Tuesday at Walmart, 15355 N. Northsight Blvd., Scottsdale.
  • 5-9 p.m. next Wednesday at Independence Day Music Festival at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, Loop 101 and Indian Bend Road on the Salt River Reservation.
  • 6-10 p.m. July 4 at Fabulous Phoenix 4th at Steele Indian School Park, 300 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix.
  • 4-7 p.m. July 5 at Walmart, 5250 W. Indian School Road, Phoenix.
  • 9 a.m.-2 p.m. July 6 at Phoenix Zoo, 455 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix.
  • 11 a.m.-2 p.m. July 7 at Walmart, 7975 W. Peoria Ave., Phoenix.

Fin the original article by Jennifer McClellan at azcentral.com <here>