For the last couple of days I’ve been seeing stuff all over the interweb about people being deeply, unabashedly, completely captivated by the banana pudding milkshake at Chick-fil-A. And honestly, at first I didn’t pay the recommendations much mind because I am not typically a fan of banana-flavored frozen treats. I chalk up my aversion to lingering disappointments from the fake-tasting banana popsicles and bananas Icees I tried as a child, not to mention an unfortunate banana Laffy Taffy incident that we need not mention ever again.
But tonight, around 8:30, I read a Facebook update about the banana pudding milkshake that considerably upped the curiosity ante for me, so I closed the computer and marched in the den and asked my husband if he’d heard anything about this whole banana pudding milkshake craze.
He considered my question for a second and then said, “It’s a banana pudding milkshake? Not just banana?”
“Yes. Banana pudding.”
“But how would that be? What would make it more like banana pudding?”
“I have no idea,” I said. “BUT FOR SOME REASON I’M STARTING TO THINK THAT IT SOUNDS DELICIOUS.”
“Well, let’s try one!” he answered. “But let’s get a chocolate milkshake, too – because we may need a back-up if we don’t like the banana pudding one.”
“Roger that,” I replied.
And really, is it any wonder that two people who think of things like BACK-UP DESSERT OPTIONS found each other and decided to spend their lives together?
It explains so much, doesn’t it?
So I threw on some shoes and grabbed my purse and hopped in the car and headed to Chick-fil-A. I called Melanie before I pulled out of my driveway to see if she had any thoughts about what might make it different than a plain ole banana milkshake, and she speculated that there might be some vanilla wafers incorporated into the shake.
Quite frankly the possibility of vanilla wafers had not occurred to me, but if there were in fact vanilla wafers mixed in? Well, clearly that would change everything. THAT WOULD JUST CHANGE EVERYTHING.
I pulled up to the drive-thru menu a few minutes later and scrutinized the picture of the banana pudding milkshake while I waited for someone to take my order. Sure enough, Mel was right. The vanilla wafers were mixed into the shake. It was a hopeful sign. But still, I wondered: would the banana flavor taste too fake? Would I have banana Laffy Taffy flashbacks? Was I prepared for the possibility that it could turn out like that time I tried a peppermint milkshake and had to throw it away because it was so sweet that it made my toes curl?
After I placed my order, I drove up to the window, paid for the shakes and had a frighteningly close call when the top came off the banana pudding milkshake and I almost spilled the whole thing into the console between the front seats. I think you can agree that that would have LITERALLY BEEN A TRAGEDY.
(I miss Rachel Zoe.)
(Life without her show is LITERALLY A NIGHTMARE.)
When I got home D met me in the kitchen, and we settled in for a taste test. Despite the fact that I was prepared for the worst, I have to say: MY WORD Y’ALL THAT IS A TASTY SHAKE RIGHT THERE.
It does taste slightly more banana-y than regular banana pudding, but it totally works. The vanilla wafers are critical to the shake’s success, I think, because they change the texture in a host of wonderful ways. And by the third or fourth bite – once you’ve adjusted to the fact that it tastes like banana pudding but it’s way colder than banana pudding and how can I be enjoying this delicious banana pudding through a straw? – you will be a believer.
Provided that you like bananas. Because if you don’t like bananas, I’m gonna wager a guess that this particular shake isn’t for you.
So there you have it. Another Monday night of LIVING ON THE EDGE in our house.
Have any of y’all tried it? What did you think?
p.s. Nobody at Chick-fil-A asked me to write this post. Mainly because they have no idea who I am.
p.p.s. Your sweet comments on the last post humbled and encouraged me more than you know. THANK YOU.
p.p.p.s. I don’t know that the banana pudding shake is better than a Zaxby’s shake – they’re just so different – but please know that I’ll be giving that matter the careful consideration it deserves in the days and weeks to come. Oh yes ma’am I will.
I am in China right now, and can’t even find cold milk to save my life, so I just wanted to let you know you’re killing me. Now I’m dying for that shake, AND a grilled chicken sandwich (they don’t believe in sandwiches here either).
This post is exactly why you need never consider shutting down your blog. It brought untold delight to my evening. We, your readers, love you. Just last week my husband commented to me about something that happened on American Idol. And then he said, I wonder what that Boomama will have to say about that! You’re part of our lives. And we want it to stay that way. ps, we moved recently to a place that unfortunately does not have chick-fil-a. It’s been so sad!
I just tried one this weekend. And as I sat at the table enjoying it (I think my eyes were rolling back in my head), one of those sweet and well-mannered Chick-Fil-A workers came up to my table and said, “Isn’t that so good? And would you believe they just told me that it has 800 calories!” (Well thank you for that. I thought about stopping eating it, but only for a second!)
Although I do not know the Xaxby’s, I say leave it to the Chick-fil-A folk to come up with a winner in the banana flavor department. They DO have some taste-profilers that continue to earn their keep. I made Banana Pudding this past Sat. for the first time in years, and decided after careful consideration and sampling, that the key to a “non-fakey” banana taste lies in the proportion of vanilla to banana. And of course, I suppose, the inclusion of “non-fake” bananas.
But I am certainly no authority.
I think I’m going to see if my 18-year-old is still up because that just might be thing I needed when I sent her a text to bring chocolate home after work. Because the show we all love to hate was on and those women–SERIOUSLY! Need SOMETHING good to eat!
So she was off to find what I didn’t really know I wanted and then I sent text: salty. Because I HAD NO CLUE what I wanted.
But it’s clear now. All Clear. If you’ll only want to ride with her Mama at nearly 11:00 p.m. It’s a holiday tomorrow so we’ll see! I don’t think I can sleep without it! Might even make me feel better about throwing out the last of that sugar free banana pudding I made. Yes, I said that. Sugar free. Ain’t the same. That is all. And I am quite SURE that shake is so not sugar free and I don’t care, Sista! I think I need it!
The car sickness medicine I took as a child was (you guessed it:) banana flavored. I have never considered anything banana flavored to be my friend. But, since you’ve spoken so highly of this shake I may try it. Especially since Dairy Queen does not have it’s Pecan Pie Blizzards this month. OH. MY. SOUL.
You know, I was at Chik Fil A on Saturday for lunch and I spent a solid chunk of time considering the banana shake. Eventually I chickened out and just got lemonade but now I’m thinking I made the wrong decision. I keep hearing great things about this shake, so that just means I’m going to have to go back and try it. I won’t complain about another trip to Chik Fil A.
I’ve never had a Zaxby’s shake, so someone needs to tell me the difference between that and a Chick Fil A shake. And I was gonna try the banana one, but now that someone said the “800 calories” thing, I may not. Sheesh! That’s terrible!
My husband has two job prospects. Can I admit that after I checked to see how close they were to family I checked to see if they had a Chickfila and zaxby’s? It’s a sickness I tell you. I can smell the sweet tea and chicken already, all the way across the mason-Dixon line :).
First of all I would like to say “ditto” to what everyone said about your last post. I tried to comment but got the dreaded “you have entered and invalid email address” message and was frankly too tired to go back and try again. All I was saying was love you, blessed by you and please don’t go away. Ever! Anyway, regarding the shakes, I have not yet had the pleasure of trying the Chickfila version. I have however had more than a few Dairy Queen banana pudding blizzards. YUM! These are not always listed on the menu but I have always been able to get one whenever I request it. (Unlike the DQ strawberry shortcake treat that may or may not be available when I have the urge to order one.) Chunks of banana and nilla wafers in that dreamy ice cream. And I do believe there is also some sort of pudding substance swirled in there. No straws allowed. You must use a spoon. Pleasure.
It’s not gonna be a “cruel summer” with those kind of milkshakes available!!
I must try :)
Well. My sister called to rave about this newfound shake the other day and I dry heaved just thinking about it. I too, have a fear of banana flavored treats, unless it’s Paula Deen’s banana pudding made with cream cheese and Eagle Brand milk. But this Friday, my close-knit circle of SAHM’s are taking our kids on a playdate to the pet store and lunch at Chick-fil-A, and I’m gonna have to try one based on this post. On a side note, once I ate lunch there last week, I decided that I don’t mind paying $7 for a chicken sandwich because the employees are so flippin’ NICE!!! So easy to go out of their way and bring your drinks and food to your table, throw it away when your hands are full, and offer to get you refills. You don’t find that service at other fast-food chains. Nor do you find the disposable placemats with the sticky strips on them for your kids, or those new ketchup packets that allow you to dip your nugget. I’ll forgive them for being closed on Sundays. They’ve earned their day of rest, just as the Lord intended.
I’ve wanted to try one when I read Kelly’s blog post about it. But, alas, we have no Chick-Fil-A (I totally spelled it Chik because that’s how the cow’s spell it right? Had to look it up.) in town. And unless I want to spend the money on the gasoline it will take to get to the big city I imagine I may miss out on the banana pudding milkshake. So sad.
This post made me laugh out loud. I love the phrase “back up dessert” . ..still chuckling.
I saw Kelly’s post about the banana pudding milkshake and I knew I had to try it. So I did exactly what you did yesterday, well maybe a little different. I wasn’t already home from work when I decided to hit up ye olde chick-fil-a. It was wonderful. The nilla wafers just add that extra bit that totally makes the shake. Otherwise it would just be a banana milkshake.
I totally agree with everything Brittany said!
Your blog is and always will be a DELIGHT! I laughed out loud several times while reading this post and it’s always wonderful to start the day with a good laugh.
I, too, have been known to begin sentences with “You know, Boomama said (this or that). :)
Sadly, I no longer live near a Chick-fil-A either.
Thanks for the smile, Sophie! :)
Alas, I live too far north and west of the Mason/Dixon line to have a Chick-fil-a in my backyard. However, there are talks of one being built on the other side of town, near where The Hubster works. If this becomes more than just a rumor, I may have to travel the 20 minutes across town and meet him for lunch every so often.
I already enjoyed the sandwiches; now I’ll have to experience the shakes!
Ooo i love that there naner pudding Shake noW i Want one..um…..might be taking the babieS to chick fil a for lunch thank you very much:):)
LOL! Okay, perhaps I too will give this shake a try.. holy moly, its popularity is beyond comprehension… I will stray from my loyalty to chocolate and give banana a shot:)
Here’s my question: Is it chunky? Because I’ve seen the hype enough that I’m really curious enough to try it, too, but chunky freaks me out… ;)
You know that Q-tip of anesthetic they put on you before they give you a big ole shot of novacaine? That was always banana-flavored at my childhood dentist.
It has ruined forever any banana-flavored things that aren’t actually home-made. So I would go for the chocolate shake back-up.
Nancy
I read the first part of this post to my husband. (The part about having a back-up dessert) and he said, “That sounds like us.” Precisely the reason I read it! Dessert is something that needs to be taken very seriously. You can’t afford to mess up something that important! :)
How is it that I can go on without a Chik-fil-A, clearly by the fact that I needed to look up how to spell it, tells me I live too far North. My mouth is watering and it’s 9:00 AM. Have a great day! God bless you, sheila
Loved every last word…You make me smile with every post. Don’t go!!! You have no idea how much I need those smiles.
Unfortunately, here in Starkville, we do not have a Chik-fil-A, but there are serious talks about us getting one (if a newspaper article constitutes serious). Banana pudding milkshake sounds delicious though!
I am home from work today because I have an allergy induced congestion filled head but a banana milk shake MIGHT make me feel better. Ya’ll think?
You make me laugh!
My favorite thing in March-besides basketball-is the Shamrock Shake from McDonald’s.
I have no idea why, since I’m not usually a minty fan or a MickyD’s fan.
We don’t have Zaxby’s here in Kansas, but ate at one for the first time this summer on our way to SC. The Hubs and our big boy fell in LOVE!!
I think they might have enjoyed that as much as the beach!
I had one just last week. It was yummo. Some real bananas chopped up in it would have been good. But, the “my pleasure” we ALWAYS get from the employees there makes the entire experience better than anywhere else around! (Even though Zaxby’s does have crushed ice pellets in their drinks)
Okay, so now I want to try a Banana Pudding shake from Chick-fil-A and it’s only 9:00 in the morning!! On another note, if you are a fan of Banana Pudding things, you must try the Banana Pudding ice cream from Blue Bell – it’s a winner!! :)
A couple with a back up dessert is my kind of folk.
I’ll have to check that out. A couple of years ago, Krystal had a banana cream pie shake. It was ALL THAT!!!
I will have to try the shake, but may I try to convince you to try the BlueBell Ice Cream flavor called Banana Pudding? I was quite skeptical myself, but after trying it at the factory, it was EXCELLENT!!! (And yes, I live in the town where BlueBell is made… which makes me wonder if it is available there!?)
Happy tasting!
I must have been living in a cave, since I didn’t even know Chick-fil-A HAD a banana pudding shake, but you better believe that I will be trying one before the week is out. OK, who am I kidding? I will have tasted one before the sun sets. Thanks for the exposition:)
Tweets, Facebook updates, and now a WHOLE blog post dedicated to the banana pudding milkshake. Wow. I don’t even like bananas but am thinking I must try this shake so as not to be left out of the milkshake craze. :)
it really is so good! i went the first day it came out. sad i know! :)
Jana beat me to the suggestion that you try BlueBell’s Banana Pudding Ice Cream – we bought it in Florida last summer. I did a happy dance in the aisle of my Tennessee Kroger when I found it several months later!!
I have tried it and I thought it was very good. In fact, delicious but I love bananas and I could be partial. As for the shakes at Zaxbys, my youngest son used to work there and he always made sure my shakes were made a little more thicker than they would normally make them. Deeee-licios! One last thing, and this is just one of many reasons why I love you, I, too, said that we needed to order a back-up chocolate milkshake in case the banana pudding shake wasn’t good. :)
That backup dessert comment – priceless! You two were made for each other!
First of all, celebrate my friend. God has blessed you with a wonderful man. One that would agree at night to going to purchase a frozen treat. While my wonderful man will subcome to any treat in the freezer or kitchen, only during pregnancy is he known to put on shoes and go get a wonder said treat. Banana shakes were a must during pregnancy-hince forth the need to walk daily now because after 16, 15, 11 and 9 years a banana shake don’t look so good on the Mama. Please continue to share such fun stuff. I love laughing when ya’ll blow up the chair for tv viewing and I am jealous when you get to try a new dessert that keeps calling us all. Laughter is the best , and you need to keep providing our drug.
Love WARM banana pudding, love ChickFilA shakes, but vanilla wafers in a milkshake?! Because you recommend it, I’ll give it a try. Well, I’ll probably let my husband try it first. ;-) Unfortunately, the nearest ChickFilA is an hour away. You are blessed to be able to hop in the car and conduct your experiments on the spur of the moment!
Ewww, I’m like you when it come to banana ‘flavored’ things. My daughter likes this gosh awful banana flavored laffy taffy, and I have to roll down the car windows when she eats it to keep from losing it. But, you’ve totally peeked my curiosity, and I’m just gonna have to go get me one of those shakes. My will is so easily bent, good thing you didn’t say I needed a tatoo of a banana milkshake. I’ve heard those things are painful to remove.
the wanna be country girl – Caroline
Well, I don’t like bananas, but now I’m craving Chik-fil-A just the same. Now I just want me some waffle fries and Polynesian sauce. Thanks.
We live in the Pacific Northwest, also known as the land without Chick-fil-A. Which is probably a good thing because I could eat their sauce with a spoon. I’m not a big banana fan, but my husband and daughter would LITERALLY GO BANANAS for this shake! I miss Rachel Zoe too.
I am not a banana lover except right out of the peel.
BUT my sister is and I was telling her the other day how my Twitter friends were talking about this shake at Chik-fil-a so… I was grateful for the review to back up my suggestions. She’s a banana pudding fan and a milkshake freak so… this oughta make her Mardi Gras!
I will not try to convince the hubs that we need to go there for dinner tonight. I mean, Tuesday is Family night so our two bigger kids will eat for free, which more than makes up for the cost of the milk shake, which I will definitely be trying. My husband loves banana pudding more than he loves me I think, so he might be the biggest critic. We’ll have to just see! Oh and we are definitely “back-up dessert” kinda people. :)
I had zero interest in any type of banana milkshake or banana pudding milkshake, but I must admit that after reading this post I might be heading there immediately after picking up my kids from preschool today.
Or, possibly before I get them to avoid sharing if it really is that good. :)
Haven’t tried the banana pudding one yet. You’ve inspired me. Would kill for a Zaxby’s shake though. Moved from Kentucky to Missouri this past summer and we don’t have them here. Tragic, I know.
I am utterly sad that we don’t have Chick-Fil-A in my neck of the woods. But what I really want to say is that I am beyond impressed that you did not taste the milkshake until you got home!! The self-control you exhibited is remarkable!! WOW! Never would have happened at my household. Thanks for the smile!
Being that I am on a (make-beieve-and-not-entirely-real) health kick right now, I have been resisting the banana pudding milkshake from the Chick Fil A, but I believe that this post may have changed my mind.
When I saw the sign advertising the banana pudding MILK SHAKE for the very first time last week, I LITERALLY almost stopped dead in the middle of rush hour traffic with the excitement. Kid you not.
This was a fantastic. I giggled through the whole thing. You and Melanie make me wish I lived in Texas :)
Oh great…another sweet thing I’m just gonna have to try.
Please send some Chick-fil-A stores to Oregon! We are missing out!
I second, third and fourth what Brittany said. See, just when we mom’s think we have nothing to say that doesn’t pertain to our children, out of the blue here comes Chick-Fil-A to save the day. My little ones are now 24 and 26 and believe me, I thought the world would come crashing down when they did not reside at my house any more. But miracles of all miracles, today I stand as a shining example that mom’s do have a life after there are no children in the home! I just went and got 2 kittens, problem solved! Still though BooMama, that is why you have to continue to blog. Even if the stories are about banana pudding milkshakes (and OMG that sounds delish… can’t even begin to count the WW points on that one) you have a story to tell and dang girl you tell it well!!!
ps: I live in Atlanta, home of Chick-fil-a, and we LITERALLY have a chick-fil-a on every corner. Its LITERALLY heaven :)
A back up dessert plan… I like the way he thinks!
I apparently live in a hole, because I haven’t even heard of Chick-Fil-A’s banana pudding milk shakes. I don’t know if I’d like the Nilla wafers in it though… I hate it when Sonic puts graham cracker crust in their “pie” shakes. I WILL, however, be trying the shakes at Zaxby’s. I LOVE Zaxby’s and one of the things my most recent pregnancy has left me with (besides a BEAUTIFUL, snuggly baby girl and even bigger love handles than I had before) is an INSATIABLE sweet tooth! Thanks for the heads up, Boo Mama:)
Oh MY WoRD…Im dying laughing over the banana pudding milkshake. Since it’s a little far for me to drive, I’m thinking this weekend I’ll be tasting one!! yummy!!:)
I so miss CFA. :( I worked there throughout high school but live hours away from one now.
What a great post! You have me intrigued!! I was laughing at your post — great [sidebar] comments, and even at the replies/responses to it. Keep up the good blog(ging). p.s. piqued my interest in the laffy taffy incident (?), lol – can only imagine.
Banana Laffy Taffy scarred me for life.
Oh how I wish we HAD a Chik-Fil-A at which to try such a shake. And I’m not a fan of shakes, nor bananas, but if someone (anyone!!) would be so kind as to put a Chik-Fil-A in our area…well, I would order 1 or even 5! Rumors abound that they are going to put one in by the mall, but alas these rumors come from high school girls. I give them 0 credibility.
I wrote about the banana pudding milkshake this weekend. I’m not big on milkshakes but MY GOODNESS this is good!!! And Harper had a complete meltdown because I made her share it with me. It really was that good!
I have honestly been blessed to my toes with the back up dessert comment!! It was a perfect pick-me-up for this rainy day!!
Ok, this the first I’ve heard of this. Truly a revelation. Also, I’m with you on the banana flavored treats. I can still taste that nasty banana popsicle that I had the misfortune of picking out of the box at a friend’s VBS when I was a wee thing. (ooh…the shivers…)
I forgot to tell you last night……I adore your blog. I’m much older than most of you girls, retired, have grandchildren. I get such a kick out of anything you write. I’m still laughing about your little boy’s cape! I even made my husband read that one. Never doubt yourself for a minute…..we love your blog and I personally would miss it terribly.
What would happen if you mixed the banana pudding and the chocolate milkshake together? Would it rival the chocolate banana milkshake from the now defunct Cheeburger Cheeburger? I may have to experiment this weekend to find out. Good thing I didn’t give up sweets for Lent! :-)
Oh.my.word. YOU are hilarious. I want to meet you…Not in a stalker way, of course. Just to hang and talk and LAUGH. Maybe we have some mutual friends that could introduce us…or maybe not.
I laughed out loud…more than A LOT.
And, I have to say that I’m proud of you for waiting until you got home to taste-test it with your hubby…if it were me, the whole shake would’ve been eaten’ up before getting home…and the console droppings would’ve been licked up, too!!!
I had my first one yesterday – Fat Tuesday. LOVED IT! But because I had already determined I’d give up sweets for Lent now I can’t have another one for 46 days!!! Is it okay to pray that they keep it on the menu till after Lent?
I think the Banana Pudding Milkshake is absolutely the TASTIEST!!! AND, during the month of March on Mondays, if you order a large milkshake, you get a FREE chicken sandwich!! I LOVE CHIC-FIL-A :)
Unfortunately, we don’t have a Chick Fil A in our little town, but we DO have what I’m guessing is the next best thing: Bluebell Ice Cream in the Banana Pudding flavor. I’ve been a fan of this stuff for months now!
One of our friend’s teenage son works at Chick-Fil-a and says there are over 1000 calories in on of those shakes. I’m staying away.