Ending up with slimy brown banana bits in your banana pudding may seem inevitable when using fresh bananas, but that’s not really the case. Proper layering can be an easy solution.

Instead of placing the bananas on top of your pudding, place them near the center of the pudding mix — below the whipped cream you top the dish with or between layers of pudding.

Doing so will prevent your bananas from being exposed to oxygen, which is what causes those lovely fruits to turn a dingy muddy color from a beautiful, creamy yellow.