Bananas are one of the most popular fruits in our diet. However, they are very fragile and ripen quickly. With the help of some simple tips presented here, you can keep bananas from turning brown, and can enjoy them fresh for longer.
If left on the counter, the bright-yellow skin turns brown quickly as lots of brown spots almost cover the skin. The fruit becomes softer as it ripens, and loses its charm.
Whether you’re working with unpeeled bananas or their peeled counterparts, here are a few anti-ripening hacks to try.
Table of Contents
7 Hacks to Keep Bananas Fresh for Longer
1. Wrap the Stems with Plastic Wrap or Foil
Wrapping the stems (the crown) in plastic wrap or foil prevents the escape of ethylene from the stems. It also prevents evaporation of moisture and absorption of ethylene released by fruits nearby, to some extent. You can place some tape over the plastic wrap. If you want, you can wrap the stems with foil. Every time you remove a banana from the bunch, you will have to wrap it back again carefully. This will help keep them fresh for longer.
2. Hang Them
It prevents bruising and it also decreases the chance of exposing the banana flesh to oxygen, which will only make it ripen that much faster.
3. Keep Them Away from Other Fruits
Place the bananas away from other ripe fruits. This can help delay the process of ripening. Ripe fruits produce ethylene, and unripe fruits ripen faster when exposed to ethylene. Ethylene speeds up maturation and abscission of fruits. This applies to bananas too.
4. Refrigerate Ripe Bananas
If you are not going to consume ripe bananas immediately, place them in a plastic bag, seal it, and keep it in the fridge. The peels may darken, but the flesh will not be affected. Remove them from the refrigerator a few hours before your snack-time, allow them to come back to room temperature, and then consume them. You can keep ripe bananas in your refrigerator for at least one week. Don’t refrigerate green bananas.
Note: Don’t store unpeeled bananas in the freezer, as it is difficult to peel frozen bananas. Moreover, thawed bananas may turn into a sloppy semi-viscous mass.
5. Add Citrus Like Lemon Juice to the Banana Once Cut
As with apple slices, adding lemon or lime juice to peeled bananas can help preserve their freshness. Basically, the citrus slows down the oxidation process. You can also use lime orange juice or pineapple juice. If you’ve already sliced the banana, toss it with a teaspoon or two of citrus juice. If the banana is still whole or just halved, you can brush it with the juice. Feel free to dilute the juice with water if needed. Adding citrus will slightly affect the banana’s flavor, making it a little tart.
6. Buy Green Bananas
Instead of buying fully ripe, yellow bananas, buy greenish bananas which are slightly ripe. You can store these at room temperature. Slowly, they will ripen within a few days. When you buy ripe bananas, you need to consume them within 2 – 3 days. Select firm green bananas without dark spots or abrasions on the peels, as they have maximum storage life without the need for freezing.
7. Freeze Banana Chunks for Longer Storage
If you’re keeping bananas for longer than a few days, put them in the freezer instead of the refrigerator. Frozen banana chunks are also perfect for smoothies. Make sure to use freezer-safe bags to prevent freezer burn. It’s also OK to freeze unpeeled bananas. However, be prepared for the peel to turn completely black. Also, never try to peel a banana while it’s still frozen. It’s an impossible task and might make you end up hating bananas as much as Drummond.
How to Store the Bananas Properly
Take out the bananas from the plastic bag as soon as you reach home. Bananas covered in bags (green bags, paper bags) would ripen faster. Bananas exposed to room temperature ripen slower and evenly. See to it that they are not exposed to direct heat or sunlight. Place them away from the stove, heater, and window. Store them in a well-ventilated, cool, dark place. Do not keep the bunch of bananas as shown in the picture below. Bananas resting on a kitchen countertop are likely to get bruised.
Do Bananas Last Longer in the Fridge or On the Counter?
Bananas are picked green and ripen at room temperature. Refrigerating them not only causes the skin to darken, it slows down or stops ripening. So, it is best to keep them out of the fridge until they are fully ripened. At that point refrigerating them will help keep them from becoming overripe.
How Long Can You Keep Bananas in the Fridge?
If stored correctly, you’ll have ripe bananas in 2 to 5 days. If you’re curious about how to keep bananas fresh for longer, you should know how to store bananas in your refrigerator. If you place them in the refrigerator, fully ripe bananas will last 5 to 7 days.
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Keeping Banana Fresh Longer with Foil
Ingredients
- 5 bananas
- foil
Instructions
- Wrap the stems of bananas with foil.
- Every time you remove a banana from the bunch, you will have to wrap it back again carefully. This will help keep them fresh for longer.
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