How to Keep Bananas Fresher Longer

Have you ever bought Bananas after carefully selecting the right ripeness and then the next day you find that they have suddenly turned black and over ripe? Well aside from the fact that you can make a really good banana bread with the over ripe bananas, there is not much else that you can do. Except learn how to store them effectively so that they stay fresher, longer.

1. Pull apart from the bunch.

   This will ensure that the ethylene production (inherent chemical in the fruit that causes ripening) is slowed down and not dispersed quickly through the fruits.

2. Store them next to an unripe fruit.

   A win win situation where an unripe fruit like a pear or avocado will slow down the ripening of the bananas while speeding up the process for itself!

3. If you do not want to separate the bananas from the bunch,

   wrap the entire stem in plastic wrap. This also reduces ethylene from activating the ripening process fast.

   

4. Store the bananas in the produce section of the refrigerator.

   This is a case of looks being deceiving. When you store bananas in the fridge, the peels will turn brown and then black, but the cold temperature actually reduces the ripening speed of the fruit inside. Looks do not matter. The fruit will stay firm inside for upto 2 weeks.

5. Peel the bananas and then freeze them.

   This tip is great for making smoothies and desserts. Add the frozen banana right into the blender.