7 ways to store bananas tested: this method keeps them fresh the longest

Bananas fall into much the same category as avocados. Blink twice and they’re soft, mealy and brown. Overripe, in other words. So how do you keep your bananas fresh for as long as possible? The Kitchn tested 7 different ways to store bananas. One method was the clear winner.

The test panel took the banana test extremely seriously. The unripe bananas were bought at the supermarket, after which they were stored in one of 7 different ways. Those 7 methods were in the fridge, in the freezer, on a hook, in a storage bag, with aluminium foil, with plastic wrap and with nothing (without tools and not in any special location either). The bananas were then stored that way for 6 days. Which method was the least successful and, more importantly, which method gives us fresh, bright-yellow bananas for the longest?

The least successful method

What shouldn’t you do if you want fresh bananas for as long as possible? Put the bunch in the freezer. After 6 days, they came out of the freezer dark brown. What’s more, it proved impossible to peel the frozen banana. And the taste? Exactly what you don’t want in your banana: unripe and starchy. It makes sense, too, because the cold stops the banana’s ripening process. That means that if you put an unripe banana in the freezer, it will come out unripe as well.

The winner

The very best way to store your bananas? Wrap the stem end of the bunch (where all the bananas are attached) in aluminium foil. The foil helps prevent the release of ethylene gas as much as possible. Ethylene gas causes bananas to ripen quickly. This keeps your banana firm, sweet and yellow. Only a few small dark spots appear, while all the other methods caused brown spots much more quickly. Aluminium foil, then!

Another hack for storing bananas

We previously shared another clever hack with you: put the end of the bunch in a bowl of water. This slows down the ripening process. It works for avocados too, by the way. And have you nevertheless ended up with a brown, mealy rascal in front of you? Then we have a few more chill tips for using up your overripe bananas. See? Everything always works out with that banana of yours.

Also read:

• Unripe bananas? No problem
• 5 common mistakes to avoid when baking banana bread
• 11 remarkable facts about bananas you didn’t know yet

Source: The Kitchn