Bananas are a great source of potassium, dietary fiber, and vitamin C. They also contain a small amount of magnesium, zinc, and copper. However, as with most fruits, the nutrients in bananas diminish when they are stored for too long. Therefore, the best way to keep bananas is in the fridge.
How to store bananas in the fridge?
If you want to keep the bananas fresh for longer, refrigerate the yellow and ripe bananas. The bananas that have started to brown on the outer side will turn mushy even in the fridge. Never store the unripened green bananas in the refrigerator, as this will stop the ripening process.
Bananas are a tropical fruit and need warm temperatures to grow and ripen. I remember once my father was posted on a tropical island, and we had banana trees in the backyard. My mother used to wrap the big bunch of bananas in plastic wrap and keep it in the cupboard for ripening. This was her way of ripening the bananas.
What I have learned is that bananas will not ripen in the fridge. Cool temperatures stop the ripening process. But the skin will turn black anyway. Refrigeration increases the shelf life of bananas.
How to keep supermarket bananas fresh
Supermarkets keep their bananas fresh for a longer time. They buy the fruits unripened. It helps them keep fruit long before it gets too ripened and mushy. Here are a few ways to store bananas to keep them fresh
- Wrap the stems in a cling wrap
Bananas release ethylene gas, which ripens the bananas. It is said the stems help in releasing the gas. If you wrap the stems with plastic wrap, you can slow down the ripening process.
2. Keep the bananas in the fridge after they are ripe
When the color of the bananas has reached the required yellow color, store the bananas in the refrigerator. It will keep the bananas fresh for a few more days.
3. Alway keep unripe bananas at room temperature
Never store the unripe bananas in the fridge. Keep them on the shelf to let them ripen to the required taste.
4. Keep away from sunlight
As we know, bananas love warm temperatures. So keep them away from sunlight to keep them fresh for a bit longer period of time.
5. Invest in a banana tree
If you consume a lot of bananas, investing in a good banana tree is an excellent thing to do. Hang the bunch of bananas on the tree. Air will circulate through the banans and will keep them fresh for longer. It will also save the banans from bruises while touching the stored surface.
How long can you keep bananas in the fridge?
If you store the ripe bananas in the fridge, you can use them in the time of 5-7 days. Bananas will keep good for almost a week. It is recommended to et the refrigerated bananas in this time frame.
What happens when you store bananas in the fridge?
When you refrigerate bananas, the process of turning the starches into sugar stops. Therefore, the ripening process is halted. In addition, refrigerating bananas will help them last for up to two weeks. To store bananas in the fridge, place them in a plastic bag and seal it tightly. Ensure that the bag is airtight, as this will help prevent the bananas from becoming brown.
Can you put bananas in the fridge to stop ripening?
Yes, if you want to stop the ripening process, you can store the bananas in the fridge. However, it is best to keep the bananas at room temperature until they are yellow and eatable. If you store the green unripened bananas in the fridge, the ripening process will stop, and bananas will not ripe to the required taste. Instead, they taste bitter and very chewy.
Once they are yellow but not brown, you can store them in the fridge to stop them from getting mushy. The skin will turn color, but the inside fruit will be good. Eat the stored bananas in a few days; otherwise, they will get mushy eventually.
Can you store unripe bananas in the fridge?
It is not recommended to store the unripened bananas n the fridge. Bananas are tropical fruit and will ripen only in warm temperatures. Keeping unripe bananas will halt the ripening process. The ripening may not start even if you take out the bananas from the fridge and keep them on temperature.
Freeze bananas to store
You can freeze bananas the way you freeze other fruits. Peel the skin of the bananas and freeze them in a freezer bag. You can store the frozen bananas for up to 3 months time.
Never freeze the whole banana with the skin on. It will be very difficult to peel the frozen skin.
Uses of frozen bananas: You can easily use the frozen bananas in smoothies or to make banana ice cream. Kids love banana ice cream.
Storing bananas with other fruits
If you want to ripen your bananas fast, keep them with other ripe fruits. Inversely, if you’re going to slow down the ripening process, keep the bananas with unripe fruits.
Where are bananas grown? Countries where bananas are grown
Bananas are initially from Asia but are now grown all around the world. Today’s top producers of bananas include China, India, Ecuador, Brazil, and the Philippines.
Bananas are originally from Asia but are now grown all around the world.
Conclusion
Always store the yellow ripened bananas in the refrigerator. Cooler temperatures will stop the ripening process and the bananas will not reach the desired taste and color.
You can store the ripened bananas in the fridge for up to 5-7 days without getting them mushy.
