Just like Goldilocks, I only like my porridge bananas when they’re just right. Not when they’re green, freckled with spots or (worst of all) practically black. It’s a small window of opportunity, but when you get it right, damn, that’s one tasty banana—ideal for smoothies, oatmeal and our favorite dessert—banana cream pie. So, if you’re bananas for, erm, ripe bananas, what can you do? We’ve got you covered. The best way to keep bananas fresh is to wrap the stems in plastic wrap which will help keep fruit-ripening ethylene gas from escaping. Re-cover them with the wrap every time you remove a banana and the bunch will stay fresh for longer. But that's not the only way to have your (banana) cake and eat it, too. Here are three easy methods for how to keep your bananas fresh.
How to Keep Bananas Fresh for Longer
1. Keep your bananas in a bunch
You know what they say, bananas who hang together stay fresher for longer. (OK, no one says that, but it’s true.) Better yet—hang them up. This will avoid any “resting bruises” or brown spots from the fruit laying down.
2. Wrap banana stems
Bananas release ethylene gas through their stems, which speeds up the ripening process. To slow down this gas from escaping to other parts of the fruit (and prematurely ripening it), wrap the ends of the stems in plastic wrap. Re-cover the bananas with the wrap every time you remove one.
3. Keep them at room temperature
You may be tempted to put your bananas in the fridge to stop the ripening process, but according to the experts at Chiquita Banana, the best way to store bananas is at room temperature, not in the fridge. That’s because the colder temperatures will keep your fruit from ripening—even when you eventually return them to room temperature.
Missed the (banana) boat on your fruit? Don’t worry—overly ripe bananas are an excellent excuse to whip up some banana bread. Yum.
