Bananas are a staple in most kitchens as a quick and healthy snack. But as fans know, they can ripen in an instant and quickly turn brown and mushy.
While are food storage hacks available to help keep them at their best, this latest trick preserves bananas for almost a month – and it really couldn’t be simpler.
Taking to her TikTok account, Amy Cross – @amycrosslegacy – shared her clever jar tip to keep bananas “fresh longer”.
She chopped up a banana, leaving its skin on, before leaving it in a glass mason jar with a lid in her fridge. When she revealed the results 26 days later, the banana pieces looked as fresh as ever – and the skin was still yellow with no signs of browning, the Mirror reported.
She told viewers: “These are the bananas I purchased on March 13 and I cut this into thirds and put it into a jar, so they’re 26 days old. So the whole goal of putting the bananas in the jar was to see if I can get a cut banana to last 12 hours and it’s been 26 days.”
READ MORE: Bananas stay fresh longer when using genius storage hack backed by experts
How to keep bananas fresh
Separate them
If you bought bananas in a bunch, consider separating them. Bananas release ethylene gas as they ripen, which can cause other fruits nearby to ripen faster. Separating them slows down this process.
Store at room temperature
Bananas should be stored at room temperature until they ripen to your desired level. Placing them in the fridge before they are ripe can slow down the ripening process and cause the peel to darken, but it won’t affect the fruit inside.
Use a banana hanger
If you have one, a banana hanger can keep bananas suspended in the air, preventing bruising and prolonging their freshness.
Wrap the stems
Covering the stem ends of bananas with plastic wrap can also help slow down the ripening process.
Refrigerate when ripe
Once bananas reach your preferred level of ripeness, you can store them in the refrigerator to extend their shelf life. The peel may darken, but the fruit inside will remain fresh for several days.
