Bananas will keep fresh for ‘six months’ by storing them in an unexpected place

Freezing ripe bananas extends the longevity of the fruit by six months (and more) but there’s a way to do it correctly.

Instead of placing the whole bunch of bananas in the freezer, or each banana in the freezer, you need to peel them.

A peeled banana must be sliced and placed on a single layer of parchment paper lined on a baking sheet. This will prevent the bananas from clumping together in the freezer.

When you fancy a banana slice, you can defrost the banana pieces in the fridge overnight, or if you’d like them the same day, they can defrost on the kitchen counter within three hours.

You can also freeze bananas to be used at a later date in smoothies and for ice cream.

To do so, all you need to do is puree the bananas and pour them into an ice cube tray; once frozen, transfer the cubes into a freezer bag and label for future reference.

Alternatively, you can enjoy fresh bananas for a week if you store them in the fridge with plastic wrapped around the stems.

Before placing bananas in the fridge, make sure they are ripe and yellow, and not green. While the banana skins will turn brown in the fridge, the inside of the bananas will remain fresh and tasty.