Debunking the common belief that bananas and fridges don’t mix, it’s emerged this storage tip isn’t quite the case. Whilst they may shed their vibrant yellow coat, you should not be too hasty in dismissing bananas sporting a browner look.
Culinary expert Linda Tyler, celebrated for her cookbook and the much-visited Gracious Vegan cooking site, is slicing through long-held misconceptions.
She claimed that yellow bananas can benefit from time in the refrigerator to curtail their race towards over-ripeness, despite the exterior turning a different shade.
Linda explained: “If you can bring yourself to peeling that brown skin in the week following, you’ll find the banana inside to be fresher, firmer than its brothers and sisters left at room temperature, and it tastes great.”
Discussing her strategies for keeping the fruit fresh, she added: “In other words, if you like ‘medium’ bananas, you should consider refrigerating them just after they lose their green cast.”
Yet, not every banana is fridge-friendly. Those with a hint of green should steer clear of the cold.
Shedding light on a failed trial, Linda shared: “I tried refrigerating a couple of green bananas. The good news is that the peel didn’t turn brown.”
Regrettably, she also spoke of the less positive results: “But the bad news is that the banana inside didn’t start to ripen, so it wasn’t sweet or tasty, it just kind of stalled in the pre-ripened state.”
Instead of bundling your bananas with the rest of your fruit, let them sit separately on a kitchen counter until they turn yellow. Then, to extend their shelf life by a week, pop them in the fridge.
It may seem strange, but a fruit bowl is actually one of the worst places to store bananas as it can cause them to spoil quickly.
Bananas, like many other fruits, produce a growth hormone called ethylene gas. This aids the fruit’s ripening but can also accelerate the ripening process of nearby fruits.
When you store lots of ethylene-producing fruits together, they all start to ripen faster. That’s why it’s best to keep bananas away from your other fruit.
If you’re eager to keep bananas fresh in a fruit bowl, try wrapping the stem in cling film. This prevents them from producing ethylene gas.
Another alternative is to hang bananas from a hook above your fruit bowl. This allows more air to circulate and stops ethylene gas from spoiling your fruit.
If your bananas have gone very ripe and you don’t think they can be saved, chop them up and freeze them. They’ll be perfect for a smoothie or banana bread later on.
Linda suggested: “If you have soft, sweet, very ripe bananas, you’re looking at great candidates for smoothies and ice cream. Just peel and slice the bananas, spread the slices out in plastic bags, and freeze the bags in a flat position so the slices don’t clump together.”
