Forget the old wives’ tales about wrapping banana stems in cling film as an Express reader has given us the inside scoop on a “more effective” storage hack – plunging the stalks into water.
They claim: “A simple and cheaper way of making bananas last longer is to immerse the stalk end in water. Ours keep for 10 to 14 days when stored like that. Rather than the three or four days in a fruit bowl on their own or on a banana hook.”
Social media whizz @that40yearguy decided to put this clever hack to the test himself.
On camera, he shared: “I’ve never done a week-long test, we’re going to try this banana hack to see if they stay fresh for longer.”
Flaunting six bananas before his viewers, he proceeded with an experiment: “I’m going to put three bananas in the water [stalk down] and I’m going to leave the other three sitting there.” His intrigued audience awaited the results.
True to his word, @that40yearguy revisited the experiment after more than a wee while positing: “Let’s see what these bananas look like, they’ve been here for 12 days.” The outcome was astonishing.
The triad of bananas cheered up in the water had maintained their sunny hue, albeit adorned with a few speckled spots, maintaining their sturdy composure.
Meanwhile, their counterparts left astray wilted shamefully, the stem snapping upon the merest touch, revealing a caramelised mush within its overly tanned skin.
And there you have it, if you kick off with green bananas and let them dunk their toes in some H2O using this wizardry, they can soldier on for a smashing 15 days.
If cling film doesn’t do the trick for your bananas, fear not. Embrace a trusty tactic that’s garnered viral fame.
TikTok lifehack guru Armen Adamjan from Creative Explained says: “You ever buy bananas and they just ripen up way too fast before you get to eat them? Well, this is what you do.”
Armen recommends snugly wrapping up a specific bit of the banana in cling film to extend its shelf life.
Delving into the details, he shares: “Separate all the bananas and then wrap each banana stem with plastic wrap. Doing this slows down the ethylene production and keeps your bananas fresh for seven days.”
Yet for those eco-conscious folks out there, swap out the cling film for foil or even betterbeeswax wrap. It’s a game-changer that can be used over and over, whilst also being top-notch at holding back your bananas’ ripening spree.
