Bananas: “Since I stopped storing them like that, they don't turn brown as quickly anymore, it really makes all the difference.”
You bought a bunch of bananas for the week, but they all seem ready to be eaten at once? Before you turn them into banana bread, take a look at where you store them. A simple action can slow their ripening process. Their peel might then take on an unappealing color, but that doesn't mean the fruit is spoiled.
Bananas sometimes have a sense of timing all their own. You buy them green, and for days they seem to stay perfectly still. Suddenly, one of them starts to ripen, and the whole diet takes a hit. To avoid ending up with only five bananas to eat before tomorrow, sometimes all it takes is switching their positions. But be careful: this trick is best used at the right time.
The fridge, an option for already ripe bananas
According to The Guardian, a banana that is still green or firm needs to be kept at room temperature to ripen. However, when it's ready to eat, you can put it in the refrigerator if you don't plan to eat it right away. This will extend its shelf life by one or two days.
However, you should expect a slight change in appearance. Cold weather can turn a banana's peel gray quite quickly. But before assuming it's no longer good, cut it open and check the flesh. Sometimes, its dark color doesn't tell the whole story.
As Gabriel Bray also explains, "Bananas, like most tropical fruits, are sensitive to cold." However, the graying peel is "primarily an aesthetic issue," and the fruit can still be perfectly edible inside. It's therefore better to judge a banana by its flesh, aroma, and texture rather than solely by its exterior color.
What if you have too many ripe bananas?
The refrigerator offers a short reprieve, not an unlimited reprieve. If your bananas are already ripe and you know you won't be eating them in the next few days, freezing them is the solution. Peel them, cut them into pieces, and place them in a container or freezer bag. You can then take out the amount you need without having to defrost the whole batch.
These pieces are perfect for a smoothie, porridge, or instant ice cream blended with a little milk. And if the peel has turned black but the flesh is still good, consider making a banana cake: the very ripe fruit adds moisture and a sweeter flavor.
Here's the key to keeping your bananas fresh: let them ripen at room temperature, then refrigerate the ones you won't eat right away. And above all, don't panic if the peel turns gray!
