Have you ever experienced this: you bought a bunch of bananas, brought them home, left on the counter, but in several days they turned brown and mashy? We bet it happened many times!
And even though these exotic fruits are not super expensive, wasting money on foods that will be discarded in less than a week is absolutely pointless, do you agree?
That is why so many people ask again and again whether it is fine to refrigerate bananas.
To solve this problem once and for all, we prepared a complete guide that will explain what happens to bananas in the fridge and whether this is a proper way of keeping them.
What Makes Them Beneficial
We usually eat various exotic fruits just because they are tasty. Nobody thinks of what benefits we get by consuming such foods, and it can be said about bananas, too.
Nevertheless, these nutritious yellow things do a lot for our immune system and bodies!
- Bananas are packed with B6 vitamin. It is easily absorbed by our bodies and one medium-sized fruit can fulfill a ¼ of the daily dose of B6 for an adult.
The proper amount of this vitamin contributes to the production of red blood cells, helps to turn fats into energy, remove harmful chemicals from our livers and kidneys, and protect our nervous system from breakdowns
- Vitamin C is another positive benefit of this yellow fruit. That means when we eat bananas we contribute a lot to our immunity wellbeing
- Bananas are beneficial for the skin
- They keep our hearts and blood pressure in a good state, they even say that eating bananas can help to bring high blood pressure down
- If you eat a banana daily, be sure that your digestion will be working like a clock! Especially if this is a newly-ripened fruit.
- This is a great source of energy without added sugar and cholesterol. A perfect choice for those who are on a diet or control the weight
How to Stock Bananas
Did you know that stocking bananas may vary hanging upon the goal of the procedure? You didn’t? Surprisingly that is true!
We usually toss a bunch of these yellow fruits on the counter or into the fruit basket on the dining table after bringing them back home from the store. Nevertheless, this may not always be the optimal solution. Can you refrigerate bananas? This can be questioned.
For some reason, one might need more or less ripen bananas. That is why, counting on the purpose of storing, we can offer two options for how and where to keep these fruits.
To ripe bananas
Quite many people prefer buying slightly green fruits so that they could ripe at home. If this is your case, then remember the following:
- Green bananas must be kept on the counter. In case of being chilled, the process of maturation will stop even if the fruit was exposed to frost for a little while, that is why keeping bananas in the fridge for this purpose is not welcome
- Stock them out of the plastic packet they were sold in (if they were)
- In case we need to make the maturation process faster, place bananas in a brown paper packet with an apple or tomato inside. Like this, the yellow fruits will be ripe in one day!
- Another option of making them mature faster is to leave them in a fruit bowl together with another ripen fruits (bananas will do, by the way)
Exposure to air and the absence of any cover will make green or even yellow-green bananas get mature faster in just a few days. The only thing that should be avoided is to place them in direct sunlight to prevent spoilage instead of ripening.
Best way to store mature bananas
What if the fruits are already ripe? Then stick to other tricks to keep them like this longer.
- Tear all bananas from the bunch to stock them apart. When these fruits are kept together, they cause faster ripening and we don’t need that
- To protect the mature bananas from fast degradation, do completely the opposite to what has to be done to ripe them. What do we mean? Simply put them together with immature fruits in the same packet!
A pear or avocado, when unripe, will slow down the maturation process and prevent their yellow neighbors from spoilage
- One more trick to keep bananas fresh but not spoiled is to wrap their stems with the cling film. Such a “cap” will prevent the ethylene gas that the mature fruits produce from influencing the rest of the fruit speeding up its spoilage. This trick will work too, should bananas be refrigerated
- To slow down the maturation procedure, place the fully ripe bananas in the refrigerator. Cold of the veggie drawer will slow the natural process but of course, it will not be stopped completely.
Such simple yet effective hints can significantly extend the lifespan of these fruits so that you could enjoy them longer.
Things to Consider For Refrigerating Bananas
If the decision was made to extend the lifespan of bananas to its longest, putting a banana in the fridge is the best idea.
Bananas after we put them to the refrigerator slow down the maturation process since initially, they need a lot of sun and warmth to get fully ripe.
Nevertheless, avoid making the same mistakes that other consumers often stumble upon.
- People often ask “Can I put unripe bananas in the fridge?” Don’t put a green banana in the refrigerator, otherwise, the result will be the opposite: the fruit will stay green even though the skin can turn brown which can create an illusion of ripening
- If you often open the crisper drawer after putting bananas in the fridge, we would recommend wrapping their stems. Like that, they will be protected from the fast spoilage
As for the specifics of refrigeration, these exotic fruits are super human-friendly! To place the banana in the refrigerator, we simply need to toss them in there. No need to wash or peel, even packing is not mandatory (except for the stems, of course!).
Refrigerated bananas, even though can’t be called long-livers, still last for enough time. Whole unpeeled fruits can stay good for five to seven days should you put bananas in the refrigerator. Cut ones will last less.
As for the longest term of keeping, dry bananas can be called champions since you can easily stock them for two or sometimes four months past the best-by date.
| Pantry | Fridge | |
|---|---|---|
| Green | 2-5 days | - |
| Ripe (whole) | 5-7 days | |
| Ripe (cut) | 2-3 days | |
| Dry | best-by | 2-4 months past the best-by |
Should you refrigerate bananas, these suggestions will help to keep them crisp longer.
Do bananas go bad in the fridge? Unfortunately, they do just like any foodstuff. The main reason is that the fruits were initially at the beginning of the spoilage process or they were kept improperly before they ended up in a store.
No matter the reason, if you spot a banana in the fridge that is completely dark and too soft and mashy, discard it.
Freezing Bananas. Yes Or No?
Sometimes we may need to preserve foods for longer in order to make use of them much later. Bananas are no exception since we often use them in various bakery goodies, desserts, and homemade sweets.
In this case, putting bananas in the fridge will not be enough.
Naturally, a question of preservation is one of the most essential points of concern for all banana consumers.
Fortunately, this way or keeping doesn’t require any special actions to take.
- Wait until the fruits are fully mature
- Take the skin off them
- Cut (it will make them solidify faster and more thoroughly) or mash
- Stuff into a frost-resistant packet and place in a frosting camera
The only thing that must be kept in mind is that defrosted bananas (unlike the bananas in the refrigerator) will anyway be mashy so they can be used only in smoothies or as a stuffing for different goodies but not for decorating or serving.
Ways to Keep Them From Spoiling
Like any prudent consumer, you are probably interested in how to extend the overall lifespan of bananas.
Do bananas last longer in the refrigerator? Do bananas need to be refrigerated at all? These questions bother many people that eat these exotic fruits.
In fact, several easy methods exist that can help to make bananas stay eatable longer.
- Should you put bananas in the fridge, wrap their stems with the cling film. It will make the spoilage process go slower
- If the fruits are kept unchilled, go for a banana tree – a special hanger that provides the fruits with airflow and keeps them from bruising and thus faster spoiling. Only ensure that the bunch is hanging away from the sunrays!
And of course, keep in mind that these exotic fruits will stay fresh longer if not exposed to direct light and warmth, so keep them well-ventilated and placed in a cool and shady spot.
What to Consider When Buying Bananas
Often we make a mistake when already purchasing fruits. Too ripe or green bananas can turn out to be a disappointing experience, so to avoid that, pay attention to several factors when picking them up.
- Buy green ones if they will not be used at once. For instant consumption, ripe fruits are better
- Greener fruits are better for extended stocking without the exposure to frost or cold since there is no need to store unripe bananas in the fridge. Take firm ones without spots and softness
- Ripe fruits will be yellow though some sorts can be red or even brown
- Fruits with brown dots are the ripest and the sweetest. Consider this since such bananas must be consumed instantly, otherwise, they will turn overripe and spoil
- Refuse buying fruits with grey tint or dull color since it shows that those bananas were in the fridge and they won’t be able to ripen properly
Bananas are all-healthy and delicious things that are great raw and cooked. Keep them right and they will delight you in various desserts and when eaten fresh.
[wp-faq-schema title=”Frequently Asked Questions”]
