Slow down bananas ripening with handy storage solution

Similarly to avocados, bananas have their own ripening timeline, but to ensure they stay “fresher for longer”, Sarah Taylor, food hygiene expert at High Speed Training shared her advice. 

Sarah states: “Bananas are a household staple in most UK homes, but they can be tricky to store properly and often the timeframe between them being under-ripe to over-ripe is short-lived. So, how should you store them to keep them, fresher, for longer?

“The first step to keep bananas fresh for longer is to buy them when they’re still green, helping to give you the longest window when they’re at their best. 

“You should remove them from their plastic packaging, which traps the moisture released by the fruit as they ripen, making them ripen even faster. 

“You should also separate them from other fruit, as being in close proximity to other ripening fruits will speed up the process for both. Instead, keep them in an open bowl on the countertop, away from other fruits,” she suggested. 

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As for whether bananas can be kept in the fridge, Sarah said to “avoid refrigerating bananas whilst they’re ripening, as this can prolong the process”.

But, after reaching the perfect ripeness, bananas “can [be] stored in the fridge” and “should be good to eat for a week or more”. 

So after four of five days sitting at room temperature, green bananas should be ripe. If then placed in the fridge they will be edible for another week. 

She added: “You can also freeze bananas, but this is best when making smoothies or baking, as frozen bananas won’t make the nicest snack.”