Bananas are high in nutrients and other vitamins, especially potassium. Due to this, this tropical fruit is a popular choice as a snack. Like other fruits, bananas tend to ripen quickly once they are harvested. A banana might be in excellent shape when bought and a couple of days later, they have overripened and become mushy. The warmer it is, the faster the bananas will ripen. To slow the ripening process, they should be stored somewhere cool.
Can you refrigerate bananas? Yes, you can refrigerate bananas to help keep them fresh longer. However, it will depend on their ripeness for the best quality. Unripe bananas aren’t recommended for the refrigerator as the peel will turn black. Bananas that are starting to turn brown should not be stored in the freezer either as they will become mushy quickly. The best bananas to store in the refrigerator is ripe and yellow in color. These will last for 2 weeks in the fridge.
How To Store Bananas In The Refrigerator
Like most tropical fruits, bananas need warm temperatures to ripen. These fruits will ripen whether they are still growing on the tree or harvested. By placing the bananas in the fridge, the cold weather will slow the ripening process.
Timing is the most important factor for keeping the banana fresh in the fridge for a long time. If the banana is not riped yet, it will go bad before you can eat them. The fruit will start to turn black, but the fruit will not ripen due to the cold temperatures of the fridge.
On the other hand, if the banana is too riped as in the peels starting to have spots and turning brown, it will go bad as well, before you can even enjoy it.
Therefore, the best time to place them in the fridge is when it’s starting to ripe. The color will be yellow and there are no spots or browning on the peel.
When it comes to storage, you can either store them on the fridge’s shelves or in the crisper section of the fridge. Both places will keep bananas fresh for a long time.
If you’re going to store bananas in the crisper drawer, keep them away from other fruits and vegetables. Bananas contain ethylene which actually is bad for other fruits and veggies in the drawer. The ethylene released by the bananas could ripen other produce prematurely.
If you do planning on store other produce in the same crisper drawer, it’s best to place the bananas in a storage container.
For storing bananas on the shelves of the fridge, you’ll want to place them in a storage container such as an airtight container or resealable plastic bag.
3 Best Banana Storage Containers
Below are our best 3 storage containers that have been handpicked to keep your banana fresh. The storage containers can be used in the refrigerator or at room temperature. However, we highly suggest you store them in the fridge to keep the bananas lasting as long as possible.
1. Joi Monkey Banana Storage Pod
This product from Joie Monkey makes excellent storage for bananas. Due to the tough plastic material used, the banana is safe from bruising and will slow down the ripening of the fruit.
Key Features:
- Will fit most bananas, regardless of their size
- Made from FDA approved, BPA-free plastic
- Very durable and dishwasher safe
Big Drawback: The only thing we don’t like about the product is the design. If you have a banana that’s slightly curved or an irregular shape, it will not fit correctly. This product is designed for bananas that has a regular shape.
2. Banana Bag
This product is great for storing bananas in the refrigerator. With its durable materials, it does a great job of keeping oxygen from getting to the bananas.
The bag is specifically designed for storing bananas. It features a drawstring which seals the bag tight and keeps the bananas fresh.
The bag is large enough to fit about 6-8 regular size bananas.
Key Features:
- Drawstring bag keeps oxygen out
- Keeps bananas fresh for up to 2 weeks
- 100% polyester
Big Drawback: The bag measures 10.75 x 5 x 1 inches, which means it will take up a lot of spacing in the fridge. If you have a small refrigerator or a lot of food in the fridge, it could be a problem.
3. Debbie Meyer GreenBags
This product from Debbie Meyer is a great storage solution for bananas. It’s designed to keep fruits fresh longer in the fridge.
The GreenBags is made with natural mineral which helps remove the ethylene gas from the bananas. By removing the gas from the bag, bananas will ripe too quickly.
The bag is large enough to fit about 6-8 regular size bananas.
Key Features:
- Durable and can be brought along with you anywhere
- BPA-free plastic
- Reusable and easy to clean
Big Drawback: The inside of the bag will start to accumulate moisture while it’s stored in the refrigerator. However, to remedy the issue, simply place a paper towel in the bag.
How To Keep Bananas From Ripening
The refrigerator is a great place to slow the process of ripening. This will keep the bananas fresh longer in the fridge.
However, the cool temperature of the fridge doesn’t completely stop the ripening process, it just slows down the ripening of the bananas.
One trick to keep bananas from ripening too quickly is to use a simple method that involves the use of lemon juice.
Once you have the bananas at its correct ripeness, peel the fruit and slice them into pieces. With the lemon juice, lightly coat the bananas. After that, place them into an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag and store them in the fridge.
With this method, be careful not to use too much of the lemon juice. If you do overuse it, the banana will become tart, instead of the sweet taste.
How To Keep Bananas From Turning Brown
One of the most delicate fruits to keep is bananas. These fruits will start to ripen quickly once it’s harvested. Bananas easily turn brown if it’s not stored correctly.
There are two ways in which you can delay the browning of the bananas. Both methods involve storing bananas with other fruits.
The first method to slow down the browning effect is to put the bananas with avocados. Not just any avocados will work. The avocados should be unripe, hard, and green in colors.
Place both the bananas and avocados into a glass bowl. Since bananas contain a gas called ethylene, it will help ripen the avocados, while slowing down the browning effect of the bananas at the same time.
Another way to prevent browning is to simply wrap the stems of each banana with a plastic bag or cling wrapper. Then put the bananas with other fruits that are still green in color. You can place them in a paper brown bag or in a basket somewhere in the kitchen. Just make sure to keep the fruits away from direct sunlight and any other heat source.
Related Questions
Can you refrigerate peeled bananas?
Peeled bananas can be stored in the refrigerator. Without their peels, they will go bad quickly.
Therefore, place the peeled bananas in an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag.
It’s important to keep the container or bag tightly sealed. Without the peel to help protect it, the flesh will get oxidated if any air gets into the storage container. This will result in the bananas going bad quickly.
If you have just a single banana to store, simply place them in a Joie Monkey Banana Storage Pod. This storage pod will keep your banana fresh for up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
Can you put bananas in the freezer?
Bananas can be stored in the freezer. Just make sure they have ripened first for the best quality. If it’s over-riped, the bananas still can be frozen.
The fruit can be placed directly into the freezer with their peels still on too.
However, the problem with bananas that frozen the peel is when it thaw. When it thaw, the banana will be hard to peel and will become mashed. This will leave a slimy mess everywhere.
To avoid the mess from happening, simply flash freeze the bananas first. Peel the bananas and slice them into chunks or smaller sizes. Place the pieces on a wax paper and freeze them for 5-6 hours in the fridge.
Once they are frozen, immediately transfer them to a freezer bag or an airtight container. Label the bag or container and place them back into the freezer.
Should banana bread be refrigerated?
Banana bread is a delicious treat that’s enjoyed by many all around the world. The texture is soft and moist. Due to the moisture from the bananas in the banana bread, it tends to not last very long at room temperature.
Banana bread stored at room temperature will last for a couple of days if wrapped tightly with cling wrapper. If you can’t finish the entire banana bread within that time, it’s best to place them in the refrigerator to extend their shelf life.
By storing the banana bread in the fridge, it can last for up to a week. Make sure to keep them wrapped on a plate with cling wrapper or in a sealable plastic bag.
How do supermarkets keep bananas fresh?
Due to mass production, the supermarkets have a way of keeping bananas fresh. No matter when you buy them, the bananas always seem fresh.
There are two reasons why you’ll always find fresh bananas and not any bad ones.
The first reason is the way they are handled. Bananas are harvested while they are still green. Before it’s packed and shipped to the supermarkets, it’s treated with ethylene gas. This gives the banana a nice yellow color when it finally reaches the supermarkets.
To keep them from ripening too quickly, the bananas are kept away from other ethylene producing fruits such as apples, avocados, and tomatoes.
The other reason is its popularity. Due to this, the fruit usually sells really fast once it’s put on the shelves of the supermarkets.
If the bananas have spots or turning brown, they will be moved to the sales section for a reduced price for a quick sale.