Refrigerate bananas to keep them fresh longer during summer
Bananas now face intense competition from an array of local seasonal fruits. However, we are so accustomed to bananas and consider them a year-round snack that it's worth knowing how to store them properly. Should we refrigerate bananas during hot weather?
4:43 PM EDT, August 19, 2024
This simple trick can keep bananas fresh and firm for up to a week longer. The idea, recommended by a cookbook author, might surprise many because traditionally, this place wasn't advised for storing bananas.
And yet in the cold?
Yes, we’re talking about the refrigerator. Bananas have been traditionally listed among fruits and vegetables that should not be stored in the fridge as they tend to lose their taste and aroma. However, Linda Tyler, renowned in the culinary world for her cookbooks and popular website Gracious Vegan, has a different take. She believes storing yellow bananas in the refrigerator can delay their ripening process.
Linda Tyler observed that bananas placed in the refrigerator right after they lose their green tint retain firmness and taste for up to a week longer than those kept at room temperature.
Getting it just right
It's crucial to assess bananas' ripeness accurately. If the fruits are too green when placed in the refrigerator, they won't ripen properly. The ideal results depend on the types of bananas you prefer.
Choice and color
- Green bananas are firm and not very sweet. They have the most starch and the least sugar, making them suitable for dieters and diabetics. Slightly green ones are tastier—they are sweeter and easier to digest.
- Yellow bananas are fully ripe with no spots on the skin and are sweet. They contain carbohydrates and fiber. They provide a quick feeling of fullness, and they are recommended for children and beneficial after infections. Store them in a cool, dark place to slow down the ripening process.
- Brown bananas are the sweetest and have soft flesh, making them ideal as a sugar substitute in cakes, smoothies, or pancakes. These are extremely easy to digest.
Without company
During summer, we buy a lot of different fruits. It's important to remember that bananas don't like company, and it's better not to place them in a fruit bowl with other fruits, especially apples and citrus. This significantly accelerates their softening. Like many different fruits, Bananas produce ethylene, which helps them ripen. When surrounded by other ethylene-producing fruits, they will develop spots much quicker. Therefore, it's best to store bananas separately. You can even wrap their stems in plastic to slow ethylene production.
