Can bananas go in the fridge?
In this brief we are going to address the query, “ Can bananas go in the fridge?”. We will also discuss other ways of storage to keep bananas fresh for longer and things to consider when storing bananas in the fridge.
Can bananas go in the fridge?
The age old question of whether or not bananas can be stored in the fridge or not has everyone guessing.
Yes, bananas can be stored in the fridge to increase their shelf life for at least a week or two. Bananas that are yellow and ripe can be stored in the fridge.
Storing in the fridge helps slow the ripening process. Though the skin of the bananas will turn brown but the inside will still remain fresh and as tasty as it was before.
Unripe or green bananas should not be put in the fridge for storage because the skin will start to turn black but the inside will stay unripe and won’t taste as expected.
The old school method of keeping the bananas in the fruit basket has changed with time, hence storing bananas in the fridge is the new way of storing bananas without compromising the taste and texture of the inside of the fruit regardless of the change in colour of the skin.
Bananas are full of vitamins, magnesium, calcium, folate and antioxidants. It is a power packed gift from nature. While storing fruits in the fridge, there’s always a doubt if the essential nutrients might be compromised.
There is nothing to worry about when storing bananas in the fridge because doing so will not impair the essential nutrients and taste.
How to store bananas in the fridge?
Bananas are a tropical fruit that loves a warm climate for them to ripen. Storing bananas in the fridge will definitely slow the ripening process. A few important things should be kept in mind while putting the bananas in the fridge.
Bananas emit a certain chemical called ethylene which is responsible for fruit and vegetables ripening quickly or eventually rotting.
So one should remember to separate bananas from other fruits and vegetables when storing them in the fridge.
Keeping bananas in a separate drawer will help. Also, you can wrap the stems of the banana which will reduce the effect of ethylene gas to some extent affecting other produce items in the fridge.
Bananas tend to have a peculiar smell and taste to them which can transfer to other food and dishes stored in the fridge.
It’s not a pleasant feeling of banana smell in all your food in the fridge. To avoid this situation, always remember to cover all the fresh food and groceries with a cling wrap or store them in an airtight container.
At what stage to store bananas in the fridge?
Bananas as sold in the supermarket or the grocery store are generally green or unripe and are always kept in the regular section rather than in the chiller area because bananas are tropical fruits and they ripen in the warm climate around them.
Bananas should be stored in the fridge when they are just perfectly ripe and yellow to slow the ripening process. If done otherwise, the green bananas will turn black and the inside of it will still remain unripe and will taste awful. Also unripe bananas taste bitter.
To keep the bananas fresh for a longer period of time, make sure they are not too ripe or not too unripe before putting them in the fridge.
Also bananas are a delicate fruit, so while storing them, one needs to be very careful not to bruise them by mishandling or putting them in a cramped place in the fridge.
Can we freeze bananas?
The answer is ‘yes’. Bananas can be frozen as any other fruit or vegetables for the extension of their shelf life for future consumption.
Keep in mind that the skin of the banana should be peeled off and only the flesh is to be stored in the freezer either as whole or mashed up.
The skin of the bananas once in the cooler environment tends to change its colour to brown and eventually black and doesn’t look appetising.
The flesh of the banana can be put in airtight containers or in zip lock bags and stored for a period of 6 months.
The frozen banana can be used in smoothies, shakes or even baking if you are an avid banana bread lover.
Conclusion
In this brief, we addressed the query, “Can bananas go in the fridge?”. We also discussed other ways of storage to keep bananas fresh for longer and things to consider when storing bananas in the fridge.
I hope you find this blog useful. If you have any questions, please let us know.
