Bananas can be found in almost every kitchen in the UK. Among many things, they are loved for their convenience, taste, and nutritional benefits. Whether they’re eaten as a quick snack, blended into smoothies, or baked into delicious treats, they remain a popular choice for Brits when it comes to fruit. But bananas are also notoriously tricky to store, often turning brown and soggy faster than expected.
Luckily, experts have now revealed that many people unknowingly make one simple mistake that ruins their bananas, leaving them soft, mushy, and unpleasantly dark. According to food experts from Real Simple, storing bananas in a place exposed to sunlight or too close to the stove is the critical mistake people commonly make. Bananas placed near direct heat sources ripen much faster, causing them to turn brown and soggy.
The kitchen countertop, where bananas are commonly stored, can often become warm when exposed to sunlight or cooking heat.
According to the experts, the ideal storage temperature for bananas is approximately 12C, significantly cooler than most kitchen surfaces near windows or cookers.
Another frequent mistake is placing bananas near other fruits such as apples, pears, avocados, or peaches.
These fruits release ethylene gas, which speeds up ripening and leads to quicker spoilage.
To avoid this, bananas should always be stored separately from these other fruits.
Bananas also bruise easily. Keeping them in a fruit bowl piled together can create brown spots due to the pressure.
Experts advise investing in a banana hanger, allowing each fruit to hang individually, reducing pressure and bruising.
If your bananas do ripen too quickly, all isn’t lost. You can slow down the ripening by placing ripe bananas in the fridge.
The peel may darken, but the fruit inside will stay fresh for a longer period.
However, it is important not to refrigerate bananas too soon, as putting them in the fridge before they are ripe can halt the ripening process and result in bitter fruit.
Some people also like to slice their bananas, but they brown quickly due to oxidation.
However, this can be prevented by sprinkling lemon juice on the slices before storing them in the fridge in an airtight container.
This method helps keep banana slices fresh for up to four days, the experts claim.
Freezing bananas is another good way to preserve them once fully ripe.
Simply peel and slice them, freeze the slices on a tray, then transfer them into a bag or sealed container.
Frozen bananas are perfect for smoothies, shakes, or healthy homemade ice cream.
Lastly, to keep your bananas perfectly yellow and fresh for longer, wrap the stems in plastic wrap.
This prevents ethylene gas from escaping the stems and ripening the fruit too quickly.