The curse of the rotten bananas

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ropedancer
ropedancer Posts: 115
in Food and Nutrition
Hi! I'm a big fan of fruit, but it often doesn't last as long as I need it to. I mainly have this issue with bananas. They always seem to go bad before the end of the week, leaving me with a day or two with no fruit left in the apartment before I hit the grocery store. Anyone have any tips for making fresh fruit (especially bananas) last longer?

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  • shannonshock13
    shannonshock13 Posts: 355 Member
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    you can freeze the ones that get overly ripe and use them in smoothies or protein shakes!!
  • jstalittlecrzy
    jstalittlecrzy Posts: 127 Member
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    Hi! I'm a big fan of fruit, but it often doesn't last as long as I need it to. I mainly have this issue with bananas. They always seem to go bad before the end of the week, leaving me with a day or two with no fruit left in the apartment before I hit the grocery store. Anyone have any tips for making fresh fruit (especially bananas) last longer?
  • pinkissheek
    pinkissheek Posts: 185
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    put them in a plastic zip lock bag and suck all the air out and then put them in the fridge....the outsides will turn brown but the insides will remain ripe
  • madamelaporte
    madamelaporte Posts: 404 Member
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    I dont know where you keep them but all our fruit is kept in the fridge and our bananas last for more than a week mostly !
  • eating4balance
    eating4balance Posts: 743 Member
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    Here is a creative solution: http://www.instructables.com/id/BANANA-HANGER-a-way-to-conserve-more-time--fresh-/

    Mainly, try to hang them somewhere in room temperature, and keep them together!
    (Bananas ripen and brown faster when they are taken apart).
  • jstalittlecrzy
    jstalittlecrzy Posts: 127 Member
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    I'd try the refrig - the outside may get dark faster but the inside stays better for a longer time
  • radicalreader
    radicalreader Posts: 207 Member
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    You can buy a product called "green bags" for produce.
    I thought they were a gimmick, but they really keep produce fresh.
    You can buy them at a kitchen/bath store OR you can order from amazon.
  • SiltyPigeon
    SiltyPigeon Posts: 920 Member
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    When you buy your bananas buy some that are yellow and some that are green. By the time you finish the yellow ones the green ones should have ripened. Also, keep your bananas on the counter rather than in the fridge. Room temperature bananas last longer than cold ones. Same with tomatoes.
    Apples and Pears keep in the crisper drawer of the fridge.
  • ropedancer
    ropedancer Posts: 115
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    Thanks for the suggestions! This is so helpful ;)
  • time2move
    time2move Posts: 78 Member
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    I also use a banana hanger. I got it at Walmart by the bananas for $3. Can't beat that. My bananas last at least a week. If they do get over-ripe, I make a healthy banana bread and freeze half of it in slices.
  • bethvandenberg
    bethvandenberg Posts: 1,496 Member
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    I freeze my bananas that turn black before the end of the week and use them in protein smoothies. :)
    Try buying a bunch that's yellow and a couple that are green that way they ripen over the week.
  • susiewusie
    susiewusie Posts: 432 Member
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    I keep mine in a dark cupboard away from all the other fruit ,and always buy them as green as I can .
  • emmerrs
    emmerrs Posts: 158 Member
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    This isn't a solution to keep them fresh, but rather something great to do with the ones that have already over-ripened.

    Once your bananas are reeally over-ripened you can unpeel them, chop them into little pieces and put them in a ziploc bag/container and freeze them.

    On a whim, simply take them out of the freezer, put the pieces in a blender, and blend the crap out of them. Viola! You have one ingredient, super delicious, creamy banana ice cream. No joke, its awesome!
  • chris0912
    chris0912 Posts: 242 Member
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    they sell a version of the green bags at menards. but they're yellow instead of green; called forever bags. watch their sale papers cuz they are discounted frequently and often have rebates offered on them too. put produce in as soon as you bring it home from grocery store. squeeze as much air out as possible and twist tie closed. there's also these containers i use that are green and come in a set of 5 sizes for around 10 bucks. great for tomatoes, cucumbers, etc. i just tried them on grapes (which always wither up on me) and was able to eat all of them before they went bad.

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