Bananas are a favorite fruit of many people. It is available all year round and there are many varieties of bananas available in the market. They are a great source of potassium and vitamin B complex. Some people like eating ripe bananas just like that to savor the sweet taste while some cook the raw ones to prepare delicious dishes. Whichever way you like your banana you cannot keep it just like that, as it tends to spoil and turn black over the time. Storing a banana for later use in baking or cooking is easy. Here’s how you should do that.
Complexity Level: Basic
Time Required: 15 minutes
Resources Required:
- Brown paper bag
- Zip plastic bag
- Air tight container
- An apple
- Banana hanging stand
Instructions:
1. Using a paper bag
If you have bought raw bananas, then you need to ripen them before eating them. Place them in a paper bag and leave the bananas at room temperature to ripen. In a few days, the bananas will ripen and you can eat them. Do not leave them in the paper bag for long after ripening as they will get spoilt. Also, do not close the mouth of the paper bag completely. Use brown paper bags which are eco-friendly and can be recycled.
2. Use an apple
When you need to store raw bananas until they get ripened, you can speed up the ripening process by storing an apple along with bananas in the paper bag. Apples emit ethylene gas and this will help the bananas to ripen.
3. Use plastic zip pouches
When your banana has ripened and you need to store them for later use, prevent it from getting spoilt by keeping them at room temperature. Store peeled bananas in a zip pouch and keep them in the refrigerator. This will prevent them from getting bad. Keep them in the vegetable compartment and for not more than 2 weeks. You can also store unpeeled bananas in a zip pouch by placing them in the freezer compartment. Thaw the bananas and then peel them before consuming. Bananas will not get spoilt when placed in the freezer compartment for months.
4. Air-tight container
Bananas can be stored in an air-tight container in the freezer as well. They can stay good for months. Use them later for making banana recipes.
5. Banana hanging stand
You can use a stand which is designed for hanging bananas on them. Hand a bunch of bananas on this stand when you need to consume them in a few days. This looks attractive too.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How to store banana bread?
You can store banana bread at room temperature for around 2-3 days in a tight plastic foil or a paper bag. It should be kept dry. After that you need to store it in the refrigerator to prevent molding. However, it is advisable that banana bread be eaten as fast as possible to prevent it from getting unhealthy. Storing should be avoided if possible.
Quick Tips:
- Raw bananas should not be kept in the refrigerator as they would not ripen at all.
- Ripe bananas can be mashed and stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. This banana can be used in making banana bread.
- People also hang bananas from a banyan tree to keep them fresh.
Things To Watch Out For:
- Bananas kept outside will attract fruit flies. To avoid this, get a fruit net cover which will prevent the flies from sitting on the fruits.
- Do not keep bananas at room temperature for many days.
