Ways to preserve bananas

Have you ever found a great sale on bananas and wished you could take advantage of it but, weren’t sure you would be able to use of all of those bananas before they would go bad? Ever bought bananas because everyone liked them last week and now, this week, no one wants them? The good news is that there are some great ways to preserve and use bananas, helping you make use of deals as well as lessen the amount of food that rots because no one wants to eat it.

Ways to preserve bananas

Bananas tend to go bad quickly making it hard to find a use for them, especially when you find a great deal. While everyone knows you can make banana bread from overripe bananas there is only so much banana bread you can eat, right! Bananas are pretty versatile fruits, and there are so many different ways to preserve them.

Keep them away

Bananas don’t place nice with other fruit. Though they are useful is helping other fruits ripen, when they are around other fruits, they tend to go off faster. Hanging them also helps with less bruising, so hanging them away from other fruits is best.

Wrapping the stems

Wrapping the stems of bananas in plastic is a great way to help extend the life of bananas. This slows down the release of ethylene gas which ripens the fruit.

In the Fridge

Once bananas are ripen, place them in the fridge. Though the peels may discolour, the cool of the fridge slows down the process of ripening of the fruit.

Dehydrating bananas

Dehydrated bananas, otherwise known as banana chips, make a great treat that you can enjoy at any time. They can be used for snacking or mixing into your favourite trail mix or even an addition to your morning cereal.

To dehydrate your bananas, you will need to slice them into thin and even slices. The best way to do this is with a mandolin slicer. To make banana ‘jerky,’ slice the bananas lengthwise into long, ¼” (½ cm) slices.

Place your bananas in a single layer on your dehydrator trays and run at 135˚F or 57˚C, until fully dry. Your banana chips will snap in half easily when they are done rather than bending.

When cool, store in a zip lock bag or airtight container and enjoy within a week or so. They can be kept for longer storage when a moisture absorbing desiccant packet is added to a jar or they are vacuum sealed and kept in a pantry.

Freezing bananas

Freezing bananas is a great way to make the most of your bananas when you have more than you need. You can freeze them whole or in pieces. Cutting them into nice thick ½ inch (1.2cm) slices allows you to use them for snacking, smoothies, or cover in chocolate for a fun dessert.

Lay your bananas out on a lined cookie sheet in a single layer. Freeze for 4 hours before moving to an air-tight container. To help preserve the colour, you can vacuum seal your frozen bananas. If you would like to freeze whole bananas, remove them from the peel. You can freeze your bananas in their peel, though the peels will darken and the flesh may turn to mush.

Canning bananas

Sadly bananas, unlike other fruits, are not very canning friendly. The good news is that if you really want to can bananas you can take advantage of them in recipes. Monkey butter is a popular way to can bananas, making a fun treat kids love that goes well on toast and other treats.

Ways to Preserve Bananas