Bananas are full of potassium and B vitamins. This popular yellow fruit isn’t just healthy, it’s also super delicious and creamy. Bananas are a favorite ingredient in smoothies, cakes and recipes such as vegan ice cream. They can however turn brown quickly. Instead of throwing out overripe bananas, why not simply freeze them? This way they’ll stay fresh for around three months. Not only will this save money but also help to reduce household waste. You can freeze bananas with or without a peel, and we’ll show you how.
When freezing bananas, you'll first need to make sure they haven’t gone bad. Bananas are known for their yellow skin. Over time, as they ripen, they can develop brown spots which are usually not something to worry about. Even a banana that looks completely brown on the outside could still be edible inside. In fact, overripe bananas are perfect for baking and cooking. However, if you see mold developing on the skin, it’s usually a sign that a banana has gone bad. The best way to check whether you can still freeze a banana is by peeling it. If the fruit inside has gone brown and is mushy then you shouldn’t be using it.
It’s easy to freeze bananas whole. As long as they haven’t gone bad, you can just place the banana into the freezer with the skin still on. This is a great way to save bananas if you want to eat them at a later date. Put the banana in a freezer-safe bag or container and store it in the freezer for up to three months. When you’re ready to eat it, just take it out of the freezer. Allow it to defrost, remove the peel, and prepare it to your taste. You could also freeze whole bananas after peeling them first, which make them even easier to snack on when you’re in the mood.
As a member of Ask Team Clean, you get access to exclusive offers and the best cleaning tips.
Peeling and cutting up your banana into individual slices is best if you want to add them to smoothies later. Simply remove the skin, place your banana on a chopping board and cut it into small chunks or slices. Add the slices to an airtight container, close the lid and store in the freezer. When you’re ready to use them, just take the bananas out of the freezer and allow them to defrost at room temperature. For smoothies or ice cream, you can use the frozen slices. Nothing beats the delicious creamy taste of blended frozen banana!
If the bananas you’ve got are already pretty mushy, you can simply freeze them mashed up. Peel the fruit and add it to a bowl. Use a fork to mash it up and then spoon the mash into a freezer-safe bag. Make sure you squeeze the air from the bag before placing it into the freezer. This method is perfect when you’re freezing bananas for ice cream.
It takes around two hours to freeze sliced bananas. It takes longer to freeze bananas with peel or as a whole. When you need frozen bananas fast, you can speed up the process by cutting it into slices, laying them out individually on a tray and then placing the tray into the freezer. Once frozen, you can just use however many slices you need. Make sure you pop the remaining chunks into an airtight container or bag and place them back into the freezer.
Learn how to freeze bread as well as freezing meat to reduce more of your food waste and save money! Sign up to Ask Team Clean to receive more tips and tricks on freezing foods.