Bananas are one of the most popular and consumed fruits in the world. They can be found anywhere and normally at cheap prices.
Some people like to store their bananas in freezer. Since their shelf-life is not that big – or they do that in order to make ice creams or smoothies. Either way, in this article we will tell you for how long you can freeze bananas. What are the best ways to do it to keep them always fresh.
Bananas are delicious and nutritious on the same proportion. This fruit is extremely rich in fibers and potassium.
Their shelf-life is usually not that good. Especially if you live in warmer places and your bananas are kept in room temperature.
Below you will find the best tips on how store your frozen bananas. And for how long they will be good to be consumed.
But first, can you actually freeze bananas?
The answer to this question is yes. You can freeze your bananas to avoid them from getting bad.
The freezing point of bananas is around 0ºF. The domestic freezers we have at home will do the job more than well.
The best ways to freeze bananas
If you like the bananas sweet. You must let them in room temperature for 2 to 3 days until they are completely ripe. If you freeze them before they will not defrost with the sweetness wanted.
After the banana is ripe, you can peel it off, cut it as you wish, line it without letting the pieces touch each other in a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Put it in the freezer for 5 hours or until it is frozen solid. Add all the banana pieces in an airtight compartment or freezing plastic bags and store it in the freezer.
This way, you will avoid the bananas freezing together in one big block. That will be harder to defrost and separate later without bruising the pieces.
Keep in mind what you will used them for after the defrosting. You can also freeze it whole or already mashed.
For whole bananas you can follow the same steps mentioned above and for mashed. Just let them ripe completely, mash it and freeze first in ice cube trays and later add them in the freezing plastic bags or the airtight compartments.
You must squeeze all the air from the place you store the bananas. If you let it in contact with the oxygen. They will not keep their natural moist and will come out from the freezer completely dry. And also, it is important not let the bananas in touch with other foods or ingredients inside the freezer or they will absorb other tastes and smells, making it bad to eat or add in recipes afterwards.
How long can you freeze bananas?
If you follow the tips we gave above and store your bananas correctly and at 0ºF, bananas can be frozen and stay fresh up to 3 months.
So, 3 months is for how long you can freeze bananas.
But it is important to write down the date you bought them and the date you frozen them to avoid it from going bad.
And even though they last for 3 months, if you notice any texture and color change in the bananas do not consume it in order to avoid food poisoning.
Even if they look good frozen and after you defrost them you saw that the insides have a brownish color and the texture is softer and a little oozier do not consume it. Those signs will tell you that the bananas are not goo.
How do defrost bananas
The defrosting process can be as simple as freezing the bananas in the first place.
If you want to consume them alone, without adding it to any other recipe, you can let the bananas sit in refrigerator or in room temperature for a few hours and they will be perfectly good after a few hours. Just be careful with the room temperature process not to let them out unprotected for too long or the bananas will go bad.
If you are going to use the bananas cakes, pies or any other recipes that requires heating them, you can use the step above or you can use them straight from the freezer. You will only need to adjust the oven time a little to let defrost and bake. The microwave is also a good option here.
But many people like to freeze their bananas to use later for smoothies and ice cream. If this is the case, the bananas do not need to be defrosted and must be used while still frozen. This way, you can use them straight from the freezer. No other process is required.
Conclusion
The ripening process of the banana is actually very fast. They can go bad a few days after you bought them. Freezing the bananas can be a good solution to increase their shelf life. In this article you learned for how long bananas can be frozen.
By following the right steps. Taking the needed precautions and storing the bananas in compartments with all the air squeezed out of it. Bananas can be frozen up to 3 months.
But it is important to keep an eye on them to see if there were any changes in the flavor or texture even while they are still frozen.
Either you will eat the bananas alone, add them to pies, cakes, muffins, waffles or use their frozen state to make delicious smoothies and ice cream, you cannot go wrong with them!
The frozen bananas can be mixed with other great fruits, the milk of your choice and peanut butter and with the help of a food process they will turn out to be a great and refreshing smoothie. Let us know if the information mentioned in this article was any helpful and great guide for you to freeze bananas.
