Store Bananas Properly Keep bananas at room temperature, ideally around 54°F (12°C). Colder temperatures like the fridge will cause the peels to turn black and the fruit to stop ripening
Store bananas away from other ripe fruits like apples, pears, and avocados. These release ethylene gas that accelerates banana ripening.
Leave bananas in their bunch or hang them. This allows air to circulate evenly and prevents bruising from the fruit laying on each other.
Slow Down Browning For banana slices, toss them with a bit of lemon juice or pineapple juice. The acidity helps prevent enzymatic browning
Freeze ripe bananas for longer storage. Peel them, slice or mash, and freeze on a baking sheet before transferring to an airtight container or bag. Frozen bananas last 2-3 months
Embrace Ripe Bananas Bananas will naturally brown as they ripen, becoming sweeter. Refrigerating ripe bananas with brown speckles is fine - it will stop further ripening, though the peels will turn black
Very ripe, brown or black bananas are perfect for baking banana bread or making smoothies. Their intense flavor is ideal for these uses.