How to properly store Bananas?

Whenever you bring home bananas from the grocery store they seem to turn from green to brown and mushy overnight. Though you can always bake banana bread—overripe bananas are a gift—I do want to enjoy perfectly ripe bananas over a few days.

As a banana ripens, it gets sweeter, softer, more aromatic, and browner. That discoloration isn’t a sign that the fruit’s gone bad. It’s a natural part of the ripening process, and the browner, generally the riper and sweeter the fruit. Find out how to store your bananas so that they stay perfectly speckled, sweet, and not mushy for longer.

 Tips for Storing Bananas

The best way to keep your bananas fresh for as long as possible? Buy them when they’re still a little green then follow these three tips:

1. Keep Bananas Out of the Fruit Bowl

Fruits like apples, pears, avocados, and peaches release ethylene as they ripen, which will cause the bananas to ripen faster. That is why you should keep them out of the fruit bowl if you don’t want them to ripen too quickly.

2. Store Bananas in a Cool and Dark Place

According to Dole, the ideal storage temperature is 54°F (12°C). Any cooler, your bananas will stop ripening and the peel will turn black. Any warmer, your bananas will ripen rapidly—that’s why a warm kitchen isn’t the ideal place to store your bananas. Also, keep them away from direct sunlight.

3. Open Air Is Better Than an Enclosed Container

Don’t store bananas in a bag or an enclosed container—that’ll only hasten the ripening process. It’s best to store bananas in the open air, ideally hung so that they don’t bruise. This happens when the bananas lay on top of each other.

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