How to Make Bananas Last Longer

With a toddler in the house we keep a lot of fruit.  Unfortunately bananas don’t last as long as they need to, so I started looking for ways to make bananas last longer.

In order to find a solution I had to first understand why bananas turn black and go soft.  Bananas are one of the fruits that uses ethylene gas to cause ripening.  (ethylene gas is also the reason why potatoes and onions should not be stored together)

If you reduce the ethelene gas from the skins being absorbed through the stem you will slow the ripening which will make bananas last longer.

I take a piece of cling wrap about the size of my palm and wrap it around the stems.  That simple process of reducing the gas being absorbed by the stem you will make bananas last longer by about a week.  This saves me from having to make as much banana ice cream because the boy won’t eat a browning piece of fruit.

This extra week also makes a difference in the pocket book and any amount I can save at the grocery makes more I can put in the pantry.