Bananas Can Last Longer When Stored With One Kitchen Item Instead of in a Fruit Bowl
Bananas ripen quickly, especially when kept in a fruit bowl alongside other fruits. However, a simple kitchen trick may help keep them fresh for longer: store bananas separately and use plastic wrap around their stems.
Bananas naturally release ethylene gas, a plant hormone that promotes ripening. Much of this gas is released around the crown where the bananas join together. Wrapping the crown with plastic wrap may help slow ripening slightly, although the results can vary depending on the bananas’ freshness, temperature, and storage conditions.
How to store bananas for longer
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Use aluminum foil or plastic wrap: Cover the joined stems at the top of the bunch.
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Keep bananas away from other fruit: Apples and avocados can release ethylene, which may accelerate ripening.
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Choose a cool, shaded spot: Avoid direct sunlight and heat.
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Refrigerate ripe bananas: The peel may darken, but the fruit inside can remain edible for longer.
The original article reports that wrapping banana stems helped the writer keep bananas fresh for around 10 days longer. However, this is a personal observation, not a guaranteed result.
The takeaway: Try wrapping the stems and storing bananas separately from other fruit. This inexpensive trick may help reduce food waste, although no method can reliably guarantee an extra 10 days of freshness.
