Never store bananas without 1 trick that makes them last twice as long

A simple storage trick could help make your bananas last twice as long when you get them home from the supermarket – and people say it ‘really works’

Bananas could stay fresh for double the time if you adopt one simple storage trick. These nutrient-packed fruits are loaded with potassium and fibre, promoting cardiovascular health, helping with weight control, and aiding digestion. They’re perfect eaten on their own, stirred into breakfast dishes like porridge and granola, or transformed into delicious bakes such as banana bread.

But bananas have a reputation for being notoriously difficult when it comes to achieving ideal ripeness. Shop-bought bunches often arrive with green patches and need time to mature, but once they hit that sweet spot, you’ve only got a few days before they turn brown, soft, and suitable only for baking.

According to one lifestyle expert on social media, there’s a straightforward technique to significantly extend your bananas’ shelf life. The solution involves making one quirky adjustment to your storage method.

Anne Caserta, who frequently posts helpful tips online, shared an Instagram clip explaining that removing the stems from the top of your bananas slows their ripening and keeps them fresh “twice as long”.

She said: “I saw this on TikTok and I had to try it. It really works. If you cut the stem off, they will not ripen as fast, so they’re going to last longer. I tried it, and it actually works.”

Viewers responding to Anne’s post were amazed by the technique, with numerous people vowing to test it themselves.

One person said: “I will try this!”

Another added: “I can vouch that this does work.”

Removing the stems from your bananas is thought to be effective because it slows the production of ethylene gas, the hormone certain fruits generate that causes them to ripen, develop and ultimately spoil.

Bananas emit this gas through their stems, so trimming them off can limit how much is discharged, keeping the fruit fresher for longer.

However, keeping bananas joined together in a bunch through the stem is also considered to delay the ripening process compared to pulling them apart — something you cannot do if the stems have been removed.

In a test carried out by The Kitchn, it was discovered that the most effective technique for preserving bananas is actually to wrap the stems in kitchen foil, as this prevents the release of ethylene gas while keeping the fruits together.

You can also use cling film to wrap the stems, though in their trials, kitchen foil proved marginally superior.

How to store bananas

• Store bananas at room temperature to ripen them if they’re still green.
• Keep them away from apples, pears, avocados, peaches, and tomatoes if you want slower ripening. If you want to speed up the ripening process, keep them near those fruits if you have them.
• If you have a banana hook, use it. It reduces pressure points for less bruising and also improves the airflow around the fruit, which can help them last longer.
• Wrap the stems with cling film or tin foil to slow the ripening process.
• Refrigerate bananas only when they’re ripe. Putting ripe bananas in the fridge can slow further ripening, but be aware that the skin can turn darker than usual.
• Separate bananas once they’re ripe. If a bunch is ripening unevenly, splitting them apart can help prevent one very ripe banana from speeding up the others.
• Freeze bananas for smoothies and baking. If you know you’re not going to use up your bananas before they go off, you can peel them and store them in the freezer to use in recipes like smoothies and baking.