I don't know about you, but when I grocery shop the bananas are either too green or too yellow! If you remember these simple tips, you can buy them either way and keep them fresher, longer!
If you buy green bananas, or semi-green, separate them at the stem when you get home. They will ripen faster that way. If they are very green, you can try placing them in a brown paper bag with an apple or tomato overnight to help speed up the process. It is best to leave green bananas at room temperature to ripen, placing them in the refrigerator my interrupt the ripening process.
If you buy yellow bananas, or bananas with a little brown in them, you can slow down the ripening process by storing the fruit in the refrigerator. The skin may darken, but the banana will stay firm and be just right for several days.
If your bananas get too ripe (as in very brown or black) before you can eat them, don't throw them away. They still have many uses, such as in baking or in making fruit smoothies. I find it best to peel them, slice them, then store them in the freezer in a baggie.
Aother great money saver, now that you know very yellow or slitghtly brown bananas can still be firm and storable, is to look in your grocery store (usually in the back) for a discount table. Believe it or not, people don't like to buy riper bananas, so they usually mark them down 50%. I do this all the time and have never had a problem.
Ta ta for now...save money!
