Many fruits and vegetables can be stored in the refrigerator to help extend the shelf
life.
Produce like apples, melons, berries, citrus, and stone fruit keep very well in the refrigerator.
Other items, like avocados, should ripen on the countertop first to best prepare and preserve
them.
Remember to keep leafy greens stored in ice water or standing up in a vase of water, like
fresh-cut flowers, for the longest shelf life.
There are also plenty of tips available for storing produce that you didn't completely
use.
For example, unused avocado can be submerged in water and placed in the refrigerator, and
the exposed flesh will not brown.
Finally, special storage containers, like Food52's stow away bowls, can keep things
like potatoes, mushrooms, garlic, tomatoes, and onions good for longer since they require
dark, cool spaces.
Bananas are another popular fruit, and if you're not into banana bread, you'll want
to keep them fresh and ready to eat for a longer period of time.
But how?
"Respect!
Power!"
"Banana!"
While keeping most fruits and vegetables fresh longer is simply a matter of knowing where
to store the produce, some items call for a bit more attention.
As bananas ripen, they produce ethylene gas, primarily in the stem, which then spreads
to the rest of the fruit to help it ripen.
One method for storing bananas is the popular plastic wrap technique.
Some people wrap the stems of a bunch of bananas with plastic wrap to slow ripening.
It is, however, more effective to wrap the stems of individual bananas to prevent ripening
instead of while they're all attached to one another.
By wrapping the stems individually, there are fewer places for the ethylene gas to leak
out because the stems are more fully covered.
It's also possible to simply place bananas in the refrigerator once they are as ripe
as you like.
This method cuts back on the use and waste of plastic wrap as well as preserving your
bananas.
Don't forget, you can always peel and freeze bananas if they are becoming too ripe, as
well.
Frozen bananas keep for up to six months, which considerably extends the shelf life
of the fruit.
There are three ways to freeze bananas that are each useful in their own way.
Before choosing a method for freezing your extra, ripening bananas, think about how you'll
most likely use the bananas after they are frozen.
"I mean, it's one banana, Michael.
What could it cost?
10 dollars?"
Frozen bananas are commonly used for making smoothies and dairy-free ice cream.
They can also be used for baking by being mashed after thawing from the freezer.
Another way to use frozen bananas is to place them on top of things like cereal, oatmeal,
or acai bowls.
Don't forget, frozen bananas can also be dipped in chocolate or yogurt and coated with a topping.
One method for freezing bananas is to flash freeze them after preparing the bananas.
To do so, peel the bananas and cut them into slices.
Next, place the slices on a baking sheet in a single layer.
Put the baking sheet in the freezer for a few hours, then once the banana slices are
frozen, transfer them into a freezer-safe bag.
This will keep the banana slices from freezing together in a clump, and will also prevent
your blender from burning out by processing large chunks of frozen bananas.
Another way to freeze bananas is to simply peel them, put them in a freezer-safe bag,
and place them in the freezer.
This method is particularly versatile because the bananas can be broken into smaller pieces
to put into a blender or a food processor.
The whole bananas can also be thawed and then mashed to go into baked goods like muffins
or banana bread.
While it is possible to freeze bananas in their peels, it is better to avoid this.
Bananas frozen in their peels are safe to eat, but the peels turn dark brown or black
and get soft which makes removing the peels very difficult.
So make the most of your bananas and freeze them when they are just starting to get brown
spots on the peels to maximize the sweetness of the fruit.
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