Bananas

Buying

Check for brown spots or signs of damage on the skin. Try picking bananas that are at different stages of ripening – a few yellow ones for now and some greener ones for later in the week.

Storing

Keep bananas at room temperature, without a plastic bag, until they are ripe. Like apples and pears, bananas produce ethylene gas which causes other fruits to ripen faster. Unless you actually want to ripen other fruit, store bananas separately. You could copy the greengrocer and hang them from a hook. A peeled banana can be stored in the fridge for a few hours but will last longer if wrapped in aluminium foil.

Freezing

Peeled bananas freeze well and they’re perfect for adding to smoothies or milkshakes. They can be frozen whole but may damage your blender so it’s better to chop beforehand and store in a sealed container. Blending frozen banana on its own makes a delicious treat that is an alternative to ice cream.

Freezer life

up to 8 months

Using up

Over-ripe bananas can be mashed to bake banana bread, muffins, cakes, or pancakes. If you are feeling particularly adventurous, try this recipe for banana peel curry.

Good to know!

Put pieces of banana skin just under the soil line to deter aphids in your garden. Banana skins break down quickly and add lots of nutrients to soil, a perfect addition to the compost.