How To Freeze Bananas
Never throw out overripe bananas again! Learn how to freeze bananas, whole or sliced, with this simple method. Use frozen bananas in smoothies or for baking recipes, like banana bread!
Ingredients
- 1 banana
Instructions
- Peel the bananas. I always recommend peeling the bananas before freezing them. Peeling a frozen banana is both difficult and messy, which is why I recommend peeling them before freezing.
- Slice the bananas. You can either slice the banana into halves, quarters or slices, or you can keep it whole. This will depend on how you plan to use the frozen bananas. If you plan to use them in a smoothie, I recommend slicing them into quarters or slices, so that they’ll easily blend into your smoothie. If the bananas are really ripe and you plan to use them in banana bread, you can keep them whole.
- Store the bananas. If you plan to use the entire banana in a recipe (whole or sliced), you can simply place the banana in a freezer-safe container and transfer it to the freezer. If you plan to only use a few slices of banana at a time, I recommend freezing the slices in a single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet first for one hour. Then you can transfer them to a freezer safe bag. Bananas can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Always freeze bananas that are fully ripe, or even slightly overripe. Bananas will not ripen any further once they’re frozen, so you want to freeze fully ripe bananas so that they’re naturally sweet when you use them in a recipe.
- Always label the container with the freeze date so you can remember when you froze the bananas. Frozen bananas should be used within 3 months.
- To prevent the bananas from turning brown in the freezer, make sure to use an airtight container, or freezer-safe plastic bag. Exposure to air is what causes bananas to brown, so as long as they’re sealed tightly, you won’t have any issues with browning.
- To thaw frozen bananas before adding them to a recipe, like banana bread, I recommend thawing them overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for about 2 hours. You can also use the defrost setting on your microwave if you are in a hurry.
Nutrition Facts
Calories 105kcal (5%)Carbohydrates 27g (9%)Protein 1g (2%)Fat 0.4g (1%)Sodium 1mgPotassium 422mg (12%)Fiber 3g (12%)Sugar 14g (16%)Vitamin A 76mg (2%)Vitamin C 10mg (12%)Calcium 6mg (1%)Iron 0.3mg (2%)
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