As I have mentioned in a previous blog, reducing my household food waste is one of my 2021 goals. Not all food that is wasted can be saved or eaten, but a lot of food waste can be prevented, especially at home.
Growing up—and even still now—my mom always had a tip for freezing food or would say “you can freeze that.” Over the years, I never really paid attention to my mom’s freezer advice, that is until my husband became a full-time student again. Freezing the food you haven’t had time to eat acts as a pause button, and it gives you more time to eat the food you’ve bought.
The freezer is your wallet’s friend.
I will be the first to admit that I’m not a big fruit eater, but I’m working on it. I rarely buy fresh fruit unless it is in season and I have something specific in mind. Ordinarily, I buy already frozen fruit for smoothies, but I never buy frozen bananas. It is cheaper to buy fresh bananas and freeze them yourself. I think the minimal effort to freeze them yourself is worth it.
If the bananas are fairly green when I buy them, I will let them sit on the counter for a few days. Sometimes, I even like to let them get pretty brown before I freeze them. If you have ever thrown away a bunch of bananas that you think have gone too brown, I would now say “you can freeze that.” Plus, you never know when you might want to make Banana Granitas!
Steps to Freeze Bananas
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. (This keeps the fruit from sticking to the baking sheet.)
- Cut into bite-sized chunks, if needed. (If you are freezing fruits without a peel you may need to wash before freezing.)
- Evenly space chunks onto a baking sheet. Freeze.
- Once frozen, transfer chunks to a freezer bag.
- Date and label the freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Note: I prefer to cut or tear the bananas into bite-size chunks because I use them for smoothies, but you can freeze them whole. Also, the steps above work for freezing any fresh fruit.
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I freeze my getting-too-ripe bananas for smoothies mostly. I peel a whole banana and put it in a freezer bag. I slip a table knife inside the bag and slice the banana in the bag. Seal the bag, then spread the slices and freeze. If I have a very soft banana, I skip the knife, put the banana in the bag, smash it to spread it out, seal the bag, and freeze. Quick and easy!
Hi Kathy, thanks for the tips!