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We go through a lot of frozen bananas in our house. At first, we started freezing them for smoothies, but recently, my daughter has decided she loves eating them straight from the freezer, sliced. They taste like mini ice cream bites!
It’s thanks to her new habit that I figured out what causes bananas to brown in the freezer. (Hint: It’s not securing the lid tightly!) So, I’ll show you how to avoid brown bananas in the freezer with the method below—assuming you don’t have young kids who might sabotage your efforts.
I’ve been freezing bananas this way for over a decade, so I’m confident that this is the best method to prevent them from turning brown. (Plus, they’re easy to measure for smoothies and banana ice cream!)
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“Thanks for the tutorial! I always wondered how your bananas stay so white– mine always turn brown in the freezer. I’ll keep these tips in mind for next time.” -Rachel
How to Freeze Bananas (whole!)
This is my preferred method for freezing bananas because it requires minimal effort. Many recipes call for either a whole or half banana, so keeping the banana intact when you freeze it will make measuring easier later.
To freeze a whole banana:
- Remove the peel and place the whole peeled banana in an airtight container. You can repeat the process with as many ripe bananas as you have on hand, in case you have bunches of bananas to use up. It’s best if the bananas have brown spots on their skin, but they should not be too soft or overly ripe.
- Secure the lid on the container and place it in the freezer on a flat shelf. The bananas will be frozen in about 4 to 6 hours and can be stored for up to 3 months without turning brown, as long as the container is airtight. The bananas are relatively easy to separate once they are frozen, as long as you don’t press them together when you secure the lid.
If your bananas have blackened skin, as if they are overripe, they could stick together due to more moisture. You can freeze these on a parchment-lined pan, so they are separated first. Then, transfer them to a container after 4 hours in the freezer to prevent them from sticking together.
How to Freeze Sliced Bananas
If you prefer to keep chunks of frozen bananas on hand, rather than whole ones, you can slice the ripe, peeled bananas before freezing them.
Here’s how:
- Slice the banana into 1/2-inch pieces and arrange the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Be sure to use a pan or tray that will fit on a flat shelf in your freezer. If you have a narrow freezer, you may need to use two lined plates instead of a large baking sheet.
- Transfer the pan to a flat shelf in the freezer and let the banana slices freeze for 1-2 hours. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or an airtight container to prevent freezer burn. This will help preserve their flavor.
Freezing banana slices individually on a lined baking sheet makes them easy to measure, as they won’t stick together in a big clump.
How to Use Frozen Bananas
- Add them to a smoothie. Many smoothie recipes call for frozen bananas, so you’ll be well-equipped when you keep a stash in your freezer. If your blender is powerful, you might be able to simply break the frozen banana in half as you add it to the smoothie. Or, cut it into frozen banana slices first, for easier blending.
- Make banana ice cream. Use a food processor or blender to pulverize the frozen banana pieces into a creamy, healthy dessert. (Also called “nice cream.”)
- Bake with them. You can thaw these bananas and use them in your favorite banana bread recipe, or make healthy banana muffins. Keep in mind that thawed bananas will look quite mushy and unappealing, but when you mash them, they will work just as well as freshly mashed bananas do.
How to Freeze Bananas (Without Browning!)
Ingredients
- 3 ripe bananas (with black spots on the skin for best flavor)
Instructions
Freezing Whole Bananas
- Remove the peel from each banana, then gently arrange them in a large airtight container. Don't overfill the container, as you don't want the bananas to get mashed together. (This will make them harder to separate later.)
- Secure the lid and store the bananas in the freezer overnight. You can store them in the freezer for up to 3 months, and use them as needed in smoothies, nice cream, and more.
Freezing Banana Slices
- Peel the bananas, then slice them into roughly 1-inch chunks.
- Arrange the slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper. Transfer the pan to the freezer, and freeze until the slices are firm, about 1 hour. (If a baking sheet won't fit on a flat shelf in your freezer, use a plate instead.)
- Transfer the frozen slices to an airtight container with a lid to prevent browning and freezer burn. Keep them in the freezer until ready to use, for up to 3 months for the best flavor.
Notes
Nutrition
More Recipes to Try
- Banana Overnight Oats
- Flourless Banana Snack Cake
- Oat Flour Banana Bread
- Blueberry Banana Smoothie
- Protein Banana Muffins
If you try this method, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know how it works for you.
terrific tips on freezing bananas. thank you.
I wrap a banana in PressNSeal.. works well for keeping air out.
When I first tried to freeze whole peeled bananas, I put them in a silicone bag. Unfortunately, they stuck together and were hard to separate. Now, I wrap them in foil and don’t bother with the bag. However, they do seem to turn brown, so maybe too much air is getting to them. Maybe I’ll try to put the wrapped ones in a bag to see if that helps.
I froze banana slices on an ice tray lined with a polyethylene bag. It peels off just fine. Upon defrosting the bananas are mushy as expected, even though they were firm with green skin (as I like them). I would only do slices and eat them cold, not whole. The slimy material is easy to bite into.
I like laying my peeled bananas (spooning) next to one another in a Stacher (silicone) bag. No off gassing from plastics and they don’t stick together.
Huh, interesting. When I tried this, my bananas stuck together.
TBH, banana peels have great health benefits. Place the entire banana in the freezer, and when you are ready to spin up that Majic Bullet for your smoothie, just take a sharp knife, and cut the stem from the frozen banana, and also the bottom end, and drop the banana, peel and all, into the cup. Press the button, and marvel at the magic happening as the razor sharp blades spin at high velocity.
However, if you are going to use the peels, be sure you have washed the unpeeled banana in baking soda and vinegar and rinsed them well to get the chemical/pesticides off first. Even organic bananas may have chemicals on them.
I used ground banana peels and yes all the fibrous strings that were on them in hot chocolate at night to get better fiber absorption. Make sure to cut both ends off the peel as they do not grind up well.
Hi, Can you please tell me how much baking soda and vinegar to use to wash the bananas or any other fruit and to what amount of water. Thank you
Thanks for the tutorial! I always wondered how your bananas stay so white– mine always turn brown in the freezer. I’ll keep these tips in mind for next time.