How to waste fewer bananas

Bananas are a common culprit amongst our food waste, so we’ve put together some tips to help you use up those ripe bananas and that doesn’t just mean making banana bread!

Food waste and sustainability is something we’re constantly thinking about at Good Food HQ, so be sure to check out our other food waste guides, like how to waste less asparagus and how to waste less bread so that we can all be planet friendlier.

How to waste less bananas

1. To ripen green bananas quickly, put them in a paper bag and leave for a day or two – this traps the ethene gas released by the bananas, which speeds up the ripening process. The paper bag allows air to circulate, unlike a plastic food bag that also traps any moisture released by the fruit.

2. If you’d like to bake with your bananas but they’re still green and hard, soften them by piercing all over using a fork, then arrange on a heatproof plate and cook in the microwave in 20 or 30 second bursts until warm on the outside. Leave to cool, then peel and mash.

3. Freeze unpeeled bananas, then use them (peel and all) in baking or smoothies. Simply defrost on a plate first, then blitz in a food processor to use. You can also remove the peel before using, but freezing the bananas whole means you won’t need to use a freezer bag.

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4. Don’t keep bananas in the fridge – they’ll turn brown more quickly. If you won’t get through them before they turn, freeze them instead.

5. Store bananas in a bowl at room temperature, away from other fruits – the gas they release will cause other fruit to ripen too quickly.

6. Use overripe bananas in porridge or overnight oats – stir through just before the porridge finishes cooking, or mix into overnight oats at the same time as the yogurt.

Cinnamon porridge baked bananas in a bowl

7. For a decadent pudding, replace the apples in a tarte tatin with halved bananas. Cook as you would any tarte tatin, then drizzle with chocolate sauce.

8. Reserve banana peels and shred using two forks. Fry with curry paste or spices for 5-7 mins until soft, then stir into a curry. Or, mix the shredded peel into pulled pork for extra fibre.