Throwing away food is such a bummer. I’m always on the lookout for tips and tricks to prevent foods from going bad too quickly and ways to use up what’s in my fridge before it goes off.
When your bananas get spotty, peel them, cut them in half and freeze them in a freezer bag with the date on it and the air pressed out. They keep for up to 4 months, and you can drop them straight into smoothies or thaw them for banana bread.
If I can’t use something right away, I’ll usually either juice it or freeze it. My blog is filled with posts and videos about how to juice, so today I want to talk about freezing.
It’s so simple, but people often forget about this trick and end up throwing away usable produce.
You can do this with just about any fruit and many veggies; just cut it up and freeze it in a freezer-safe glass or BPA-free plastic container. (I was pleasantly surprised that Ziploc brand bags are formulated without BPA.) Just remember to write the date on the bag or container and use the food within 4 months. Also, press as much air out of the container as you can to prevent freezer burn. Chopping and doing the prep work before freezing makes using this stuff up a breeze. I often do this with fresh berries, apples, peaches, pineapple, and red bell peppers that might go bad before I can get to them.
This works especially well with bananas because they get sweeter as they ripen, and frozen bananas work beautifully in just about any smoothie.
When bananas start to overripen, peel them, cut them in half, then freeze them. Add them to your daily smoothies as needed for nutrients, fiber, and an extra creamy texture.
How to Freeze Bananas
- Wait until they’re ripe. Brown spots are good here. Riper bananas are sweeter and blend up creamier.
- Peel them first. A frozen banana peel is almost impossible to get off, so always peel before freezing.
- Cut them in half (or into coins if you want them to blend faster).
- Bag, label and freeze. Use a freezer-safe bag or container, press out as much air as you can, write the date on it, and use them within 4 months.
Frozen Banana & Cacao Smoothie Recipe
Serves 1
- 1 cup purified water
- 1 whole frozen banana (2 frozen halves)
- 2 tablespoons raw cacao
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- dash of cinnamon
- handful of ice
- optional: add 1 serving of high-quality, organic chocolate or vanilla protein powder if drinking post-workout
Method: Blend all ingredients until smooth; serve cold.
Your turn! Share any of your food-saving tips in the comments below to help and inspire other readers in our community.
Frozen Banana FAQs
Can I use frozen bananas for banana bread?
Frozen bananas are perfect for baking. Thaw them in a bowl on the counter, then mash them with any liquid that comes out, since that’s all banana flavor. Try them in my Easy Banana Bread or Banana Muffins with Chocolate Chips.
How long do frozen bananas last?
Up to 4 months in a well-sealed bag or container. After that they’re still safe, but they can pick up freezer burn and off flavors.
Why did my frozen bananas turn brown?
That’s just air exposure, and it’s totally normal. Browned frozen bananas are fine in smoothies and baked goods. Pressing the air out of the bag helps keep them lighter.
What else can I make with frozen bananas?
Smoothies are my go-to (they make them extra creamy), and they turn into a soft-serve style banana ice cream in the food processor.
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Frozen Banana & Cacao Smoothie
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: Serves 1
Description
This creamy Frozen Banana & Cacao Smoothie is the best way to use up overripe bananas. Freeze them when they get spotty, then blend them with raw cacao, almond butter and a dash of cinnamon for a chocolatey smoothie in 5 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 cup purified water
- 1 whole frozen banana (2 frozen halves)
- 2 tablespoons raw cacao
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- dash of cinnamon
- handful of ice
- optional: add 1 serving of high-quality, organic chocolate or vanilla protein powder if drinking post-workout
Instructions
Blend all ingredients until smooth; serve cold.
Thanks for the freezing tips. I’d already frozen 2 pts of blueberries, when I found a couple of peaches going bad, as well as a sliced apple half I was never going to eat. Sliced them up and bagged them! Wasn’t sure about freezing apples. Now I was looking at 2 over ripe bananas and debating…read this just in time! My daughter cuts them in half and freezes them with the peel. Then she eats it slowly with a spoon as it thaws! And GREAT news about the ziplocs. I was trying not to think about it!
So glad! 🙂