I’m just going to come right out and say it: I’m always flabbergasted when people mention the bananas they have let go to waste. Yep, you will see me standing there with my mouth gaping wide. Huh? There is no reason for bananas to go to waste! We are firmly in the save-all-the-bananas camp around here, because they fuel our love of this Healthier Banana Bread (and its naughtier sister Chocolate Chip Banana Bread), and are essential in this Strawberry Banana Smoothie. My love for baking with bananas runs deep, and I’ve got the freezer banana stash to prove it. I use two main methods for freezing bananas, and they both serve a different purpose. I’ll share a third method as well, which works for both!
Freezing bananas for baking:
When I freeze bananas for baking, I throw them into the freezer right in the peel. The pros to this method is that it takes me about 2.5 seconds to get them in the freezer, and once they’re there, I don’t have to do anything with them until I want to bake. When I want to bake a loaf of this Blueberry Banana Bread, this Easy Banana Bread Recipe or these Banana Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal Cups, I just pull out however many bananas I need and let them thaw. Easy! You won’t find a “recipe” for this method here 😉
Freezing bananas for smoothies and drinks:
When I want to freeze bananas for smoothies, I like them more readily accessible, because we’re not going to thaw the bananas to make the smoothie (eww?). I place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet, grab my spotty bananas, peel and slice or cut into chunks. Spread them out so they are in a single layer as much as possible (though it’s okay if they’re touching a bit). This way, they won’t freeze together in a clump and you’ll be able to grab just as many banana chunks as you need from the freezer. Pop them in the freezer to freeze for an hour or two until firm, then toss them in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 6 months. When you need some for this Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie or this Metabolism Boosting Smoothie, you’ve got them!
Freezing bananas for baking OR smoothies:
Let’s say you can’t commit to having a dedicated stash of whole bananas in peel for baking, plus a freezer bag of slices for smoothies, you can meet in the middle. Peel bananas and leave them whole. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze until firm, about 2 hours. Place whole frozen bananas in a large freezer bag and freeze up to 6 months. When you want to bake, you just pull out a few bananas and let them thaw. When you want a smoothie, you can grab a frozen banana and throw it in. The downside to this method is that your blender might have more trouble blending a whole frozen banana than chunks.
How long can you freeze bananas?
Technically, frozen bananas are safe to eat indefinitely. They won’t go bad. Even so, they are not at their optimal freshness past 3-6 months. I try to rotate my bananas regularly (it’s not hard with a banana bread obsession like mine!), and always buy a few extra to add to my stash when it gets low.
What can I make with frozen bananas?
You’ve come to the right place! Here we’re obsessed with all things baked with banana:
Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins – made healthier! Banana Oatmeal Muffins – healthy and hearty! Double Chocolate Banana Bran Muffins – get that fiber!
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