Have You Been Freezing Bananas All Wrong?
Some folks have called me “The Smoothie Queen” for a few years now, but there’s something that only recently dawned on me in regards to creating the perfect smoothie – not everyone freezes their bananas like I do. Since I mostly use frozen bananas for smoothies, it might be why I have frozen them differently. I did a quick google search and found a few helpful articles that addressed the same concern I had.
The dreaded frozen black banana.
It’s one thing to throw your unpeeled bananas in the freezer and to later thaw them out to make a banana bread, but it’s another to use them in smoothies or “nice cream” (ice cream made of frozen bananas). The freshness and taste will be seriously altered. And if you are as sensitive to taste as I am, you will immediately pick up on the taste of the black peel and how it has changed the flavour of the banana.
Does peeling and slicing bananas prior to freezing really take much longer than simply tossing a whole banana in the freezer? Not by much and, in my opinion, the preserved fresh taste is better. In a few simple steps, you can have prepped bananas that are easy to thaw out (no gunky black banana peel mess), easy to add to smoothies, easy to defrost in the microwave to add to baking, and easy to make delicious nice cream with.
How To Freeze Bananas:
STEP 1: Peel the bananas
STEP 2: Slice the bananas
STEP 3: Place the bananas on a baking sheet to semi-freeze (approximately 30 minutes to an hour)
STEP 4: Transfer the semi-frozen bananas to freezer-safe containers or bags
STEP 5: Use the bananas whenever you need them and notice how fresh-tasting they are!
How To Make Banana Nice Cream For Two:
Ingredients:
2 large bananas, sliced and frozen
1/2 cup of almond milk (or soymilk, coconut milk, cow’s milk)
optional: 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla, 1 tsp almond butter, 2 spoonfuls of mini chocolate chips, 2 spoonfuls of peanuts (or any other fruit or addition you like)
Instructions:
1. Put frozen bananas and almond milk into a food processor or high-powered blender.
2. Blend until smooth and creamy.
3. Add any additional ingredients for a quick 15-30 second pulse.
4. Scrape out, place into two bowls and serve.
Tell me, have you tried this method of freezing bananas before and do you like it better than the black frozen banana?
If this is new to you, will you be giving it a try?
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I’ve only just recently started doing this! What a difference it has made. I wasn’t as sensitive to the flavour but my hands kept freezing whenever I tried to peel and cut my peel-on bananas! Great advice Em!
Great tip. I will remember this when I will be freezing my bananas)
What?! It had never dawned on me to cut them up first!
Wow, I didn’t know this! Great tips–thanks for sharing. 🙂
I’ve never frozen bananas, usually get them fresh, they disappear so quickly in our house. This is a great idea, now I can buy extra from the store to freeze so I don’t run out. Thanks for the tips!
What a great tip! I cannot wait to make the NICE cream!! Sounds delicious!!
I now feel silly for never thinking of this earlier. I never like the way bananas taste out of the freezer but this should make a whole lot of difference! Thanks for the tip!
I’ve frozen them whole without the peel. They turned really dark and had a funny taste. Gonna try them this way this morning. Thanks
This has got to be the greatest tip of the day! Thanks for sharing.
So glad you think so!! Great life hack for smoothies!!
I smash my bananas up. Then put about a cup or so in freezer bags (usually the amount that most recipes call for) and just pull what I need out of the freezer. I’ve never had any taste bad.
Thanks for this great idea! I been freezing them with the peel and used them for banana bread recipe. Your way it’s much more easier to use them!
I peel mine sometimes sliced & place into individual snack size zip baggies, add a splash if lemon or lime juice. Seal it up and squish it up if whole. But shake the juice so everything is covered. Squeeze out as much air as possible. Place into a quart size freezer zip bag that is dated & labeled for that month. All air is removed (the drinking straw method.)
Then depending on Smoothie or Nicecream I take out 1 or 2 baggies. Reseal qt bag of course.
Still as fresh as the day I froze it.
That’s a great idea! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I use this method for freezing other fruits, but never thought to try a banana, Figured it would turn black, and always afraid of cutting myself when trying to peel and cut the whole frozen one. Thank you!
I’m so glad you can benefit from this tip!! 🙂
I love my smoothies,especially banana smoothies but not frozen I will be trying it . Sound delicious.
It makes them extra creamy and cold!
I have always been freezing the bananas in this way, except for one difference… I put them immediately in a container / freezer bag. Does it make a big difference to put them on a baking sheet first? I’m curious about that.
Hi Lora,
I find that if you put them on a baking sheet first to freeze them and then transfer to a container, they are less likely to group together and freeze in a block. Which makes it easier when you’re portioning out for a smoothie or a baking recipe. That said, if you’re already portioning out into small freezing bags, it wouldn’t make much difference. I just do the baking sheet method with all fruits before bagging, because I find them less likely to freeze in a giant clump.