Don't toss those bananas in the trash. Learn how to freeze overripe bananas so you have them on hand for your favorite recipes!
It never fails, I buy bananas, and the kids eat them as fast as I bring them in. Then a couple of weeks go by of their banana all day every day, and it happens. There sits the bunch of bananas I bought earlier in the week, and they are going south...quickly!
I have a bunch of recipes that I love to use when this happens, but I am not always in the mood to bake. That is when knowing How To Freeze Over Ripe Bananas comes in handy.
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How to Freeze Over Ripe Bananas
I peel and place the bananas in a bowl and use a fork to mash them up. You could do this in the food processor as well. They are so ripe that the fork does the trick with ease.
I then measure the bananas into one cup servings and place them in a labeled freezer bag. Why 1 cup? Well, that is the standard for many banana bread recipes. It's so easy to be able to pull out a pre-measured bag of bananas and just thaw.
Freezing Tips
Push down the bag before sealing. This helps
- It gets all the air out.
- If you freeze the bag completely flat, it just makes them easier to store.
Freezing Banana Slices
If you are looking to freeze overripe bananas into slices for recipes or smoothies that may not be the best idea.
Overripe bananas tend to be soft. You want a banana with a little bit of firmness for slices.
To freeze sliced bananas
- Peel and slice your bananas
- Place in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Freeze for 1-2 hours.
- Remove and drop frozen slices into a labeled zip top bag.
- Store in the Freezer until ready to enjoy.
Now you are ready to go. The next time the kids want some Double Chocolate Banana Bread, you know you will have bananas on hand for the batter, and you won't feel guilty about wasting bananas ever again!
Banana Tips
Bananas are great for adding natural sweetness and flavor to so many dishes! They are a great snack, a perfect addition to oats, and they make a killer vegan banana ice cream!
Bananas are affordable and a wonderful source of potassium!
Banana Recipes
Now that you have a freezer full of overripe bananas, here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy them!
- 2 Ingredient Strawberry Ice Cream (vegan & easy)
- Cranberry Banana Coffee Cake Recipe
- Peanut Butter Banana Breakfast Cookies
- Instant Pot Banana Bread Recipe
- The Best Blueberry Banana Bread
- Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
LMAREZ
Awesome Idea I have a ton of over ripened bananas and since it does only take about 1 cup of mashed bananas for
most traditional recipes you measure and when you are ready to bake voila!!! I will also be flash freezing quartered bananas
then transfer to freezer bags for shakes & smoothies,
Sandi B
All the recipes that I have call for. whole bananas .How do I then measure them?
Amanda @ A Few Short Cuts
Hard to say. Bananas come in different sizes. Generally speaking it is about each banana is 1/3 cup mashed banana.
Margy
Thanks for the tips. Just mashed and froze a banana that got over ripe to save until I can make something in the futures. - Margy
Candie
I freeze them pealed and whole with a lil bit of lemon juice. Great in smoothies n breads n cakes.
Jennifer
Thanks for this! My bananas ripened quicker than expected and I'm not ready to make banana bread yet!
Margaret
I love this idea. But I usually only I have 1 or 2 bananas at a time, Could I freeze them and then add to the bag as I get more?
Amanda Carlisle
Yes, you totally can! 🙂