I’ll be the first to admit I’m not a banana person. If I had to make a list of my favorite fresh fruits, bananas would fall at the end. That being said, while I don’t love just sitting down and eating a banana, I do love using them in combination recipes. Things like banana bread, smoothies, muffins and even pancakes!

So when I find soft, black-spotted, overripe bananas in the 50% off bin at our local grocery store…I.stock.up. Nothing makes my frugal homemaker’s heart as happy as scoring a good deal! And when I bring those ‘nanas home, here’s how I put them for later use!

How to Freeze Bananas

Because bananas aren’t safe for home canning, the best way to preserve them is by freezing the soft, cream-colored fruit. There are several different ways you can do this!

Step 1: Peel and Prep the Fruit

While some folks freeze their bananas in the peel (ain’t nothing wrong with that!), I prefer to peel the fruit and be done with it. So today, I’m going to stick with that vein of thought.

Peel bananas one after the other, until they’re all free of their black-and-yellow skins. This accomplished, I dump my banana peels in the outside compost bucket asap. Fruit flies are my sworn enemies and I don’t want to give them a chance to get started in my home!

Once you’ve peeled all your bananas, you can decide whether or not you want to prep them before freezing.

Using bananas in baking? You may wish to mash the fruit and freeze it in the amounts required for your favorite banana bread or banana muffin recipe. That way, all you have to do is pull a baggie or container from the freezer, let it thaw and presto! You’re ready to go!

Using bananas in smoothies? You can freeze the fruit whole or slice your bananas into 1 inch rings. Either way, I recommend spreading them out on a cookie sheet or cutting board, freezing them individually before bagging up.

Step 2: Bag and Freeze Your Bananas

When storing bananas, be sure to use airtight containers or bags that were designed for freezing food. Not that you can’t use other things, but your bananas will last 6-8 months if you have quality containers.

That being said, if you go through lots of bananas, the type of storage containers or baggies won’t make a huge difference if you use the fruit in 2-3 month’s time!

Step 3: Use As Needed

If making home baked goods, remember to pull bananas or banana mash from the freezer 2-3 hours ahead of time so things can thaw. Of course, if you’re using banana in a smoothie, they’re best when fully frozen!

And that, my friend? That’s how you go about freezing bananas for later use and save a few dollars in the process!