Tired of making banana bread with your overripe bananas? Instead of throwing them away, you can still salvage your bananas, thanks to this zero-waste hack.
The scoop
TikToker Kenzie (@my.lifeaskenzie) shares how she makes use of bananas once they've gotten too ripe for her liking — simply put them in the freezer.
@my.lifeaskenzie you know your girls all about #sustainability and #zerowaste living! Check this #hack for your #bananas ! #dontwastefood#preservation#sustainableliving #sustainablelifestyle ♬ original sound - my life as kenzie - TTS
Here's the hack. Take off the peels, throw the bananas in a storage bag (preferably reusable), and pop them in the freezer until you're ready to use.
"You know your girl is all about sustainability and zero waste living!" Kenzie says.
How it's working
What's great about this hack is bananas can last two-to-three months without peels in the freezer and up to six months with peels. Freezing fruit can significantly extend their shelf life, contributing to a reduction in food waste while also preserving the original flavor.
Studies also show that storing fresh fruit vs. frozen did not significantly change the nutritional content. In fact, fresh produce loses vitamins over time during refrigerated storage. Check out our guide on how to keep your food fresh longer.
Reducing food waste can help the environment and save you money. According to the United Nations, 19% of total food production worldwide is wasted in households, food service, and grocery.
Wasted food that ends up in landfills ultimately releases methane into the environment, a potent planet-warming gas. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates food loss and waste generate 8-10% of global planet-warming gas pollution.
The UN has found that households waste over one billion meals worth of edible meals each day.
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Absolutely not 💯 Less food wasted at home means less extra food purchased at the grocery store. With this hack, in particular, you can save money by avoiding the extra costs of pre-processing, freezing, and packaging fruit. Buying a bag of frozen fruit is often more expensive than buying fresh fruit and freezing yourself.
What people are saying
Several TikTokers were big fans of this hack.
"Yes I do that all the time!" a commenter said.
"I throw the whole banana in the freezer all the time for banana bread," another wrote. "It's a skill for sure."
Kenzie says she uses her frozen bananas to make smoothies, but of course, you can still make some banana bread.
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