How do you ripen bananas?

Question

Several times, we have purchased a bunch of green bananas from Costco... Sometimes, they ripen okay........... a couple of times we just threw them away because they didn't ripen after several weeks. Is there something I can do to help the bananas get ripe?

Answer 1

It is probably not anything you did that was the problem with ripening.  If bananas are allowed to get below freezing, which can happen on refrigerated trucks and/or in-store storage facilities with boxes nearest the cooling unit, they will never ripen.

Generally speaking, bananas can ripen either in open air or in a paper bag.  Do not use plastic bags, as they do not allow enough air circulation for the bananas.  Bear in mind, however, Groucho Marx's admonition:  Time flies like an arrow, but fruit flies like a banana.

Answer 2

They're supposed to ripen on their own. We just leave them on the kitchen counter. I saw something in my local supermarket that evenly ripens bananas. Its just a hanging banana holder thats all.

Answer 3

put them in brown bag

or put them in bowl with ripe fruit

Answer 4

just leave them in a fruit tray, that simple..

never put them in refridgerator

Answer 5

I know what you are talking about.  I have purchased (for my restaurant) bananas and avocadoes that simply do not ripen.  I mean, sitting out at room temp for three weeks!  My produce company always gives me credit for them and I'm sure costco would too.  The representative from my produce company said "They didn't get gassed".   Also, bananas keep for at least 10 days or two weeks if you store them in the fridge.  They look terrible on the outside, but taste great inside.

Answer 6

One technique they use is to bury then in a bag of rice. Bananas ripen because of a gas they produce called ethylene. Commercially, they harvest green bananas and ripen them in controlled conditions using ethylene. But since the bananas themselves give off ethylene, you can concentrate the gas by burying the bananas in rice, or even putting them in a closed plastic bag.

Answer 7

Keep them at a reasonable room temperature, cover with a very light towel, near a light source (like near natural light - near a window).

Answer 8

If you just keep them in the kitchen in a fruit bowl near a window that lets a lot of sunlight (or just enough!) in and they should ripen i a few day enjoy!

Answer 9

You need to leave them out