The Best Way To Freeze Bananas For Smoothies

Bananas are the third most consumed fruit in America, and they can be used in many unexpected ways. However, ripe bananas don't last very long, which is why freezing them is the perfect way to keep them fresh and ready for making smoothies. 

There are a few ways to freeze bananas, but the best way, if you're going to use them in a smoothie, is to cut them up in slices and freeze them in airtight containers like Rubbermaid Brilliance food storage containers. This way you have more control over how much banana you add without having to thaw out too much. It's helpful to freeze slices in a single layer on a baking sheet first before storing them in bags, as this will prevent them from sticking together. Frozen sliced bananas will last six to eight months and can be added directly to your blender for smoothies, making them colder even without ice. 

Alternatively, you can freeze bananas whole and unpeeled without using a freezer container or bag, as the skin will protect it for up to three months. However, because the skin will be too hard to peel once frozen, it will take about two hours to thaw before you can use them. While this method is more convenient upfront, frozen bananas are much softer than fresh ones, and peeling them can be messy. You can, of course, peel bananas and freeze them whole or in halves using freezer containers or bags, but because of their size, they might need to be thawed before being used to prevent stressing your blender or ending up with a chunky smoothie. 

Although you can totally use fresh banana in your smoothies, frozen bananas completely change up the texture. They are creamy when blended and give smoothies an almost ice cream-like consistency that is to die for. Moreover, because they're frozen, they can replace ice in your smoothie. This can prevent it from becoming watered down and diluted if you don't drink it fast enough. 

When blending frozen bananas, you want to blend them thoroughly to ensure there are no big chunks that could make drinking difficult. If you don't have a very powerful blender, you can blend the bananas on their own first until they're the consistency of soft serve before adding your milk and other ingredients. Using something like the Ninja Fit Compact personal blender or the Magic Bullet blender can make the process easier, and you don't have to dirty a cup afterward.

Frozen bananas pair great with almost anything, from other frozen fruits to peanut butter and even tofu. Plus, because they're frozen, they'll last for months in your freezer so you won't have to rush to use them before they go bad!