Keep your bananas yellow for 26 days with one common item in the fridge: will yours last 3 weeks?

Now a simple kitchen habit is drawing attention after shoppers saw firm, bright bananas weeks after they were first cut.

The jar trick that stunned shoppers

A British content creator, Amy Cross, shared a method that has left banana fans speechless: slice a ripe banana into chunky sections with the peel still on, place the pieces upright in a clean glass jar, seal it, and keep the jar in the fridge. Almost four weeks later, the skins stayed yellow and the fruit inside held its bite.

One glass jar. Peel-on pieces. Fridge-cold. Reports show bananas looking and tasting fresh up to 26 days later.

The idea began as a short test to stop a cut banana from browning by lunchtime. Instead, the sealed-jar approach appeared to halt visible discolouration for nearly a month. That’s far beyond what most of us expect from a fruit famous for racing from green to speckled in days.

How a jar slows banana browning

Bananas ripen as they release ethylene, a natural plant hormone. Warmth speeds the process; cool, stable temperatures slow it. Browning also accelerates when cut surfaces meet oxygen. A sealed glass jar helps on several fronts:

• Cool, steady conditions: the fridge slows the fruit’s respiration and the activity of browning enzymes.
• Moisture balance: a jar reduces drying and keeps the peel supple, so the flesh doesn’t shrivel.
• Less oxygen: limited air inside the jar cuts the speed of enzymatic browning on exposed edges.
• Ethylene management: sealing pieces away from other produce reduces cross‑exposure that can hasten ripening.

Keeping the peel on matters. The peel acts like a natural jacket, adding a barrier against oxygen and mechanical damage, even after the banana is sliced into sections.

How to try it at home

Want to give your fruit a fighting chance during the working week and beyond? Follow these steps.

• Choose just‑ripe bananas with unblemished skins.
• Wash and dry a glass jar with a tight‑fitting lid.
• Slice the banana into two or three sections without removing the peel.
• Stand the pieces upright in the jar; avoid overcrowding.
• Seal and place the jar on a middle shelf in the fridge, not in the door.
• Open briefly to take what you need, then reseal and return to the fridge.
• Check for off smells, softness, or mould. If something looks or smells wrong, bin it.

If you’re unsure about quality or smell, don’t risk it—throw it out.

When you shouldn’t use the fridge

Green bananas are still developing flavour and texture. Chilling can stall that process and dull taste. If your bunch is underripe, keep it at roughly 12°C in a cool, shaded room out of direct sunlight. A warm kitchen speeds ripening and leads to soft, blotchy fruit.

• Keep bananas away from radiators, ovens and sunny windowsills.
• Hang them to reduce bruising and pressure marks.
• Separate from high‑ethylene neighbours such as apples, pears and avocados.
• Wrap the crown (stems) with a bit of foil or compostable wrap to slow ethylene spread.

Cut bananas for fruit salads

Once peeled and sliced, bananas brown quickly. A quick spritz of lemon or pineapple juice helps by lowering pH and slowing the browning enzyme. Store slices in an airtight container in the fridge and use within 24 hours for best texture.

Acidic juice plus an airtight tub buys you time for picnics, lunchboxes and next‑day porridge toppers.

How long do different methods last?

Food safety notes and risks

Cold slows spoilage, but it does not sterilise fruit. Condensation inside a jar can promote mould if pieces were already bruised or the jar was not spotless. Keep the container clean, dry the bananas if they are wet, and avoid packing them tightly. Watch for dark patches under the peel and any sour or fermented smells.

The fridge door warms up during frequent openings, so place the jar on a central shelf where temperatures hover around 4°C. If you see clouding, excess moisture or slippery surfaces inside the jar, wash and reset with fresh fruit.

Costs, waste and a quick saving

Bananas remain one of the most affordable fruits in UK shops. A typical 1 kg bunch can cost around a pound. If the jar method helps a family save even two bunches a month from the bin, that’s roughly £20–£30 a year back in your pocket, plus fewer mid‑week dashes to the shop.

Let bananas ripen near 12°C. When they reach your ideal sweetness, move peel‑on pieces to a sealed jar in the fridge.

Extra tips to get the result you want

• Pick your sweetness: spotty skins mean higher sugar and softer texture; bright yellow skins give a firmer bite.
• Mix and match: keep one or two pieces in the jar for late‑week snacks, leave the rest out for today’s bakes.
• Baking plan: overripe bananas freeze well for banana bread; mash, portion and freeze for quicker defrosting.
• Breakfast prep: jar‑stored pieces make easy porridge toppers without last‑minute chopping.

If you rely on the jar method for packed lunches, test it over a weekend first. Try different ripeness levels, jar sizes and fridge shelves to see what suits your kitchen. Some fridges run colder than others; a degree or two either way can change texture over time.

Finally, keep bananas away from apples and avocados when you want them to last, then reunite them when you need to ripen a stubborn green bunch. Small, deliberate moves—one glass jar at a time—can keep your fruit bowl looking fresh far longer than you’d think.