Discount supermarket Aldi has shared advice for shoppers on how to keep bananas from turning brown, spotty and squashy. The chain, which was named the cheapest supermarket in September, has partnered with food storage expert Kate Hall to help customers keep various staples fresh, including milk, potatoes and bananas.
The guidance follows research by the retail chain showing that the average Brit throws away £387 of food every year, and seven out of ten admit they buy food knowing they will likely throw it in the bin. Kate suggests that bananas can last longer without going brown or mushy by slicing them and placing them in the freezer.
How to freeze bananas properly
Kate said: "Let's face it, we can't always make banana bread every time a bunch gets past its best. But if you can spare 30 seconds to peel, slice and freeze bananas, you can avoid them going to waste."
She advised: "Just spread them out on a lined tray before freezing so that they don't clump together, and then store them in a resealable freezer bag. These are perfect for making banana ice cream or chocolate peanut butter bites! You can use the same approach to save lots of other fruits and veggies too, for example, cucumbers can be sliced and frozen to be used instead of ice cubes, added to smoothies, or even blitzed into a refreshing sorbet."
Freezing as a way to reduce waste
She added: "Using your freezer is such a simple way to press pause on your food so it doesn't end up in the bin. Freezing food can help our budgets stretch further, and you can actually freeze a lot more than people realise. The trick is knowing the best way to freeze food and what to do with it after freezing."
Luke Emery, National Sustainability Director at Aldi UK, said: "At Aldi, we're committed to reducing food waste wherever we can across our supply chain, whether that be working with suppliers to cut down on waste, or marking down prices of items nearing their sell by date. Now we're on a mission to help shoppers minimise their food waste too, while getting even more value from their Aldi groceries at the same time. It seems simple, but the research shows that freezing items still isn't something many do – so we want to showcase just how easy that can be."
