How do you save 1/2 an avocado or banana?

[Jane A]

Anybody have a successful method for saving 1/2 of an avocado or 1/2 of a banana for a day or two?

Also, I saw a banana in my elderly mother's refrigerator, but I've never refrigerated a banana before . . . is she losing it, or does it really work (without turning brown)?

[kariev]

For avocados, i squeeze a bit of lemon juice on them to prevent them from turning brown/black and put them in a ziplock in the fridge. Banana I just will stick in the fridge. Bananas ripen quickly in warm/room temps so the fridge slows the process down.

[Peaceful Rainbow]

With an avocado it helps to leave the pit in the side that you are saving. The peels of bananas that you put in the frig will turn brown, but the banana will stay ok on the inside.

[kathryn]

For a banana, I'd take the leftover portion and freeze it (peel, break into pieces and put in a freezer bag), then use it in a smoothie. (Frozen bananas are a staple in my kitchen).

For an avocado, I do a combo of the previous two methods: I put a bit of lemon or lime juice on it to help prevent browning, and keep the pit with it. It also helps to save the shell part from the half you ate, and close the avocado back up again with it.

[Janis]

Avocado -

two of the above: use lemon and keep pit, but cover the surface of the flesh tightly with plastic wrap, the avocado will keep for up to a week.

Banana -

leave in peel, fold peel over uneaten portion, leave on counter. When you want to eat the rest, cut off the little bit of hardened section that formed.

[Jane A]

Hey, thanks everyone! These are all great suggestions. I appreciate them very much!

[MidgetDogg]

If I'm not going to eat the whole fruit, I share it with my dogs. Except grapes... but they keep for awhile.

[Jenniferlove]

fun post - thanks!