Can You Freeze Banana Puree?
Banana puree is one of the most popular baby foods. Not only this but it is also used in other recipes. You must be making banana puree for your babies. It is quite easy to make banana puree, isn’t it? The smooth texture of the fruit puree is what makes it ideal for babies.
Banana puree has a rich potassium content that also makes it a healthy food option. You can make the puree using only a blender or a potato masher. However, you must be looking for ways to keep your banana puree for longer, right?
So, what can you do? Can you freeze banana puree? Yes, you can freeze banana puree and keep it in the freezer for a few months. This also means you can make banana puree ahead of time and store it for later use.
Make sure you follow proper guidelines to freeze the banana puree. This is because bananas tend to turn brown upon air contamination. So be careful while freezing banana puree. You can also keep your puree in the refrigerator for a maximum of 3 days.
Is It Safe To Freeze The Puree?
Yes, it is safe to freeze banana puree given that you follow adequate freezing instructions. Banana puree has a number of health benefits because of its nutrient content, and freezing does not affect the nutrient content of the banana puree. So, you can freeze your banana puree safely.
How To Freeze Banana Puree?
Freezing banana puree is very simple. All you need is a good quality ice tray to make puree cubes. However, there are certain steps that need to be followed to ensure the proper freezing of banana puree. Check out the steps here.
- Peel the bananas and make banana puree as usual and portion them into an ice tray equally. Do not fill the molds completely; leave a little headspace. This is because the puree will expand upon freezing. Set the puree nicely on the ice tray.
- Use cling film to wrap the tray with banana puree. You can also double-wrap the ice tray for better protection. Wrapping adequately will also keep away other food odors in the freezer from your banana puree.
- Once the tray is wrapped perfectly, put it in the freezer to solidify. This will take a few hours. But make sure you allow your banana puree to solidify properly so that they form banana puree cubes.
- Next, take out the solid banana puree from the freezer, remove the cling film, and transfer the cubes into an airtight freezer bag immediately. Do not let the cubes melt. Label and date the freezer bags, seal them tightly, and your banana puree is ready to freeze.
Tips And Tricks For Freezing Banana Puree
Banana puree is something that tends to show color changes sooner than other fruit purees. This happens when you leave the puree unattended for a few hours. This might spoil your banana puree when you freeze it. Therefore, it is crucial to keep a check on the banana puree and freeze it as soon as possible.
Here are some tips and tricks for freezing banana puree that will give you better results. Check them out.
- Try adding a little bit of milk to the banana puree to loosen up the texture. Banana puree basically has a thick consistency that sometimes makes it difficult to divide it into portions. Therefore, adding milk will make it smoother than before.
- As mentioned earlier, banana puree has a tendency to turn brown more quickly than other fruits. You can avoid this from happening by adding a few drops of lemon juice to it. Lemon is acidic and therefore will help in preventing color alteration.
- You can freeze banana puree as it is, but if you want to enhance the flavor a little bit, try adding a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg. You can also add other such ingredients depending on how you want to use the puree later.
Can You Freeze Mashed Bananas?
Mashed bananas are very similar to banana puree. They only vary in their consistency a little. While banana puree has a smooth texture, the mashed bananas might be somewhat grainy at some times. So, as far as freezing is concerned, you can freeze mashed bananas the same way as the puree. Freezing mashed bananas is easy.
Can You Freeze Bananas?
Yes, you can freeze bananas as well. They freeze effectively for about 6 months in the freezer when properly wrapped. Do not forget to peel them before you freeze bananas as this will save you time in the future and will also bring out the best results. Additionally, you can either freeze your bananas whole or slice them before freezing them. There’s no need to mash them before freezing.
Can You Refreeze The Frozen Banana Puree?
No, you can not refreeze banana puree. This is because refreezing will alter the flavor and texture: the banana puree will taste sour, and the texture will become grainy. You would definitely not want your banana puree to ruin. So, avoid refreezing.
Banana puree loses a lot of its flavor when refrozen. However, you can keep your defrosted banana puree in the refrigerator for 2 days. But it is advised to use it as soon as possible. Also, you can defrost only the required amounts of banana puree at a time, so that there is no question of refreezing and food wastage.
How Long Can You Freeze Banana Puree?
Freezing increases the shelf life of banana puree by up to 3 months. It is strongly advised against keeping the puree in the freezer for more than three months. This is because it will start showing flavor and texture changes.
Also, it is advised that you use up your banana puree as soon as possible for the best results. Because the longer you keep it in the freezer, the sooner it will turn brown. Lastly, to keep your banana puree for longer, do not let it come in contact with the air because it reacts to oxidization quickly.
Bananas: Purees Or Mash
The puree is basically processed bananas that have been turned into a thick liquid or soft paste. Bananas mash is simply crushing the bananas using a fork until they turn into a paste. For purees, you need a potato ricer or sometimes a blender. But for the mash, you can do it easily with a fork.
Getting back to purees or mashed bananas solely depends on how you would like to use the squished bananas. While they are both the same, purees are a smoother version of banana mash. Because bananas are delicate fruits, it is equally easy to make any of the two: purees or mash.
How Can You Defrost Banana Puree?
Defrosting banana puree is quite simple. But there are ways to defrost the banana puree; it depends on how you intend to use the puree. The best way to use banana puree is in smoothies. Because then you can directly take the cubed banana puree from the freezer and blend it into a smoothie.
If you want your banana puree to defrost into its original consistency, take out the required amounts of the frozen cubes from the freezer, put them in a bowl, and let them defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Once it has been completely defrosted, you can use it in your preferred way.
How Can You Make Banana Baby Food?
The recipe to make banana baby food is quite simple. Baby food made from bananas only needs the bananas to be pureed. The process is quick and is a healthy way to introduce babies to solid food.
Banana baby food is an easy one ingredient recipe that requires only ripe bananas. All you have to do is peel and slice the required number of bananas; transfer them into a blender and blend them into a smooth paste. You can also add whole milk or plain yogurt for an added taste. Otherwise, your banana baby food is ready to eat.
Tips For Freezing The Banana Baby Food
Baby food needs to be stored carefully because you just cannot take risks with it. It is your duty to ensure that your baby is fed healthily and nutritiously at the same time. Check out the tips for freezing banana baby food here.
- Choose ripe bananas that have a sweet taste but are not overripe. Look for the ones that are yellow and have minimal brown spots on the skin.
- Put a few drops of citric acid; lemon juice or orange juice. This will stop the banana baby food from browning.
- You can store the food in airtight containers. But it is best if you freeze them as ice cubes before storing them in the freezer.
Now that you know the do’s and don’ts of freezing banana puree, make sure you follow the steps accordingly while freezing it on your own. Be careful throughout the process and do not let your banana puree turn brown.