If you want your bananas to stay fresh for an entire week, make sure to keep them away from these two specific foods.

If you're frustrated with your bananas spoiling too soon, we have some helpful suggestions that will extend their freshness and maintain their quality throughout the week. Often, we throw all our fruits into one bowl, but this practice can lead to quicker spoilage for certain fruits, such as bananas.

To ensure your bananas stay fresh all week long, it's important to keep them away from certain fruits, specifically apples and tomatoes. These fruits emit a natural gas known as ethylene, which speeds up the ripening of surrounding fruits.

This innocuous gas serves as a chemical messenger that accelerates the ripening process of bananas, leading to quicker yellowing and the appearance of brown spots. Here are four tips to help you maintain the freshness of your bananas for an extended period:

1. Store them separately from other fruits: Especially those that produce high amounts of ethylene, such as apples, tomatoes, pears or avocados.
2. Cover the stem with cling film: This can help reduce the release of ethylene by the bananas themselves, potentially giving you an extra five to seven days of natural ripening time.
3. Avoid exposing them to high temperatures: A cool, dry place is ideal for delaying ripening.
4. Keep them hanging: Using a fruit hanger can prevent bumps that also speed up deterioration.

When you see those recognizable brown spots beginning to show up on your bananas, it's a good idea to place them in the refrigerator. This can help to slow their ripening. While it may seem unusual since bananas thrive in warm tropical environments, the cool temperature of a fridge might actually be beneficial in prolonging their freshness.

Keep in mind that although the skin may darken, the interior will remain firm and the flavor will not alter. On the other hand, if you store a green banana in the refrigerator or wrap its stem, it will remain green and unripe.

By utilizing these suggestions, you can manage the ripeness level of your bananas.