Costco bananas don't seem to ever ripen (what's the trick)?

[Malcom "Mal" Reynolds]

that seems to happen to you quite frequently

[zhifei.shao]

I have same experience. It took three weeks for the bananas to become soft, not ripe. I put them in garage where the temp is usually 80 in the afternoon. it does not work. I am guessing some chemicals or fertilizer is the cause.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Try putting them in a paper bag. It concentrates the ethylene gas.

Many supermarkets have ripening rooms to process them to various stages.

[F Murtz]

Probably ungassed, they ripen slower.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Sadly, most of the fresh fruits and veggies in supermarkets really are under-ripe flavorless things picked to be able to ship thousands of miles without damage.

Some of the strawberries are big and red and sure look pretty, but they have no flavor. Peaches may or may not be edible when they finally ripen. Sometimes they are mealy. Seedless watermelons have half the flavor of the old long seeded ones we grew up with.

This time of year you can skip the suprmarket and head to the local farmer's market and get real fresh food, just picked, full of flavor.

[Mayayana]

| Sadly, most of the fresh fruits and veggies in supermarkets really are | under-ripe flavorless things picked to be able to ship thousands of | miles without damage. | | Some of the strawberries are big and red and sure look pretty, but they | have no flavor. Peaches may or may not be edible when they finally | ripen. Sometimes they are mealy. Seedless watermelons have half the | flavor of the old long seeded ones we grew up with. | | This time of year you can skip the suprmarket and head to the local | farmer's market and get real fresh food, just picked, full of flavor.

Or at least not go to Costco! Whole Foods has organic bananas at a reasonable price. I've been getting good, organic peaches at WF lately. I've also been getting some things at local farmers markets, but there's not much fruit in yet. But one has to do research and try each batch, even at Whole Foods. They've gone corporate and can't be trusted. (I can't count how many times I've pointed out wrong country-of-origin signs on produce to clerks who couldn't care less.) What's good this week at WF may not be good next week. And even WF is turning into a factory food outlet, while also driving small natural food stores out of business. Next to the current crop of organic peaches (on sale!) are organic grapes from Anthony's. Sounds good? Anthony's is using fracking water that may be tainted with heavy metals to get through the California drought. (The organic law doesn't cover the topic of sourcing water.) I've been buying the surprisingly good, and non-bloated, non-organic grapes. WF also carries Driscoll's berries, which have their own hybrids and operate like the Perdue of produce -- getting smaller farmers to act as subcontractors, forcing them to grow the Driscoll's hybrids using Driscoll's methods. I wouldn't touch a Driscoll's product, for both moral and health reasons. This week I walked into a WF and was met by a young, attractive woman who wanted to give me a coupon for Stonyfield Farms yogurt. SF was bought years ago by Dannon (Danone). It's factory scale yogurt. I once saw that they buy "organic" strawberries from China! Meanwhile I can get a few brands of local, organic yogurt. So all of that is happening within just a few limited categories at Whole Foods. People who shop at mainstream chain stores have far less chance of buying truly edible food. People who shop around still need to educate themselves.... and at least pay attention enough to realize that a tart, crunchy plum or a mealy peach is not an edible foodstuff. :)

[rbowman]

I'm somewhat cynical about the local farmers' market. Much of the produce isn't in season and if there are that many truck gardens in town they certainly are well hidden.

[Ed Pawlowski]

The farmer's market in town here twice a week is certified by the state. If you did not grow it, make it, or raise it, you cannot sell it. Most of the regulars also sell out of their farm locations too.

There are some farm stands that do sell stuff they get from wholesalers, but they are not much different than the supermarket.

[bob haller]

banasas are picked not ripe. and are supposed to be gassed right before sale.

apparently the missed their gas...........

[rbowman]

Other than the cherry stands up around the Flathead during the season, I can't think of a farm stand around here. The one produce vendor I have confidence is the guy selling Dixon melons out of the back of his pickup. I've seen the melons growing in Dixon and he only shows up in season. The people doing baked goods, jerky, and so forth are also believable.

If anything the farmers' market prices are higher than the supermarkets. They are selling the intangible idea that their stuff must be better, tastier, and so forth.

[gregz]

Never saw bagged bananas in my groceries.

Greg

[Ed Pawlowski]

Only place I've seen them is Costco and BJ's because the sell a minimum amount. Local grocery stores sell them by the pound so you can buy just one or two if you'd like.

[Ameri-Clean]

This topic is over 3 years old so I might as well get my 2 cents in. I buy Costco bananas frequently and they always ripen. Sometimes they appear not to ripen based on skin color, but the inside does get ripe. If you've had t hem 3 or 4 days and they still look unripe, try one and see. I never store them in the plastic bag because then they go from green to rotten.

[Thane]

One gas used is ethylene. You can try ripening bananas by putting an apple in a bag with the bananas. Apples give of this gas.

Thane

[Tekkie®]

Thane posted for all of us...

Does Al Gore know this? What will be banned first-the apple or banana? This MUST be discussed at the world gas conference!

[Thane]

If it's a fruit question, ask Bob Dole.

Thane

[idinavahi]

We've had a bunch of bananas where only 2 out of 5 or 6 that ripened. From Costco. Now we only get green bananas that have a little yellow on them. It seems to work.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Put them in a paper bag for a day or two.

[mbraitenbach]

I think I'm done with Costco green bananas for the same reason. Over a week and they're still green and firm. I tried to peel one with a knife and it won't even peel properly. Took a bite and spit it out. Tastes nothing like a banana. This isn't the first time but is likely the last.

[gregz]

Your not supposed to bag bananas.

Greg