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Bananas have been known and loved for years, being portable, convenient, and versatile in a multitude of recipes. Yet these potassium powerhouses are constant little bullies in the kitchen. They ripen whenever they feel like it and release enough ethylene to take down most fruit and vegetables near them in the process.

However, there is a simple thing you can do to prolong the ripening process and keep them yellow for as long as possible. To stop your bananas from going bad quickly and being relegated to smoothies or banana bread recipes, Facebook users have taken to the simple savers group to share their best methods of storing this delicious fruit.

Posing anonymously on the Simple Savers Facebook page, one user noted that bananas need to be kept away from other fruit and that a brown paper bag could help keep bananas fresh longer.

They wrote: "To the person who said their bananas did not last two days and then had to make banana cake. Storing bananas anywhere near other fruit makes them subject to 'off-gassing', which hastens the ripening of the bananas.

"Bananas need to be stored well away from all other fruit at home to prevent this. You may like to keep them in a brown paper bag with the top rolled over and pegged down if space is tight in your kitchen area. Doing this will prolong their life and save you."

This led other group members to share their best methods of storing bananas, with most of them recommending using the fridge.

Greg Rose said, "I store my bananas in the crisper of my fridge and take two out for breakfast. Works for me."

Deborah wrote: "I keep mine in the fridge, and this stops them from getting overripe." Julie Hart commented: "Put them in the fridge, they will go black on the outside but will still be fine to eat (not mushy)."

Another group member also recommended storing bananas in the fridge, but found better success after they wrapped the stems in newspaper.

Mark Horne said: "Wrap the stems in newspaper and store in fridge, lasts for around 15 days. Take out day by day when needed. Stored them bare in the fridge before, and they didn't last as long."

One other user recommended wrapping a wet paper towel around the stems, claiming that bananas don't even need to go in the fridge if stored like this.

Leigh Btchelor wrote: "My dad wraps the banana bunch end in a wet paper towel and they stay great for ages, even in the fruit bowl with other fruit, has to be kept damp though if it dries out, it goes straight off."