How to Store Potatoes in the Kitchen - 14 Tips

How to store potatoes so they can last for a long time? That’s a very interesting question. You want them to last in good conditions at least for a week. Even if you just bought them at the grocery store, you don’t want your hard earned money to go down the drain. No, my friend is the duty of every potato lover to make sure they last for a long time. It doesn’t matter if is just one week or several months; potatoes are too valuable to let them be spoiled.

Storing potatoes in your home is a very easy task. And it is important to store potatoes the right way to keep them as fresh as possible.

Storing potatoes the right way can also make a big difference when you cook them as the potato storage conditions affect their color and taste.

Allowing your potatoes to get spoiled is almost a crime (well, maybe not that much, but is still pretty bad). Fortunately, there are several tricks you can use to extend their shelf life until you are ready to eat them! If you execute every one of these tips to the letter you are not only going to save some serious cash, but also you will enjoy potatoes for a longer time.

14 Tips on Potato Storage Ideas - Keep potatoes from spoiling:

1- The first thing you have to do is to store your potatoes in a cool, dark place with air flow.

2- The place should not be the refrigerator. Why? Because their starch will become sugar making them taste sweet and they will get dark if you try to fry them. If you do not mind the dark color when frying and the very sweet taste then you can leave them in the refrigerator.

3- You can take away some of the darkening (produced by refrigeration) by leaving the potatoes at room temperature for a week and a half.

4- If you peel or just cut the potatoes and you are not going to cook them immediately, you can refrigerate them in a container full of cold water to prevent them from darkening but it will only work for a day (for two days or more there are no guarantees).

5- If your climate is fairly cool or you just use a small amount potatoes for a week (for example 5 pounds or less), then you can simply store them in a basket placed in a dark area of the kitchen. 

(You could use a wood bin with ventilation, a net or paper bag in the absence of a basket.)

6- At room temperature they will keep for about one to two weeks, so try to use them within that time frame.

7- In case you live in the tropics, desert area or is simply summer (higher temperatures) and use a lot of potatoes weekly, then you should store them in a dark corner using a vegetable storage rack.

8- You should use various storage units to reduce spoiling, particularly if you are storing red potatoes as they tend to get damaged faster than other varieties. And also try to separate the potatoes as possible from each other.

9- Ideally, potatoes will remain in good condition for several weeks if stored between 43ºF (6ºC) to 50ºF (10ºC). The relative humidity should be around 95% to prevent them from losing water. If the humidity is too low, they get dehydrated and wither.

10- Do not store them in a plastic bag or plastic container unless they are perforated. The reason for this is you want good ventilation to diminish the chance of diseases.

11- You don't have to rinse the potatoes prior storing them but if you really want to do it, wait until they are completely dry to store them. Dampness can cause them to look wrinkled and shrunken; that is not a good sight when you are going to cook potatoes.

12- Do not expose potatoes directly to any kind of light (solar or artificial) because they will turn green and you will have to throw them away. Solanine is produced in the potato when any part is exposed to light for a prolonged period of time. It can be poisonous in large amounts so keep them away from the light.

13- If you have a basket (or a ventilated container you plan to use for storage) then you can use a kitchen towel made of cotton to cover the top, to avoid the sunlight.

14- Potatoes with sprouts can be used, just carefully remove the sprouts with a knife before cooking.

Now that you know how to store potatoes, you will always have more than enough to make scrumptious recipes for your family.

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