Potatoes can be tricky to store in a kitchen as they can quickly begin rotting and sprouting, but you can expand their shelf life by months if you know which container to keep them in. Keeping potatoes in plastic packaging will cause them to spoil very quickly, as plastic traps moisture and leads to condensation.
Why Potatoes Spoil Quickly
Most people do not realise that potatoes tend to sweat as they are stored, which means they will release a lot of moisture into the air. If you keep potatoes in an enclosed space like under the sink, tucked away in a cupboard or even in a plastic bag, then all that water will build up and eventually start to soften their skin. It is also not recommended to keep them on a kitchen worktop as potatoes are very sensitive to light, which can cause them to turn green, sprout and even become toxic to eat.
The Best Container for Potatoes
Sara Moulton, a chef and cookbook author, has shared that the absolute best way to keep potatoes fresh for a long time is to store them in a common object everyone will likely have in their home. She explained: “Potatoes keep best when placed in a well-ventilated container and stored in a dry location, away from sunlight, and at temperatures between 45 and 55 degrees F [7C to 13C]. That isn’t too easy to find in most homes today but if you place them in a paper bag, cardboard box, or bowl (not in a plastic bag) and keep them in the coolest part of the kitchen or a dry part of your basement, it should help their longevity.”
The key to storing potatoes is to keep them in an airy container with lots of room, as this allows plenty of airflow, which helps any water that leaks from them to evaporate quickly. Plastic traps moisture, and if you keep potatoes in their original supermarket packaging, condensation can build up, causing them to spoil faster. Paper bags or cardboard boxes are the absolute most effective way of keeping potatoes fresh because they are made from breathable materials that absorb moisture, helping prevent them from rotting. However, it is fine to store potatoes in any open container, such as a bowl or wicker basket, and it should keep them fresh for up to one or even three months longer than they usually would.
Where to Store Potatoes
Once you have potatoes in a container, then you need to keep them somewhere cool, dark, and still has a lot of space. A big mistake people make in the UK is storing potatoes in high cupboards, as heat and steam rise after cooking, and all that hot air will simply cause your produce to spoil quickly. It is best to keep potatoes in a lower cupboard away from the sink, oven, stove or any other appliance in your kitchen that generates a lot of heat. You can store potatoes in a pantry if you have one, but keep them on a lower shelf and away from garlic and onions, as these vegetables retain a lot of moisture. Potatoes can be stored in the fridge, but it is not ideal as the cold can break down starches, so they will not stay firm, and it can also affect their flavour. Simply keeping potatoes away from light, water and warm temperatures will ensure you get the longest shelf life out of your spuds so you can cut down on food waste this summer.
