As another heatwave grips the country with temperatures forecast to top 30°C again, experts say you should change how you store your potatoes. Fresh food spoils faster in the heat, and potatoes left in the wrong place can turn soft, sprout or develop green patches within days, making them one of the most frequently binned foods.
Fridge Beats Cupboard
For generations, the advice has been to keep potatoes in a dark cupboard, but that guidance is now out of date. The latest research shows potatoes actually last up to three times longer when stored in the fridge rather than a cupboard, yet 80 per cent of people are unaware of the switch.
There is a catch, though—your fridge needs to be at the right temperature. Storage experts recommend keeping it between 3°C and 5°C, the optimum range for slowing spoilage and preventing bacterial growth, but most British fridges are running around two degrees too warm.
Expert Advice
Molly Borys, from AlbertBartlett.co.uk, said: “The potato isn’t just a wonder food, it’s the answer to plenty of summer’s dilemmas. Store it right and you’ve got an instant helper on hand to get you through the hottest days. It’s vital that shoppers know about the new expert storage advice so they can prolong the life of their potatoes and save money and food wastage.”
Consumer expert Kate Hardcastle added: “When household budgets are under pressure, consumers often assume saving money means making big sacrifices. In reality, some of the most effective savings come from getting more value out of the everyday essentials already in our homes.
“Potatoes are one of the UK’s most affordable and versatile foods, yet millions are still thrown away unnecessarily. A simple change in how we store and use them can help families waste less, spend less and make their food budgets work harder during the summer months.”
The Potato Survival Guide
Store potatoes in the fridge with room for air to circulate, ideally in a clean, dry paper bag or mesh vegetable net rather than a sealed drawer. They shouldn't be washed before storing, and should always be kept dry.
It's also worth ditching the plastic, as potatoes are often sold in sealed bags that trap moisture and speed up spoilage. Switching to breathable paper or mesh, and popping in an apple alongside them, can help further, as the ethylene gas apples naturally give off is known to slow down sprouting.
Whatever your storage set-up, it pays to check potatoes regularly for sprouting or green patches. These can be a sign of solanine, a natural toxin, so any green or sprouted potatoes should be generously cut away or thrown out rather than eaten.
Some shoppers have avoided the fridge because of old concerns about acrylamide, a compound linked to high-temperature cooking. That worry has since been debunked, and modern research confirms fridge storage is safe, making it one of the simplest ways to keep potatoes at their best for longer this summer.
