To store potatoes, keep them somewhere that is cool and dark as well as dry. If you aren’t storing for the long term, but simply want to keep them in good condition after you’ve bought them home from the store, keep them in a pantry or cabinet. Never leave them out on a countertop. Exposure to light causes them to turn green, making them bitter and quite toxic. So make sure those taters are kept in complete darkness.

Ideal storage areas are cool, dark places such as a kitchen cupboard, basement, cellar or garage. A warm, moist environment encourages sprouting, so make sure your chosen storage area has temperatures ranging from 5 to 10 degrees Celsius. Avoid storing spuds inside the fridge Sunlight or fluorescent light can cause potato skins to produce chlorophyll and turn an undesirable green color ( 1). Tempted to put them into the refrigerator? Don’t. ‘Storage temperatures below 45ºF can cause sugar buildup or sweetening,’ say the experts at OSU Extension.

Specialized Refrigeration

I have often used deep holes dug in the garden for temporary potato storage, but it is not a long-term solution because the potatoes tend to develop skin issues that are rare when potatoes are kept in dry storage. I tried storing potatoes in a buried garbage can, which should have worked but did not. The potatoes inside stayed too damp and went gooey, which could have been due to many factors, including my own mistakes. Specialized Refrigeration

First things first, you need to separate your potatoes so you know what you can use in the short and long term. If you spy any bruising or broken skin, use them up sooner and leave the unscathed potatoes for later on. Be sure not to wash your spuds before storing, the exposure to moisture invites rotting and greening to spread and will ultimately shorten the storage life. Where should I store them? If you have damaged potatoes that you know you will not be able to use before they go off, then you can freeze them. You can’t freeze them just as potatoes but you can make things like duchess potatoes, croquet potatoes or chips and freeze them. Ordinary mashed potato can be frozen, just make as normal and shape into patties. Freeze the patties and store in an airtight bag until required. Be aware the texture isn’t quite the same and they often seem watery so use as a topping for dishes like shepherd’s pie and bake in an oven until browned on the top. More on Harvesting & Storing Your CropsOnce cooked, your taters should be kept in a sealed, air-tight container and stored inside the fridge or freezer. Freeze some Solanine creates a bitter taste and causes a burning sensation in the mouths or throats of people who are sensitive to it ( 6). Storing raw potatoes inside the fridge poses a potential health risk. At low temperatures, potatoes double the amount of their sugar content, prompting the formation of acrylamide. It's hard to imagine life without potatoes. Whether you fry 'em, bake 'em, mash 'em, or turn them into your favorite potato salads—the best potato recipes can be cooked any which way. And if you know a thing or two about potatoes, you might already be aware that the spuds have a pretty long shelf life, so they're great to keep on hand. But how long do potatoes actually last? And how should you store potatoes, anyway? Here, we're breaking down the dos and don'ts when it comes to potatoes so you can keep them fresh for longer! You’ll find that pre-frozen potatoes will taste and feel slightly different than the fresh, unfrozen kind. You can easily compensate for this by adding more spices and seasoning while cooking the dish.

The best plug-in device for maintaining the ideal potato storage temperature of 45°F (7°C) is a beverage cooler, of which there are several small models that might be useful if you are critically low on cold storage space. You also can use a wine cooler set at its lowest setting, which is usually around 52°F (11°C). In fact, one study found that storing potatoes in cool temperatures more than quadrupled their shelf life, compared to storing them at room temperature ( 3). After all, there's nothing worse than reaching for Ree Drummond's favorite crispy crash hot potato recipe only to find that your spuds are green and sprouted. Or when the hankering for cheese fries strikes and you can't find a fresh potato in sight! If you know how to store potatoes, you can extend their shelf life for as long as possible. (Bonus: Storing them properly helps retain their vitamin content, too!)

Make sure the tubers are not touching each other to prevent any potential rot from spreading. Wrap in newspaper However, many countries have mandatory guidelines that limit the amount of solanine in commercial potatoes to under 91 mg per pound (200 mg/kg), so this is not a common concern ( 8, 9). A fresh potato smells like the ground it’s grown in, but a potato that’s gone bad will smell mouldy and musty. How to use leftover potatoes Keeping your spuds fresher for longer, this Potato Preserving Bag has been specifically designed to reduce the amount of potatoes you have to throw away, making it the perfect addition to any home kitchen.

Even if you don't have a cooler storage location than your kitchen, take care to avoid the warmest spots in the room: Don’t store your potatoes next to the oven, under the sink, or on top of the fridge. In case you have time for extra food preparation, it is best if you can freeze chopped and blanched potatoes. As freezing raw potatoes imposes a health risk, make sure to pre-cook potatoes before storing them in the freezer. Storing potatoes in these conditions can help delay the formation of sprouts on the skin, one of the first signs of spoilage. If this speaks to your battle-weary soul, fear not. As it turns out, there are perfectly natural and logical explanations for potatoes sprouting limbs and looking like they’ve been infused with plutonium. And what’s more, there’s a perfectly realistic way of storing your spuds. Why do potatoes sprout?While washing off the dirt from your spuds may be tempting, remember not to expose potatoes to water if the goal is to store them for a longer period of time. Doing so avoids unnecessary moisture which can lead to spoilage. Remember, keeping your spuds dry creates a longer storage life. Store Away from Other Fresh Produce PRO Tip: use a vacuum sealer for extra caution. After all, exposure to air for blanched potatoes leads to spoilage.