How To Store Potatoes

To save money and avoid wasting food, you should know how to store your groceries correctly, starting with everyone's best spuddy: the potato. You may have previously tossed potatoes and the rest of your favorite veggies in a refrigerator drawer, but they require more specific conditions to last their longest. 

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Storing your produce properly not only ensures your food lasts longer and saves you money, making it one of the 35 ways you can reduce food waste in your home.

First, according to the Idaho Potato Commission, you should not wash your spuds until immediately before you prepare your cheesy, mashed, baked or loaded potato dishes. The residual dirt actually protects the spud and prevents it from spoiling prematurely. 

Potatoes should also never be stored in the refrigerator. The temperature there is too cold and may result in a slightly sweeter taste. To ensure longevity, potatoes should be stored between 45 degrees Fahrenheit and 55 degrees Fahrenheit, preferably in a cellar or cupboard far from the oven. 

You can choose whether to store your spuds in the grocery store paper bags or in a basket or bowl. Just keep the potatoes away from sunlight. When exposed to too much light, they may develop a greenish skin. These potatoes  are still safe to eat after being peeled. However, the color does give the potato a more bitter flavor. 

Light is not the only thing you should keep away from your spud. Onions and potatoes may pair well in dozens of scrumptious casseroles, however, when uncooked, onions release a natural gas that makes spuds sprout faster.

With your potatoes now perfectly stored, you can wash and add them to cozy soups and stews or comforting casseroles for breakfast, lunch, dinner or whenever.