Boil them, mash them, or stick them in a strew, potatoes are a much-loved kitchen staple that is an essential part of most people’s food shopping.
While potatoes should have a long shelf life and should last weeks, one food expert has pointed out that few people know how to store them correctly, as they should never be stored in a fridge.
Nikole Goncalves is a self-described “passionate health nut” who enjoys showing other people how “easy and delicious” it can be to make healthy recipes online.
Nikole said: “As a best-selling cookbook author and recipe developer for almost 10 years now, testing out different methods on how to get my food to last the longest is part of my job.”
However, Nikole has begged people to stop keeping potatoes in the original plastic packaging they come in, as storing potatoes like this can make them quickly go soft, mouldy or even begin sprouting.
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How to store potatoes correctly
In one video, Nikole explained: “If you’re still storing your potatoes in the plastic bag that they come, in or putting them on the counter or definitely not in the fridge, you want to be doing this instead.”
Nikole said the best way to keep potatoes fresh is to store them in an open paper bag in order to help air circulation and then they should be stored in a “dark cool place” such as a cupboard or under a countertop, but not in a fridge.
Nikole explained that keeping potatoes in the fridge, in plastic or even stored with other vegetables will also affect their taste. She said: “It will actually make the potatoes taste dark and change the flavour of them, which we do not want with our fries.
“I’ve been victim to this, but you do not want to be storing your onions in with your potatoes because they actually let out a gas which is going to make your potatoes sprout and go bad faster.”
Potatoes produce a small amount of ethylene gas, a growth hormone which will increase the rate potatoes begin to decay, and make them sprout faster if placed near onions. They can also pick up odours from onions, which will affect the taste.
Potatoes need to be kept away from light, have a cool temperature and have plenty of air ventilation in order to keep fresher for longer.
Nikole said: “When you store your produce properly, they will last so much longer, which means you’re gonna save money and prevent a lot of food waste in your kitchen.”
In Nikole video comment section, many people thanked for for the simple food storage advice.
One user said: “The potatoes I just bought sprouted within two days, I needed this advice, Thank you!”
Another person wrote: “I’m saving my McDonald’s takeaway bags just to try this!”
Someone else commented: “This is an awesome idea. My potatoes seem to sprout so fast, so I’m now trying this, thank you!”