How to Store Potatoes
Learning how to store potatoes will extend their shelf life. While I love potatoes, nobody likes a potato past it’s prime! We all know cool and dark is a good thing, but with so many different types of potatoes, let’s look at what’s best when it comes to not only storing them, but how to buy them.
The most popular potato variety would be your basic baking potato. Idaho baking potatoes, white potatoes, red potatoes and yellow potatoes, along with new potatoes. The Idaho potato has a brown skin with “eyes”. Your other potatoes mentioned are more round than oval, and have a lower starch content.
When it comes to buying potatoes, you want to choose potatoes that are not bruised, are firm, and have smooth skins. If they have little sprouts on them, you don’t want those. Avoid dark spots or potatoes that have a sunken area. You also don’t want to buy potatoes that are too green. I prefer a smooth, brown skin on my potato, without any blemishes or sprouts.
When you store potatoes, you’ll want to find a cool, dry, dark area. There are potato bins you can purchase, or you can use a drawer or cabinet. The object is to make sure it’s a dry area. For instance, our basement gets moist, so I’d avoid storing potatoes there. One other thing I want to point out is NOT to store your potatoes in the fridge. They’re a high starch vegetable, and that starch will start to change to a sugar.
Here are two choices if you’re looking for unique storage for your potatoes, onions or other root vegetables:
When it comes down to it, the potato is a great, inexpensive food to add to your family dinners. Not only is it a vegetable, but it’s low in calories too. It offers fiber, along with other good nutritents. It’s easy to store, and with so many different ways to prepare potatoes, you’re not limited by choice! Now that you know what to look for in a potato, and how to store potatoes, check out some of the great recipes and enjoy them!
Here are a couple recipes to get you started: