Sometimes they seem to last forever, and other times you open the cupboard one day and your potatoes have suddenly turned into a prop from The Last Of Us, covered in bizarre looking tubers that are trying to take over your kitchen.
That’s why if you want to keep your beloved spuds lasting as long as you can, it pays to follow one hot tip from supermarket giant Tesco.
Tesco says it has a method to store potatoes to make them last six months ‘as fresh as the day you bought them’.
Tesco’s advice suggests that, rather than store in a plastic bag (like the one potatoes are often sold in), you should swap them into a paper or mesh bag.
You also need to store them away from other vegetables – especially onions – and put somewhere cool and dark.
Tesco says: “A couple of weeks after the weekly shop, potatoes will start to sprout, shrivel, shrink, and soften, especially if kept in the wrong conditions. However, follow our simple instructions, and you’ll make your potatoes last longer. Roasties all round!
“Your spuds need air circulation, so don’t suffocate them in a plastic bag. They’re best kept in a mesh or paper bag. It’s also crucial that potatoes are stored away from other fresh produce, particularly onions, as they release ethylene gas. This means that your fruits and veggies will ripen one another too quickly, so your potatoes should be stored separately to stop this.
“Potatoes must be kept in a cool dark place, otherwise the light will cause them to photosynthesize and – you guessed it – sprout. Plus, the temperature must be below 10°C. So, if you want your spuds to stay in tip-top condition, we recommend popping them in a paper bag and stashing them away in a dark place of your choosing: a porch cupboard or garden shed are all great options, and there’s always the fridge (if you’ve got the space).”
Before you put them into storage, you can toughen up your tatoes by ‘curing’ them first.
Tesco explains: “It’s important not to wash the potatoes, as this adds moisture that can encourage them to sprout. Instead, get rid of most of the dirt by brushing it off.
“Put the potatoes on a sheet of newspaper in a dark place – it’s important they don’t touch, as air needs to circulate between the spuds. Leave your potatoes here for a couple of weeks.”
After this, you can put them into your dark, cold storage spot of your choice.