topic Re: Storing Potatoes in Kitchen

Storing Potatoes

beach-mom — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 03:34:45 GMT

Where do you store your potatoes? I've always kept mine in the bottom of the pantry, and that's been fine - until now. The last two 5 lb. bags I've bought have gone bad in a little over a week. I don't want to keep them in the garage because I'm worried about mice getting to them. Any advice? TIA!

Re: Storing Potatoes

sunshine45 — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 03:44:22 GMT

i keep mine in a basket in the garage.

the mice never bother with the potatoes.

i also keep my onions, lemons, limes there also.....especially this time of the year. i practically have a small grocery store in my garage.

Re: Storing Potatoes

Mellyg — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 04:24:36 GMT

I feel like @sunshine45 @with having a market in my garage! I keep potatoes, squash, onion, garlic, and citrus. I live in an area prone to a lot of mice and critters; knock on wood I've never had an issue with them in the garage. But I do keep the produce in baskets on a shelf.

Re: Storing Potatoes

ECBG — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 04:26:32 GMT

Our potatoes are in the basement.

Re: Storing Potatoes

homedecor1 — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 04:37:32 GMT

I stopped buying 5lb bags of potatos mainly because if I don't use them w/in week they rot🤷‍♀️

I think it's our crappy food store Publix (our area) because they put in freezer/cooler and they don't sell quickly. Case in point, few weeks ago I bought red potatoes to make potato salad -- put in my pantry which is dark/cool after a couple of days I smelled a horrible smell...yuck they were bad☹️

At $5.99 I took them back. Now I buy "single" potato's when I need them unless I plan to use right away.

Re: Storing Potatoes

Foxxee — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 05:18:35 GMT

In the vegetable bin in one of the refrigerators. They stay fresh for months there.

Re: Storing Potatoes

January121 — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 05:35:36 GMT

@Foxxee wrote:
In the vegetable bin in one of the refrigerators. They stay fresh for months there.

@Foxxee ..... that’s exactly where I keep my potatoes...along with the celery, lettuce, carrots, apples etc .... I don’t have to worry about mice & everything is safe & stays for a few weeks 😉

Re: Storing Potatoes

Pook — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 08:26:13 GMT

@beach-mom I wrap mine individually in newspaper and they stay good when kept anywhere.

Re: Storing Potatoes

godi — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 10:13:58 GMT

I only buy what we need it's just two of us and I would never use that many potatoes before they rotted. Has anyone noticed how bananas don't last anymore? I buy them and they rot so fast. Is it my house? 🤣

Re: Storing Potatoes

candys mine — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 11:17:59 GMT

Under the pantry shelving by the outside corner in the kitchen. In A PAPER bag. take them out of the plastic bag they came in so the air can circulate. Moisture is not good for pototoes.

Re: Storing Potatoes

CalminHeart — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 11:40:41 GMT

I keep mine in the refrigerator. They seem to last longer for me.

Re: Storing Potatoes

Harpa — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 12:15:19 GMT

Refrigerator. Lasts for several weeks, no problems.

@godiI don't know why it has never occurred to me to only buy what I would use in the week. I've never noticed goldens, though, selling by the piece. Anyway, we don't do potatoes very often.

Re: Storing Potatoes

novamc1 — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 12:33:54 GMT

I don't care what the "experts" say against storing potatoes in the fridge, which they claim has something to do with altering the potato's starch.

I store mine in the fridge vegetable bin and they stay useful for a long time. No smells, no spoilage, even after two weeks and maybe more. I never buy more than 2-3 pounds at a time, however.

Rats or mice in my garage or anywhere near my house would freak me out and put our neighborhood pest control company on speed dial for me and all of my neighbors!

Re: Storing Potatoes

hopi — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 12:32:24 GMT

So many of the potatoes that I have puchased as of late have gone bad or taste offl

It seems they are still selling last years crop.

Re: Storing Potatoes

deb5555 — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 13:09:31 GMT

We have something similar to this, works great.

Re: Storing Potatoes

shoptilyadropagain — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 13:54:33 GMT

I keep mine in a a crock that sits on my kitchen floor. I keep my kitchen pretty cool and they normally last a good 3 weeks but I may give the fridge a try.

Re: Storing Potatoes

SXMGirl — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 14:19:36 GMT

I am not a big potato eater; but, when I get them, I have a Pioneer Woman potato cannister, which is pretty and perfect. It holds up to 5 pounds of potatoes.

Re: Storing Potatoes

LindaSal — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 17:34:48 GMT

Wow, I'll have to look up that potato canister, I haven't seen one of those. I keep mine on top of my garage refrigerator in the winter and in the summer months in the vegetable drawer in the fridge.

Re: Storing Potatoes

ROMARY — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 17:45:51 GMT

'For sure', take them out of the plastic.

I know I'm not supposed to store in fridge, but I have been doing this for years. Spread out.

Also, if storing anywhere else, in a cool, dry spot, try hanging them in one of those 3-tier hanging baskets. Good air circulation. But, make sure it's a cool, dark-ish dry area.

Those 3 tier hanging baskets are great for storing other vegetables such as round onions, etc.

Re: Storing Potatoes

chickenbutt — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 18:06:05 GMT

I don't buy them pre-bagged, rather I choose how many I need as my needs are fairly small.

I wouldn't put them in the refrigerator. What I've always heard is that refrigerating them converts the starch to sugar. But the thing is, the body does that also upon consumption. So, unless that changes the ability to make them do what you want in cooking, I suppose that doesn't matter. But I still don't.

What I do is put mine on top of the washing machine. It's away from any hot spots and it's pretty dark and cool in there, plus it's right next to the garage.

I lay them out with the plastic produce bag open as wide open as possible so they are just more sitting atop the bag than anything. That's always worked well but I can't think of a scenario where I have stored them for more than a week or two. I don't live in a traditionally humid climate so I think that's also helpful.