How to best store the potatoes for a long shelf life

Read on to know how you should store potatoes correctly.

If stored carefully and properly potatoes have a fairly long shelf life than other vegetables. The chances of a prolonged shelf life increase by manifold if the potatoes are chosen carefully and only healthy are picked from the market. Read on to know how to correctly store and keep potatoes for them to last long.

Use paper bags

Potatoes are one of the few vegetables that can last several months if stored in an open paper bag or in a paper bag with several holes. These holes in paper bags help the air to circulate and prevents the buildup of moisture inside the bag and among the vegetables. Avoid using plastic bags as they tend to trap moisture and results in premature rotting of the vegetable.

Dark place

Upon the exposure to sunlight, potatoes start producing solanine, which, if ingested, is harmful to our health. This means potatoes should be ideally stored in a dark place away from sunlight. Avoid storing potatoes on the countertop as the best place to store them is cupboard, cabinet, closet, root cellar, and pantry.

Cool place

Store potatoes at an ideal temperature between 7 to 10 degrees, which makes root cellar an ideal place to store potatoes. Do not refrigerate potatoes as the cold temperature will convert the starch to sugar and change the flavor of the potato. If potatoes are stored at room temperature they may last for only up to two weeks.

Dry area

The place where potatoes are stored should be dry, well ventilated, and free from excess moisture as the presence of moisture can quickly spoil potatoes.