Most people think they can store any food in the refrigerator, however, this doesn’t fully apply to potatoes. One of the reasons is that if you store your potatoes in the refrigerator, the potato starch will become sugar due to the cold temperature.
Potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) have been consumed for over 10,000 years and are a staple in many civilizations. They’re an excellent source of carbs and fiber, in addition to being high in potassium.
These delicious tubers can be baked, boiled, roasted, fried, or dehydrated in a variety of ways. Proper storage can help them last longer and reduce spoilage. Potatoes should be kept in a cool, dry place, such as a pantry cabinet, in a paper bag or cardboard box.
Potatoes survive more on the counter than other fruits and vegetables, but they ultimately develop green shoots and forfeit their quality and taste. They’ll stay fresh for weeks, if not months if you know how to store them correctly.
Although, you want to preserve your potatoes for future use and probably you don’t know ways to go about it. Don’t worry in this article, I’ll explain various ways to store potatoes without refrigeration.
Important Facts About Storing Potatoes
The following are some important Facts about Storing potatoes:
Though potatoes are cut off when harvested, they continue to breathe and, in a way, exist on grocery store shelves and in your home. When oxygen from the atmosphere reacts with the sugars in patats, carbon dioxide and water are produced and exhaled from the roots.
Storing potatoes in a cold, dark (but not forgotten) location speeds up decomposition, prevents sprouting, and sweetens the tubers to some extent.
It’s also a good idea to keep potatoes and onions separate while storing them. Though they often appear to be two peas in a pod because they’re used in the same recipes, they’re not.
Keeping them both together, on the other hand, is more harmful than beneficial. Both of these root vegetables have a high moisture content, which can cause them to spoil more quickly.
They release ethylene gas when combined, which helps the fruit ripen faster. Instead, keep them separated in a well-ventilated place to ensure that they last as long as possible.
How To Store Potatoes Without Refrigeration
The following are various ways to store potatoes without refrigeration:
Store them away from direct sunlight
Potatoes should not be kept on the countertop in the open. They should last for one to two weeks if kept in a dark drawer, basket, closet, paper bag, or bamboo vegetable steamer. A clear plastic bag, such as the one used to package potatoes, is not the best way to keep potatoes fresh. Plants, after all, are potatoes.
If they come into contact with sunshine, they will begin to photosynthesize, turning green, wrinkled, and eventually rotting. Keep them in a well-trafficked area of the pantry so you don’t forget about them, not out of sight or out of mind.
Recommended: Find the best potato storage containers here
Ensure proper airflow
Transfer your potatoes to a well-ventilated container or a paper or mesh bag, such as the Five Two Organic Cotton Reusable Produce Bags. (Because they’ll be producing carbon dioxide and water as vapor, things might become a little wet.) If you want to store them in the plastic bag they arrived in, make sure it’s perforated and not tightly sealed at the top.
Keep them separate from your onions
It’s easy to just dump both your potatoes and onions into a pantry basket and call it a day; after all, they like to be stored in similar ways. However, resist the urge to combine them (along with potatoes and avocados, potatoes and bananas, and potatoes and apples) because this could lead your potatoes to sprout.
Stay away from warm areas
Even if you don’t have a cooler storage space than your kitchen, try to stay away from the room’s hottest spots: Keep your potatoes away from the oven, under the sink, and on top of the refrigerator. Potatoes will sprout if the temperature is higher than their recommended storage temperature, but colder isn’t always better.
Read also: how to compost potatoes
Conclusion
I hope you find this article helpful. I would like to hear from you. So, let me know if you have any questions about how to store potatoes without refrigeration. Are you growing your own potatoes? Learn how to harvest potatoes here.
References
- “How to Store Potatoes so They Last for Months (Yes, Months)” retrieved from here
- “4 Storage Tips to Keep Potatoes Fresh” retrieved from here
- “5 Ways To Store Potatoes So They Last For Months” retrieved from here
