How to Store Potatoes Whole

It can be tempting to check an item off your to-do list and wash your produce right when you bring it home. But press pause: Potatoes, like nearly every other fruit and vegetable, lasts the longest if you wait to wash it right before using.

“Any introduction of moisture to a potato will just encourage any bacteria or fungus to grow on the skin of the potato, decreasing its shelf life,” Brekke says. When the time comes, “a simple scrub with water and a vegetable brush will usually do the trick. Really dirty potatoes might require a short soak to help loosen some of that dirt before scrubbing.”

If you grow your own potatoes, feel free to use your hands to brush off the larger pieces of dirt from the exterior, but don’t wash them before storing.

With your dry roots at the ready, follow these pointers for how to store potatoes.

• Go dark. A pantry, basement, or root cellar—if you’re lucky enough to have one—are all terrific options. Potatoes are plants, and are actually still alive when they’re picked, the Idaho Potato Commission confirms. So when they’re exposed to sunlight, they will start to emit chlorophyll. Green potatoes tend to wrinkle and rot far more rapidly.
• Dial in the temp. You’re aiming for the “Goldilocks” temperature of between 45° F and 50° F. Too hot, and they’ll spoil faster. Too cold, which a refrigerator definitely is, and the starch in potatoes will start to convert into sugar. In addition to tasting sweeter than you’re used to, refrigerated potatoes tend to discolor when cooked.
• Allow for air flow. A basket or mesh produce bag (try hanging it over a doorknob or other above-ground object) is ideal, Brekke says. Or try an open-topped cardboard box. If the plastic bag you purchase them in comes with air flow holes, which many do, feel free to keep the potatoes in there—just loosen the seal to allow for more air and moisture to enter and exit.
• Avoid these fresh potato foes. Keep potatoes separated from their ethylene-producing produce peers. Check out our guide to fruits and vegetables you should never store together for a cheat sheet.

Potatoes stored in these conditions should last for several weeks and up to a few months, Brekke says. You can store potatoes at room temperature; just plan to use them within about 1 week, the Idaho Potato Commission recommends.

If potatoes start to sprout during that time, you can still use them. Simply use a knife to trim away the sprout and any green areas of flesh, then cook as desired.

“The presence of potato sprouts does not indicate spoilage, but because the potato is putting energy into sprouting, the nutrients in the potato are beginning to decline—and so is the shelf life. Use the sprouted potatoes first in your recipes,” Brekke advises.

So how do you know if your spuds are spoiled? Watch for what Brekke deems are telltale signs of not-so-hot potatoes:

• Soft spots
• Shriveled or wrinkled skin
• An unpleasant odor