Potatoes stored in this unusual room will keep fresh and sprout-free for months

Daily Record

28-05-2025

Stop storing your tatties in the kitchen as another place will help them stay fresher for way longer
Potatoes are a shopping list must for most households. Their versatility is one attraction, they can be boiled, mashed, roasted and made into chips and the fact they are a great side to so many meals mean the humble spud is a staple food.
And while we all know how to cook them up, storing them is another story. How many times have you gone to a bag of potatoes only to find them spoiling with sprouts growing out of the skins? But that's because we are storing them in the wrong place in the house and even the wrong room, according to one expert.
‌
Potatoes can stay fresh for up to five months if stored correctly and while there are lots of ways to keep them fresh, with experts even suggesting storing them in the fridge, finding a bit of suitable space in the kitchen can sometimes be an issue.
‌
But they can be kept in another room in the house, one you would probably never think of and they will last for a few months.
However, they must also be stored without their plastic bag packaging that they are usually sold in, reports The Express.
Keeping them in the plastic is a sure fire way to see your potatoes go off quickly.
Plastic is notorious for trapping moisture, which can accelerate spoilage in potatoes and lead to them sprouting in just a few weeks.
Instead, they should be placed into a bag which is made of more breathable material such as paper. A cardboard box with holes in it is another good option if you have a lot of spuds to store.
‌
Garden expert Randy Lemmon said that instead of the kitchen where space could be at a premium, another idea space is a place that is cool, dark and somewhere that has good airflow to prevent them from going mouldy.
Randy suggests that you could instead put your spare room to use and place them under an unused bed in shallow boxes.
An unused bed makes an ideal storage spot, maintaining a steady airflow and keeping potatoes away from light and other produce, like onions, which release gases that can lead to their spoilage.
‌
While they can be kept for up to four months here, it's important to check in on them every now and then and look out for any sprouting or green patches.
Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.
You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.
All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in!
If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like.
To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Any spoiled potatoes should be removed from the box to ensure the rest stay fresh.
‌
While it was once a rule that potatoes should never be kept in the fridge, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) updated that advice in 2023.
It had been said that storing potatoes in cold temperatures was a risk due to the formation of Acrylamide, which was originally associated with the risk of developing cancer.
However, this guidance was reversed by the FSA following a study by the Committee on the Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT).
It found the storage of potatoe s in the fridge doesn't materially increase acrylamide forming potential when compared to storage in a cool, dark place.