Potatoes are a staple in British cuisine. Whether they are mashed, roasted, fried, or baked, they are a delicious addition to any meal.
When getting ready to cook a tasty meal using potatoes, there’s nothing worse than reaching for them only to find they have sprouted, wrinkled or turned a nasty green shade.
Whether households are green-thumbed and growing their own potatoes or stocking up at the supermarket, it is essential to know how to store them at home.
When purchasing them from the supermarket, before storing them, the first task is to remove them from the plastic bag as they need air circulation.
Sharing on the @goodfoodforgood TikTok, an expert posted a “simple hack” they claim to be “game-changing” when storing potatoes.
The video was captioned: “This tip will keep your potatoes fresh for longer. Save money and prevent waste with this hack. You can thank us later.”
The expert said: “This one simple hack is a game-changer when it comes to keeping potatoes fresh.
“Did you know that storing your potatoes with apples can actually help them from sprouting?”
This is because apples produce a gas called ethylene which “slows down sprouting”.
The ethylene produced by apples can also generally keep potatoes fresh for longer.
While ethylene has been shown to slow down the ripening of potatoes, when it comes to other vegetables and fruit, it can actually speed up the process and cause them to quickly go bad.
So be sure not to keep apples next to items that are especially sensitive to ethylene, such as onions, melons, broccoli, and peaches.
The food pro added that households should also store their potatoes in a “cool, dry place – like your cabinet”.
What about storing potatoes in the fridge? Until recently, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) recommended that potatoes be stored in a dark, cool place at temperatures above 6C.
However, its new research shows that it is safe to store potatoes in the fridge, and that doing so they argue that it even increases their shelf life.
