Now that summer is coming to an end many people will be dreaming of making their favourite stews, soups or casseroles to warm themselves up once the cold weather begins.
Many of our favourite cosy dishes have potatoes as a key ingredient, but stopping them from sprouting before their time can be tricky if you do not know how to store them properly.
Karen Lamar, a storage expert from Organic Cottonmart, has shared that one of the worst mistakes people make is storing potatoes on the kitchen counter near certain vegetables.
She said: “When it comes to long-term storage, onions and potatoes outlast many others. So, why not just store them together in the same place? Well, that might not exactly work because onions release ethylene gas, which causes potatoes to sprout.”
Potatoes should be stored far away from onions, garlic and tomatoes as they release a lot of ethylene gas, a plant-growing hormone which helps produce ripen to have a tastier flavour.
Not only will these vegetables cause potatoes to begin sprouting before their time but they also have a high water content, which means they release lots of moisture and can cause potatoes to become mouldy,
Instead, the best place to store potatoes is somewhere dark and dry such as a cupboard or drawer in your kitchen to keep them fresh for much longer.
Karen said: “It’s a good idea to keep the potatoes as far from sunlight as possible. Too much light can trigger greening, tricking the tubers into producing chlorophyll.
“Greening makes potatoes bitter and high in solanine – a neurotoxin. Such potatoes are best avoided.”
“It’s equally important to steer clear of places with high moisture to save your stock from sprouting and rotting. The solution? A dry, dark spot such as your basement, cellar, pantry, or an out-of-the-way kitchen nook.”
Once you have found the best spot in the kitchen to keep potatoes fresh then they need to be taken out of any plastic wrapping and stored in a breathable container so they get plenty of air.
Karen said: “Good ventilation is crucial for keeping your potato stash fresh for longer. Lack of airflow can cause potatoes to accumulate moisture and spoil quickly from the growth of mould and bacteria.”
Storing potatoes in open paper bags, mesh bags or a fabric bag will help protect the vegetable to prevent them from becoming mouldy or sprouting.
If potatoes are stored correctly then they can stay fresh for two to three months longer than they normally would, which can help you cut down on food waste to save some money on your shopping.
