Potatoes can easily last for a long time or not, let’s find out! They are a people favourite! Is there anything that can beat a bowl of yummy homemade mashed potatoes? Veggie burgers without fries also sound pretty incomplete! Is it vital to make sure you know how long potatoes last?
Hence, it’s concluded potatoes are a necessity! So all the home-cooked meals with a side of potato become even delicious. This also helps you understand if your potatoes are safe to eat yourself and dish out to your family and friends. Here are all the things you need to know about potatoes and how long they will last; keep reading!
Also check out How To Freeze Sweet Potatoes?, and How To Freeze Carrots.
The Shelf Life of Potatoes: How Long Do They Last?
Potatoes are a yummy treat if cooked in the perfect way and with the right kind of ingredients. But at the same time, the length of their storage depends solely on how long they stay fresh, and some factors contribute to this.
That means unless the aspects are favourable, your potatoes may become worse, or you won’t be able to use them. So it’s essential that you need to keep in mind how they are stored and whether they’re cooked before being stored or not.
Remember that potatoes that aren’t cooked can last you until a week or even a few months, especially if kept in cooler temperatures. If your pantry or root cellar has room temperature, they might not last as long as they will if kept at a cooler temperature.
But after potatoes are cooked, they may last you till four days maximum if kept in the fridge, but if you keep cooked potatoes in the freezer, they may last you until a year. Yes, that’s right, you can store mashed potatoes for a year, but the quality won’t be as promising and yummy as it is on the day it’s cooked. Keep reading to learn more!
Do Potatoes Last Longer When Stored In the Fridge?
Is it true that potatoes last longer if kept in the fridge? Potatoes are a vegetable that’s commonly known to lose colour and turn brown or green. It’s imperative to know your temperature when storing potatoes; that’s right!
You need to make sure your potatoes aren’t kept at temperatures lower than 50 degrees because this may become a problem for your potatoes. Lower temperatures mean that the starch in your potatoes turns into sugar pretty fast, resulting in the discolouration that appears on the potato skin and inside.
This also causes a change in the flavor of this vegetable, so either store it in a cooler temperature that’s above 50 degrees or prepare to see your vegetable go bad. You surely don’t want that! Turn up the temperature and watch your potatoes last!
Do Potatoes Last Longer If You Store Them In A Cool, Dark and Dry Place?
Remember, potatoes love moisture, and if they are stored in a place that makes them a bit damp, trust us, they’re bound to grow and sprout! Keeping them in dry, dark, and cool places keep them fresh and good as new, but if you end up taking them out and storing them in an area that lets the sun reach the potatoes, then keep in mind, this is a bad sign!
Your potatoes, if exposed to sunlight or light in general, end up making chlorophyll and glycoalkaloids. This means that they turn green and taste very bitter. So the best and appropriate place to store this vegetable is to keep it in an area that’s cool, dry, and dark, so they stay fine. It could be your fridge drawer, your pantry too. Make sure they’re away from the heat of your oven or store because this can also result in getting spoiled and rotten potatoes. You do not want that!
Do They Last Longer If They Are Ventilated?
While purchasing this vegetable from your nearby grocery store, have you seen the small holes poked in plastic bags where the potatoes are stored?
These holes are here for a reason! Potatoes are bound to release a gas that’s carbon dioxide and vapour, and if it has nowhere to go, it may result in rotten potatoes. You must leave the potatoes in their bag only so they stay good or keep them away in a paper bag or a cardboard box so they can easily breathe. This keeps the air coming and going, and your potatoes stay ventilated!
Signs That Indicate Potatoes Have Gone Bad:
Even if potatoes are taken care of and maintained, it’s likely to happen that they end up getting spoiled, and you need to tell tales so you can quickly figure out if your potatoes are good or you need to get rid of them today!
What Happens When Cooked Potatoes Go Bad?
It’s a little tricky to figure out when cooked potatoes go wrong, but there are some tips to keep in mind when checking. When potatoes are cooked, they have their distinctive smell, but if they turn nasty, they have a pretty strong odour and visible mild that indicates you need to throw them right now! It’s better to not store them for longer and eat them within the time frame of 4-5 days; make sure you heat them before use, so bacteria dies too.
What Happens When Sprouted Potatoes Go Bad?
Did you know that sprouts are an immediate sign that your potatoes have gotten spoiled? Sprouts, also known as the eyes of the potato and need to be removed because these contain toxic compounds that may result in digestive problems such as vomiting, headaches and diarrhea.
Keep in mind that the green parts also need to be cut and the sprouts; the rest of the potato is safe to use if you see your potatoes growing sprouts devour them before they lose their flavour and crunch.
Bottom Line:
We all know that potatoes are pretty starchy vegetables popular for their shelf life, but it solely depends on how they are stored. Make sure you throw away all those that are discoloured and have a strong odour, the rest you can use to eat and enjoy!
How To Freeze More Vegetables?
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