This is the Ultimate Trick to Keep Your Potatoes Fresh Much Longer Without Sprouting

Even when stored in a dry, cool, and dark place, potatoes eventually soften and start sprouting. However, there is a little known but highly effective technique to preserve them for a longer time.

Many of us have found potatoes that we have forgotten about in a corner of the kitchen. Given that they are often bought in bags or nets weighing several kilos, there are usually some left that manage to escape being used. Although potatoes are known for their relatively long shelf life, they eventually start sprouting, like most tubers or edible bulbs, or they become seriously soft.

Fortunately, there's a trick to slow down this process and keep your potatoes fresh for longer. Contrary to popular belief, storing potatoes isn't just about putting them in the pantry or a dark cupboard, though it's true that they should be kept in a specific place, away from light and moisture. Cupboards, cellars, and basements are perfect locations, as long as they aren't too humid, because excess moisture promotes rot.

However, never store them in the refrigerator! While it is recommended to keep them below 10°C (50°F), cold temperatures turn the starch in potatoes into sugar, giving them an unpleasantly sweet taste and hastening their deterioration. It's also recommended to store them in a paper bag, a wooden crate, or a jute sack that allows for good ventilation while preventing light exposure, which triggers the sprouting process.

But the ultimate trick is to place an apple right next to your potatoes. Some fruits and vegetables release gases, and apples, in particular, emit ethylene gas when stored. This gas has the unique ability to keep potatoes fresh for longer and delay sprouting. A simple apple can significantly extend the shelf life of your potatoes while preserving their taste and nutritional qualities.

Another tip for keeping potatoes fresher for longer, is to regularly inspect and remove any sprouting or rotting potatoes, this can prevent the rest of your potatoes going bad. If you want to try something different, you could grow your own potatoes and then try to cure them before storage.

However, be careful: never store your potatoes near onions. Onions release a gas that, on the contrary, accelerates the sprouting of potatoes.