Buying
Look for clean, smooth, firm-textured potatoes with no cuts, bruises or discoloration.
Proper Storage
- Store potatoes in a cool, well ventilated place.
- Colder temperatures lower than 50 degrees, such as in the refrigerator, cause a potato’s starch to convert to sugar, resulting in a sweet taste and discoloration when cooked. If you do refrigerate, letting the potato warm gradually to room temperature before cooking can reduce the discoloration.
- Avoid areas that reach high temperatures (beneath the sink or beside large appliances) or receive too much sunlight (on the countertop).
- Perforated plastic bags and paper bags offer the best environment for extending shelf-life
- Keep potatoes out of the light.
- Don’t wash potatoes (or any produce, for that matter) before storing. Dampness promotes early spoilage.
“Green” or sprouting potatoes
- Green on the skin of a potato is the build-up of a chemical called Solanine. It is a natural reaction to the potato being exposed to too much light. Solanine produces a bitter taste and if eaten in large quantity can cause illness.
- If there is slight greening, cut away the green portions of the potato skin before cooking and eating.
- Sprouts are a sign that the potato is trying to grow. Storing potatoes in a cool, dry, dark location that is well ventilated will reduce sprouting.
- Cut the sprouts away before cooking or eating the potato.
Potatoes are one of Mother Nature’s best-kept secrets. This delicious, family-favorite vegetable is not just good but good for you. With just 110 calories, one medium, skin-on potato provides 45% of your daily value of vitamin C and more potassium than a banana. There are hundreds of innovative and healthy ways and reasons to make potatoes part of your dinner. Visit potatogoodness.com for more information, including some great recipes.
And just for fits and giggles here’s a Swedish outdoorsman with a bonkers way to use a potato to cook an egg, waste most of the potato — and scare away mosquitos — all at the same time.