How Long Are Potatoes Really Good For?

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For the most part, potatoes are a pretty hardy vegetable. Farmers like growing them because they essentially act as a perpetual crop that comes back year after year, they withstand cold climates, and are inexpensive to grow. People enjoy them not just because they are delicious, but also because they are nutrient-dense – packing in vitamin C, potassium, protein, fiber, vitamin B6, and iron — and are satiating as well as satisfying. They'll also last relatively longer than other vegetables — up to two months. But if you want to get the most life out of potatoes, there's one thing you need to do: store them properly.

When it comes to storage, potatoes can be persnickety. If you currently have potatoes sitting on top of your counter, in a brown paper bag, or in the refrigerator, you're cutting down the shelf life. Potatoes should be stored in a cool, dark, dry place away from direct light and the heat of your oven, stove, dishwasher, or other such kitchen appliances. Although that might seem to eliminate much of your kitchen, placing them in a dark pantry or a ventilated cabinet will suffice.

Raw potatoes should not be refrigerated for more than one to two weeks. Potatoes contain a lot of starch which converts to sugar with time. Cold refrigerator temperatures speed the process up. But don't think you can turn your white potatoes into sweet ones. The resulting sweetness can be unpleasant and causes the spuds to discolor. Cooked potatoes will last in the freezer for 10 to 12 months, but if they aren't already cooked, you'll get the best results by blanching and cutting them up into smaller pieces first.

There are several tell-tale signs your potatoes have gone bad, but as a testament to their hardiness, you can often cut away the parts of the spud that have been affected. A green tint just under the skin is caused due to the development of a compound known as solanine, which forms when the potato is exposed to a lot of light. Solanine has a bitter taste but is not necessarily harmful. While solanine can cause diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, it does so only if consumed in large quantities –- a 200-pound person would need to eat over two pounds of these green bits in one serving to get sick. Since solanine tends to stay near the skin, you can remove it before cooking by peeling the potato, or if it's just in a few spots, by cutting out any part that has turned green.

You should also watch out for sprouted potatoes. Potatoes sprout –- from the divots we call the eyes of the potato -– when they are exposed to light, humidity, and warm temperatures. Sprouts also grow as a result of the normal aging process. As with a spud that has turned green, you can eat a potato that has sprouted, but you should remove the affected areas since they also contain solanine. Although dirt cheap potato peelers work well, swivel peelers, like those from OXO Good Grips, often have a built-in scoop or sharp area at the tip that helps remove any eyes and sprouts. Potatoes can also get moldy but again, you can cut off any small areas of mold before cooking. According to the USDA,  it's hard for mold to penetrate through dense foods like potatoes, so they are still usuable.