To store potatoes for months, keep them cool, dark, dry and well ventilated in a paper sack or a cardboard box with air holes. Keep them away from onions, heat and sunlight, and check them regularly so you can remove any that start to spoil.

Potatoes are sturdy, but a warm, bright or damp spot can have them sprouting or going soft much sooner than you’d like. Here’s a practical guide to keeping your spuds in good condition at home.

The best place to store potatoes

Aim for a cool, dark, dry place with a little airflow: a pantry, cupboard or suitably cool utility room can work well. Put potatoes in a paper sack, hessian bag or cardboard box with holes. These let moisture escape while keeping light off the skins.

Avoid sealed plastic bags. They can trap moisture, leaving potatoes damp and more likely to deteriorate. If your potatoes come in plastic, move them into breathable packaging when you get home.

Keep the storage spot away from:

• Light, including a sunny windowsill, which can cause potatoes to go green.
• Heat, such as a cooker, boiler or radiator, which can encourage sprouting.
• Onions. Store them separately; together, they can encourage potatoes to sprout sooner and spoil more quickly.

Should you put potatoes in the fridge?

For the best flavour and cooking results, a cool, dark cupboard is our first choice. Very cold storage can prompt some potatoes to convert more of their starch into sugar, which may make them taste sweeter and brown more quickly when cooked.

There is a little nuance here: Love Food Hate Waste lists the fridge as a storage option, and UK guidance recognises it can be used. If the fridge is your only reliably cool, dark place, it’s a reasonable alternative; keep the potatoes dry and give them airflow. Just bear in mind that their cooking results may differ, particularly for frying or roasting.

How long do potatoes last?

These are rough guides, not promises. Variety, freshness, temperature and how the potatoes were handled all make a difference. Check your potatoes regularly and use them while they’re firm and sound.

A garage or shed can seem ideal, but temperatures can swing a lot. Keep potatoes away from damp, frost and direct light, and bring them indoors if conditions become unsuitable.

Why do some potatoes sprout sooner?

Potatoes that have been stored for longer before you buy them may already be closer to sprouting. Plastic packaging can also trap moisture, which is one reason potatoes can deteriorate sooner if left in it.

Freshness at the start helps, but storage still matters. Our Comber spuds are grown by John Hamilton in Comber, one of the local farmers we work with. His farm-grown produce is freshly harvested and delivered daily, giving the potatoes a head start on freshness; a cool, dark, well-ventilated spot at home helps them stay in good condition.

Sprouts, green patches and soft potatoes

Check your potatoes now and then, and take out any that are damp, damaged or starting to spoil so they don’t affect the rest.

If a potato is still firm and has just a few small sprouts, rub or cut the sprouts off before cooking, then use it promptly. If it’s soft, badly shrivelled or has green patches, it’s safest to bin it. Don’t rely on cooking to make a green or spoiled potato suitable to eat.

Green colour is a sign the potato has been exposed to light. Keeping potatoes covered and out of the sun is the best prevention.

Can you freeze potatoes or cook them ahead?

Raw potatoes generally don’t freeze well: freezing can leave them watery or grainy once thawed. For a better result, prepare them first:

• For roasties: Parboil peeled or chopped potatoes until just starting to soften. Drain, cool, dry thoroughly and freeze in a single layer before transferring to a freezer-safe bag or container. Roast from frozen with hot oil.
• For mash: Cook and mash the potatoes, let the mash cool, then portion and freeze in an airtight container. Thaw in the fridge and reheat until piping hot.
• For leftovers: Cool cooked potatoes promptly and keep them in the fridge in a covered container. Love Food Hate Waste advises using refrigerated cooked potatoes within two days and frozen portions within three months.

When you have potatoes to use up, make roasties, add them to soup, or try potato bread or fadge for a proper Northern Irish favourite. Leftover cooked potatoes can also be sliced and fried, or added to a meal with other veg.

A few common questions

Should potatoes be washed before storing?

No. Store them dry and brush off loose soil if needed. Wash or scrub them just before cooking.

Can you store potatoes and onions together?

It’s better to keep them apart. Storing onions beside potatoes can encourage quicker sprouting and deterioration.

How do you stop potatoes sprouting?

Choose a cool, dark, dry place, keep potatoes in breathable packaging and check them regularly. Avoid warm cupboards, sunlight and storing them beside onions.

Can you freeze raw potatoes?

Raw potatoes don’t usually freeze well because their texture can suffer. Parboil them first, or freeze them cooked as mash.

Why do potatoes go green?

Light exposure can turn potatoes green. Store them in a dark place, and bin any potatoes with green patches.

For more about the grower behind our local produce, meet John Hamilton of Comber. You can browse our potatoes range online, visit us in our Newtownards shop, or order for delivery across Northern Ireland. Check our delivery information for available dates, then choose your potatoes at homegrownni.com.