Potatoes are a versatile ingredient that can be used in so many different dishes and you can keep them fresh for up to a year by storing them correctly
There’s nothing more frustrating than making a weekly trip to your local supermarket, filling your trolley with fresh produce, only to end up binning most of it due to poor food storage methods.
Not only does this result in a significant amount of food waste, but it’s also a nightmare if you’re trying to cut costs.
Mastering the correct way to store your favourite fresh produce will help it last longer, and it’s an excellent method to save money. Potatoes are one particular food that can last much longer than anticipated if they are stored correctly. In fact, one expert claims you can keep them fresh ‘for a year’ if stored in a specific way – and it doesn’t involve storing them with other fruits or vegetables.
The video was posted on YouTube by Survival HT, a channel dedicated to helping people make their food last as long as possible, whilst saving money and reducing food waste.
The expert praised her potato storage tip as ‘so easy a toddler could do it’, and there’s no need for any fancy equipment for this hack, reports the Express.
It also works with any type of potato, including sweet, so it’s a very versatile trick too. And to do it, you only need two things – a cardboard box and some soil.
How to keep potatoes fresh for a year
The expert first explained why potatoes that you buy from the supermarket often don’t last as long as home-grown ones, hailing the plastic bag as the main culprit for bad spuds.
Potatoes tend to ‘sweat’ when they’re wrapped in this material which can accelerate the rotting process. Also, packaged potatoes have already been washed, which means more moisture and a higher chance they’ll go off.
However, preserving them is simpler than you might imagine. Just grab a cardboard box and arrange your potatoes in a single layer, then cover them generously with soil.
Ensure both the soil and your potatoes are thoroughly dry beforehand, as this is crucial for preventing rot. The soil creates a protective barrier against moisture and other potatoes in the container, preventing any dampness from spreading.
Potatoes showing shoots or damaged areas shouldn’t be stored using this method, as they can quickly contaminate other potatoes and spoil the entire batch, so inspect each one thoroughly before storing.
You can also create multiple layers of potatoes with additional soil between each level, if you have large quantities to preserve. Then, seal the box and store it somewhere cool and dry, and your spuds will remain fresh ‘for a year’.
Simply brush away the soil whenever you want to cook one. The expert added: “If you end up not eating them, you can always use them as seed potatoes and grow them again.”