Potatoes are the most wasted food item in the UK, with 4.4million spuds binned daily. But a storage expert has shared a simple tip to keep them fresh for weeks – or even months
According to The Eco Experts, the average household bins a shocking 1.96kg of food daily, which equates to eight meals a week. As expected, fresh produce, especially fruit and veg, are the most commonly wasted items by people in the UK, with spuds topping the list.
Astonishingly, WRAP data reveals that a whopping 4.4 million potatoes are chucked away every day. Milk, carrots, ham and tomatoes makeup the rest of the top five most wasted items, but potatoes are far ahead, with 1,300,000 more being binned each day than milk, which is the second biggest culprit at 3.1 million.
In light of this, Vlatka Lake, a storage expert at Space Station, has offered some advice on how to properly store autumnal vegetables.
She’s shared a clever trick that could help potato lovers keep their spuds fresh for weeks – or even months.
Whether you’ve grown your own potatoes or bought them from the shop, they need to be stored correctly to prevent them from sprouting, going soft, or worse, getting mouldy, reports the Express.
Vlatka advises that potatoes last longest when kept in a cool, dry, dark place, as exposure to light and moisture can cause them to rot.
The same rule applies to other root vegetables like carrots and turnips.
She said: “Storing them this way ensures they’ll be good for weeks, or possibly all winter long.”
Unlike many other vegetables, potatoes also need proper ventilation, making it wise to avoid airtight containers when storing spuds. Despite other guidance, such as that from food expert and founder of The Full Freezer, Kate Hall, who advocates cold storage techniques, it’s now considered safe to keep potatoes in the fridge.
Kate explained that refrigeration is now acceptable due to revised guidance from the UK Food Standards Agency on safe potato storage.
She said: “Previously it was said we shouldn’t keep potatoes in the fridge as there were concerns that this could lead to extra sugars in the potatoes, which then turn to acrylamide when cooked – a substance that has been linked with the risk of developing cancer.”
Nevertheless, fresh research has determined it’s safe to store potatoes in the fridge.
It’s crucial, however, to ensure they’re completely dry before refrigerating them, so avoid washing them beforehand; instead, brush away any soil with a dry cloth.
For other autumn vegetables, Vlatka suggested using kitchen roll to soak up excess moisture.
She recommended rinsing spinach and kale and wrapping them in kitchen roll to dry, preventing early moulding.
Vlatka also issued a caution: “If your spinach is not in an airtight container, you must make sure you don’t store it adjacent or near to ethylene-producing fruits and veg such as your broccoli and sprouts, as exposure to this gas will speed up the decaying process.”
The food storage expert highlighted that broccoli “emits and is extra sensitive to ethylene”.
To extend its lifespan, she recommended wrapping it tightly in foil before placing it in the fridge, declaring: “The tin foil will help keep it fresh for up to a month.”
Lastly, regarding onions, garlic, and shallots, the specialist advised keeping them in a cool, dry, and well-ventilated spot out of direct sunlight.
She warned that dampness, light, and poor ventilation could lead to “mould and sprouting”.