I still have 5 pound bags of potatoes from the sale the other week, so we are using potatoes as the basis of a lot of our meals this week. Potatoes, stored properly, can hang around for a long time and stretch your SNAP and food stamp benefits. I keep mine stored in a bottom kitchen cabinet. My mom stores hers in a closet off her kitchen in a milk crate. Here are some tips for storing potatoes.
1. Keep Them Out of the Sunlight (but Not Out of Sight).
Don’t store potatoes out in the open on the countertop. Keep them in a drawer, in a basket, in a closet, in a paper bag—anywhere that's dark—and they should last for one to 2 weeks. A clear plastic bag, like that kind that potatoes are packaged in, are actually not ideal for storing spuds. Potatoes are plants, after all. If they see sunlight, they will do their photosynthesis thing and turn green, and eventually wrinkle and rot.
And remember, out of sight, out of mind—keep them in a spot where you don’t forget about them.
2. Make Sure They Still Have Airflow
Either transfer your potatoes to a paper or mesh bag, or a well-ventilated container. (They will be releasing carbon dioxide and water in the form of vapor, so things can get a little too damp.) If you’d like to keep them in the plastic bag they came in, make sure it’s well-perforated and that the top isn't tightly sealed.
3. Don’t Store Them Next to Your Onions
It’s tempting to toss both your potatoes and onions together in a basket in your pantry and be done with it—after all, they both like to be stored basically the same way. But resist temptation, because keeping them together (along with potatoes and avocados, potatoes and bananas, and potatoes and apples) might encourage your potatoes to sprout.
4. Avoid Warm Spots
Even if you don't have a cooler storage location than your kitchen, take care to avoid the warmest spots in the room: Don’t store your potatoes next to the oven, under the sink, or on top of the fridge.
This week I am featuring a lot of potatoes to take advantage of the bounty of potatoes I bought on sale. I am planning to peel, cook, and mash a 5 pound bag and use for the cottage pie and the leftovers as sides for the rest of the week.
Monday-
- Breakfast- Leftover pancakes, banana
- Lunch- Ramen, crackers, cucumber slices
- Dinner- Cheesy Cottage Pie, biscuits, cooked apples
Tuesday-
- Breakfast- Oatmeal, banana
- Lunch- Leftovers or sandwiches, crackers, orange
- Dinner- Vegetable soup, grilled cheese sandwiches
Wednesday-
- Breakfast- Egg, toast, banana
- Lunch- PB&J sandwiches, crackers, apples
- Dinner- Cheesy Pinto Beans (using this as a basis, going to use dried beans and mash with a masher instead of using a blender), rice, peas
Thursday-
- Breakfast- Eggs, toast, banana
- Lunch- Leftovers, crackers, carrot and celery sticks
- Dinner- Polish sausage, mashed potatoes, sauerkraut, green beans, bread and butter
Friday-
- Breakfast- Oatmeal, banana
- Lunch- PB&J Sandwiches, crackers, carrots and celery
- Dinner- Baked Bean and hot dog coin Biscuit cups, corn
Saturday-
- Brunch- Fried egg and bologna sandwiches, fried potatoes and onions
- Dinner- Fake jambalaya, cooked carrots, garlic toast
Sunday-
- Brunch- Pancakes, homemade pancake syrup, scrambled eggs
- Dinner- Chicken sandwiches, roasted cubed potatoes, veggies and dip
Have a good week!
~ Sarah
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