Managing Potatoes

Tips for buying, storing and cooking potatoes

Buying

  • Potatoes should be fairly clean, firm and smooth.
  • Avoid potatoes that are wrinkled or have wilted skins or soft dark surfaces; cut surfaces with a green appearance.
  • Choose potatoes of uniform size for even cooking.

Storing

  • Store potatoes in a cool, humid (but not wet) dark place that is well ventilated.
  • The ideal temperature to store potatoes is between 7-10°C (45-50°F). At this temperature, potatoes can be stored for several weeks, however, potatoes should not be stored more than one week should the temperature be higher than previously indicated.
  • Warmer temperatures also encourage potatoes to sprout and shrivel.
  • Prolonged exposure to light causes potatoes to turn green and the greening causes the a bitter flavour and should be removed before cooking.
  • Potatoes should not be stored in the refrigerator. If potatoes are too cold they will develop a sweet taste.

Cooking

  • Gently scrub potatoes with a veggie brush or cellulose sponge to clean.
  • Leaving skin on the potatoes during cooking is a great way to retain a lot of the potato's nutritional benefits.
  • To shorten the cooking time of potatoes, cut them in smaller pieces.
  • Peeled potatoes turn brown rather quickly and should be tossed in a lemon juice mixture to retain their colour. Prolonged soaking in water is not recommended as it can result in some nutrient loss.