Helpful Hints
Buying
All Varieties
- Choose potatoes that are clean, firm, and smooth with a regular shape and are of uniform size. Beware of choosing potatoes that are soft to the touch or have excessive cuts, cracks, bruises, discoloration, or decay.
- Potatoes with a green cast to their skin color have been over-exposed to light. This can cause a somewhat bitter taste. Simply trim the green part away when you are preparing potatoes.
Storing
Raw Potatoes
- Don’t wash raw potatoes before storing – washing them speeds development of decay.
- Store potatoes in a cool (40 – 50º F), dry, well ventilated, dark place to protect them from light exposure and to inhibit quick sprouts from growing. If your potatoes do begin to sprout or grow, cut off the sprouts. If you don’t have good storage available, buy in smaller quantities and more often.
- Do not refrigerate or freeze uncooked potatoes as this changes the potatoes' starch into sugar. This alters the taste of potatoes and causes the flesh to darken when cooked.
Leftovers
- It’s best to refrigerate any leftovers within two hours of serving to prevent food-borne illnesses. Leftovers should be consumed within a few days.
- We don’t recommend freezing cooked potatoes at home as they become watery upon reheating. The potato is 80 percent water; and when frozen, this water separates from the starch and nutrients.
Prepping
For Best Results
- Before cooking, gently scrub potatoes with a vegetable brush under cool running water.
- Most nutrients are preserved when potatoes are cooked and eaten with the skin on. If peeling, use a vegetable peeler or sharp paring knife and keep the peeling very thin since many of the nutrients are found close to the skin.
- Sometimes potatoes that are cut and uncooked can take on a pinkish or brownish discoloration. This darkening or discoloration is similar to that of cut apples from exposure to air. It’s due to the carbohydrate in the food reacting with oxygen in the air. Potatoes that become discolored in this way are safe to eat and do not need to be thrown out. The color usually disappears with cooking. Preserve the color of cut potatoes by storing them in cold water, and add lemon juice or a little vinegar. Limit water soaking to two hours to retain water-soluble vitamins.
