Best place to store potatoes so they last longer than ever - avoid one veg
Keep spuds fresh with a food waste expert's best advice.
The humble potato is a big staple across homes in the UK, but we’re all guilty of having ingredients go to waste after days of sitting in our cupboards.
As we make it through the new year, many will be looking at new ways to kick-start their healthy habits like cooking more at home.
According to new research from Aldi, over half of Brits admit they are ashamed about how much fruit and veg they throw away. The supermarket reported that tomatoes were most thrown away, followed by potatoes.
Food storage expert Kate Hall has shared exactly where to store spuds to make them last - in the fridge.
She said: "Potatoes are best stored in the fridge, which can help them last over three times longer! If you don’t have enough fridge space, keep them in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area like the garage and away from onions."
Meanwhile, Tesco advises not to suffocate your potatoes in a plastic bag as they need air circulation and suggests keeping them in a cool, dark place.
The supermarket says it's crucial to keep potatoes stored away from other fresh produce, especially onions, due to their tendency to release high levels of ethylene gas.
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Love Food, Hate Waste also put forward the unusual suggestion of storing your potatoes in the fridge.
The charity said: "We’re now recommending that they should be kept in the fridge at -5C. Doing so keeps them fresh for three times as long, so you’ll have lots more time to cook up something delicious with them."
Another tip from the food waste expert was to give your veg a drink.
Ms Hall explained that once your veg appears to be a bit bendy, try trimming the ends and submerging them in cold water, as it's likely the veg hasn’t gone bad but is just dehydrated.
Social media is a good resource for tips on how to keep their fresh food lasting longer, trying all sorts of hacks from hanging onions and garlic out of the window to wrapping banana stems in foil.
