Here's The Worst Place In Your Kitchen To Store Potatoes

Potatoes can keep for two to three months, but only if you protect them from light, heat, and poor ventilation. Unfortunately, many places in your kitchen have these conditions.

Stored next to a window or on the kitchen counter, potatoes can come in contact with sunlight or fluorescent light, which can cause them to undergo photosynthesis and turn green.

This freaky green hue can also be accompanied by the production of the illness-inducing chemical solanine, particularly if sunlight is involved.

You should also avoid storing potatoes under the kitchen sink or in a cabinet near the oven, as the higher temps in these spots can dry out potatoes and cause them to sprout.

The top of the fridge is also too hot for storing potatoes. Inside the fridge isn't a solution, either, since temps below 45 degrees Fahrenheit can convert their starches to sugar.

Finally, if stored in a container with no ventilation, like a plastic bag or a lidded bucket, potatoes can become too moist and spoil quickly. They need adequate airflow.

Instead, store potatoes somewhere with a temperature between 45 to around 55 degrees Fahrenheit and good ventilation such as a cool, dark basement or an old-school root cellar.