How to store potatoes – and how long do cooked potatoes last?
Raw potatoes keep best somewhere dark, dry and cool, at about 7–10 °C (45–50 °F), such as a cellar or garage. Stored like this they often last several weeks. Cut away green patches and sprouts generously. If a potato is mostly green or heavily sprouted, throw it out. Cooked potatoes keep in the fridge for about 2–3 days.
Potatoes: storage and rough guide
| Storage | Rough guide | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Raw, dark and cool (about 7–10 °C / 45–50 °F) | often several weeks to months | Paper or hessian sack, not plastic |
| Raw, in a warm kitchen | only briefly, use soon | Sprout and turn green faster |
| New potatoes | short shelf life | Thin skin, use them quickly |
| Raw, in the fridge | experts disagree (see below) | Fry or roast only to golden, not dark |
| Cooked, in the fridge | about 2–3 days | Chill within 2 hours, cover well |
| Cooked, mashed or gratin, frozen | up to about 3 months | Thaw in the fridge, eat within 24 hours |
| Raw, frozen | not recommended | Turn soft and mushy when thawed |
How to store potatoes the right way
- Dark: Light turns potatoes green, and that is where the natural toxin solanine builds up.
- Cool: About 7–10 °C (45–50 °F) is ideal, for example a cellar or an unheated room. Too warm and they sprout quickly.
- Dry and airy: Use a paper or hessian sack, a wooden crate or a basket. Plastic bags trap moisture and encourage mould.
- Apart: Keep them away from apples and onions. Apples give off ethylene, a ripening gas that makes potatoes sprout sooner. Next to onions, both spoil faster.
- Check them regularly and remove any soft or rotting potatoes straight away.
Should you keep potatoes in the fridge?
Food agencies don’t fully agree here. The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) changed its advice in 2023: a study reviewed by its experts found that home fridge storage doesn’t materially raise acrylamide, so raw potatoes can go in the fridge, which also helps them last longer. Swiss and German authorities still advise against it, because cold turns starch into sugar, which can form more acrylamide when you fry, roast or bake.
Our take: if you have a cool, dark spot, use it. If you keep potatoes in the fridge, cook them only to golden, not dark brown. That keeps acrylamide lower either way.
Green patches, sprouts, wrinkles: what to do
- Small green patches and sprouts: cut them out generously, including the sprout eyes. That is where most solanine sits.
- Badly or mostly green: throw the whole potato away.
- Heavily sprouted, very wrinkled or soft: don’t eat it.
- Tastes bitter: stop eating it.
- Cooking does not destroy solanine, so cutting it away matters. If in doubt, throw it out.
How long do cooked potatoes last?
Cooked potatoes keep in the fridge for about 2–3 days in a sealed container. Cool them and put them in the fridge within 2 hours of cooking. Spread large amounts into shallow containers so they chill faster.
Don’t leave baked potatoes wrapped in foil sitting around warm: keep them hot until serving or chill them quickly. If cooked potatoes smell sour, feel slimy or show mould, throw them away.
Can you freeze potatoes?
- Raw potatoes don’t freeze well: they hold a lot of water and turn soft and mushy once thawed.
- Cooked, mashed or as a gratin they freeze well for up to about 3 months.
- Let them cool completely first and pack them airtight.
- Thaw in the fridge and eat within 24 hours. Don’t refreeze.
Frequently asked questions
Can you eat sprouted potatoes?
If the sprouts are small, yes: cut out the sprouts and the area around them generously. If the potato is heavily sprouted, wrinkled or mostly green, throw it away.
How long do cooked potatoes last in the fridge?
About 2–3 days, as long as you chilled them within 2 hours of cooking and kept them covered. If they smell sour or feel slimy, bin them.
Can you freeze raw potatoes?
Better not. Raw potatoes turn mushy when thawed. Cook them first, or freeze them as mash or gratin, and they keep for up to about 3 months.
Why shouldn’t potatoes be stored next to apples?
Apples release ethylene, a ripening gas that makes potatoes sprout faster. Keep onions separate too, otherwise both spoil sooner.
All figures are guidelines for food that is stored correctly and kept chilled. No guarantee: when in doubt, throw it out. Take extra care during pregnancy and with young children, older or vulnerable people.