How Long Do Potatoes Last?

Discover how long potatoes will stay fresh in your pantry!

By: Kristin Anderson, Editor, RecipeLion.com

Potatoes are a terrific vegetable to have on hand. You can make so many easy recipes with them! From easy mashed potatoes for dinner to crispy diner-style hash for breakfast, they are an anytime food (and a real crowd pleaser).

Plus, did you know that potatoes are rich in Vitamin C, potassium, and fiber? That's right. Potatoes are actually healthier for you than you might think. They contain more potassium than bananas!

So, with all of these benefits of eating potatoes, you may be wondering about the best way to store them and how long they last.

We can help with that.

And we're actually excited to tell you all about the shelf life of potatoes, because we think that it's just another reason why they are awesome.

Potatoes last a lot longer in your pantry than most other vegetables. So, you can probably buy that big bag of potatoes at the store with confidence.

As long as you store them properly, it's likely that you and your family can finish them before they go bad! Keep reading to discover how long potatoes last and the best way to store them.

How Long Do Potatoes Last?

Stored properly, potatoes will last for 2-3 months or more.

This is a much longer shelf life than most vegetables, making potatoes a great purchase if you want to have some vegetables on hand without a return trip to the grocery store.

However, in order to make sure you get the full shelf life out of your potatoes, you will want to keep reading about the best way to store potatoes.

How to Properly Store Potatoes

Don't wash potatoes until you're ready to eat them.
Don't store potatoes in a plastic bag.
Do store them in a cardboard box, mesh bag, basket, or other well-ventilated container.
Do store potatoes in a cool, dark place. 45-50 degrees F is ideal.
Do store potatoes in a humid place. An unheated basement can be a great location (or a root cellar, of course).
Do inspect potatoes regularly for signs of mushiness, mold, or shriveled peels. Toss any potatoes that are going bad to preserve the rest of your stock.
Don't store potatoes directly next to onions or other produce.
Don't store uncooked potatoes in the refrigerator. It will turn their starches to sugar, changing the flavor of the potatoes.

The most important thing to remember is this: Store your potatoes in a cool, dark place with good ventilation. And throw out spuds as they start to go bad.

What if I don't have a good place to store potatoes?

What if you don't have a cool, dark place to store your potatoes? Don't worry! Your potatoes won't turn to mush in 5 days.

Just follow as many of the guidelines above as you can. Keeping potatoes well-ventilated and out of the sunlight will help a lot.

For example, I have potatoes stored in my pantry (which is dark, but much warmer than 45-50 degrees) in a plastic bag that has holes cut in it to encourage air circulation. The potatoes have stayed fresh for 3 weeks now!

Store potatoes in a basket to keep them well ventilated.

How Do You Know if a Potato Has Gone Bad?

Everyone will get a slightly different shelf life from their potatoes. So, it's important to identify when potatoes have spoiled so that you can throw them away.

Potatoes have gone bad if they show any of the following:

Shriveled or shrunken appearance
Soft or mushy to the touch
Visible mold
Black or slimy spots
Bad smell

On the bright side, you can still eat potatoes if they have a few sprouts. Just cut them off and prepare your potatoes like usual.

You can also cut off small spots of mold and eat the rest of the potato, if you want to. Just cut at at least 1 inch below and around the spot of mold, being sure to keep your knife out of the mold so it doesn't contaminate the fresh part of the potato. Clean your cutting board and anything else the mold might have touched, as well.

Sprouted potatoes can still be eaten. Just cut off the sprout and cook.

How Long Do Cooked Potatoes Last?

Leftover cooked potatoes will last for 3-5 days in the refrigerator. Store them in an airtight container.

Easy Potato Recipes

Now that you know all about how long potatoes last and how to store them, let's talk about some of our favorite delicious potato recipes! There are so many possibilities, so we are just sharing a few of our all-time most popular dishes.

Ultimate Comfort Potato Soup
Diner-Style Home Fries
Aunt Bee's Cheesy Potatoes
Sweet Potato Mac 'n' Cheese
Hamburger Potato Casserole