Why You Should Be Storing Potatoes In A Cardboard Box

Just as you probably already own the perfect container for transporting deviled eggs, the perfect storage receptacle for your potatoes is likely already lying around somewhere. While leaving potatoes in their original packages is usually a safe gamble for long-term storage, your root vegetables might have grown a couple of sprouts and pack less flavor after eight weeks of such treatment. There is an out-of-the-box — well, kind of — solution for these storage woes: a cardboard box.

Even after eight weeks of being stored in a cardboard box, your potatoes will likely remain firm, moist, and packed with flavor, thanks largely to the just-right humidity that's encouraged by the semi-porous cardboard. Depending on the variety of potato, there may be some initial sprouting after eight weeks; however, these sprouts are not as intense as the kind that would arise after the same length of time in other storage conditions. If stored in a bowl or basket for about the same length of time, you may find that the sprouts are inches long! The sometimes thorny decision of whether or not you should eat sprouted potatoes is less likely to come up if the spuds are stored safely in a cardboard box.

Generally, potatoes should be stored in a dry and dark place, as too much moisture can lead to sprouting. Yet potatoes will start to lose moisture on their own if stored in too dry an environment. That's where your spare box comes in. The pores of cardboard boxes enable them to absorb moisture and helps maintain an ideal humidity level for potatoes. These root vegetables should also be stored in a cool — but not cold — location, as colder temperatures can lead to overly sweet potatoes.

Exposure to light can also spell bad news, leading to green or spoiled potatoes. Luckily, a cardboard box is the perfect defense against those frightful photons. The flaps at the top don't even need to be closed all the way in order to fulfill their protective duties (though, of course, that depends on the exact dimensions of the box and where it's sitting). As reliable as a cardboard box is, you can ensure your potatoes are even more protected from spoilage by storing them with apples, since they can help prevent them from sprouting. And, naturally, you should be thoughtful about where you put your box, paying close attention to ambient temperature, humidity, and other factors. At the end of the day how you store your potatoes is up to you, but at least promise us you won't store onions and potatoes together.