Have you ever reached into your pantry for potatoes only to find them covered in sprouts and soft spots? I know I have! It’s frustrating to waste money on food that goes bad too quickly. The problem might not be the potatoes themselves, but what you’re storing them next to. Some common foods can make your potatoes sprout or spoil faster than you’d think. The good news? Once you know which foods to keep away from your spuds, you’ll be able to make them last much longer and save yourself both money and trips to the grocery store.
Onions and potatoes don’t make good neighbors
Many of us store onions and potatoes together because they both belong in a cool, dark place. But this common practice is actually causing your potatoes to go bad faster! Onions release gases as they age that speed up the sprouting process in potatoes. Those little eyes that grow on potatoes? They’ll appear much quicker when stored near onions. Not only do sprouted potatoes look unappetizing, but those sprouts can also be bitter and slightly toxic if eaten in large amounts, meaning you’ll need to cut them off or throw the potato away completely.
The onion and potato combination works both ways – your onions will also spoil faster when kept next to potatoes. Instead, store your potatoes in a separate basket or bin from your onions, even if they’re in the same pantry area. Both foods need similar conditions (cool and dark), but they need their space from each other. A proper separation between onions and potatoes can add weeks to their storage life, saving you money and reducing food waste in your kitchen.
Bananas can ruin your potato stash
That bunch of bananas sitting in your fruit bowl might be causing your potato problems. Bananas are one of the highest producers of something called ethylene gas – it’s what causes fruit to ripen. While that’s great for quickly ripening an avocado, it’s terrible news for your potatoes. When potatoes are exposed to ethylene gas, they start to sprout and develop soft spots much faster than normal. The more bananas ripen (especially as they turn spotty), the more ethylene they release, making the problem even worse over time.
The solution is simple – keep your bananas far away from where you store potatoes. Ideally, bananas should be kept on a counter or in a fruit bowl in your kitchen, while potatoes need to be in a cool, dark place like a pantry or cupboard. If your kitchen setup means your bananas and potatoes are close together, consider moving one of them to create more distance. Remember that bananas affect all produce nearby, not just potatoes, so keeping them separate is best for all your fruits and vegetables.
Apples speed up potato spoilage
Just like bananas, apples are major producers of ethylene gas. If you’re keeping apples anywhere near your potatoes, you’re shortening the life of those spuds considerably. The ethylene gas released by apples triggers potato cells to age faster, causing sprouting and eventually rotting. This is particularly frustrating since both apples and potatoes can last a long time when stored properly – apples can stay good for months in the right conditions, and potatoes can last even longer. But put them together, and you’ll be tossing both much sooner.
The best approach is to store apples in the refrigerator, which slows down their ethylene production and keeps them crisp longer. Meanwhile, keep your potatoes in a cool, dark place like a pantry or cellar. The ideal temperature for potato storage is between 43-50°F (6-10°C), as lower temperatures help prevent sprouting. If you don’t have refrigerator space for apples, at least make sure they’re stored in a different cabinet or area from your potatoes. This simple adjustment can extend potato freshness by weeks.
Tomatoes make potatoes sprout faster
Tomatoes are another common kitchen item that can sabotage your potato storage. Like apples and bananas, tomatoes produce ethylene gas as they ripen. This gas speeds up the sprouting process in potatoes, causing those unwanted eyes to appear much sooner than they normally would. What makes this worse is that many people store tomatoes and potatoes in similar places – either on the counter or in a pantry. By keeping them close together, you’re practically guaranteeing that your potatoes will start sprouting before you have a chance to use them.
To prevent premature sprouting, keep tomatoes and potatoes far away from each other. Tomatoes actually taste best when stored at room temperature, so they can stay on your counter. Potatoes, on the other hand, need a cool, dark place with good ventilation. A paper bag in a dark cupboard works well for potato storage, as does a basket in a pantry or cellar. Just make sure they’re not near any heat sources or sunny windows, which can also cause sprouting and green spots (which can be toxic and should be cut away before cooking).
Avocados cause potatoes to age faster
Avocados might be one of the trickiest foods to get right – one day they’re hard as rocks, and the next they’re brown mush. What you might not realize is that they’re causing similar timing issues with your potatoes. Avocados are heavy ethylene producers, especially as they ripen. This ethylene gas seeps out and affects nearby foods, including potatoes. When potatoes are exposed to this gas, they start sprouting much faster, developing those little eyes and eventually turning soft and unusable. Since many people store both avocados and potatoes in their pantry while waiting for them to ripen, this creates a perfect storm for potato spoilage.
The best solution is to keep avocados on your kitchen counter while they ripen, well away from where you store potatoes. Once avocados are ripe, you can move them to the refrigerator to slow down further ripening, which also keeps them away from your potato storage area. This separation can significantly extend the life of your potatoes. As a bonus, being aware of ethylene-producing foods like avocados can help you strategically place them near other fruits you want to ripen faster, such as hard pears that need a little help softening up.
Melons release gases harmful to potatoes
Melons might not be the first food you think of when considering what affects potato storage, but they can be just as problematic as other fruits. Cantaloupes, honeydew, and even watermelons all produce ethylene gas, especially as they ripen. This gas speeds up the aging process of potatoes, causing them to sprout and eventually rot much faster than they would on their own. Since melons are large and often stored on countertops or in pantries before being cut, they can release significant amounts of ethylene that affect nearby foods, including your potatoes.
The simplest solution is to keep melons separate from potatoes. Melons are best stored at room temperature until ripe, then moved to the refrigerator after cutting. Potatoes, meanwhile, need to be in a cool, dark place with good air circulation. A well-ventilated container like a basket or paper bag in a pantry or cupboard works best for potato storage. This separation ensures your potatoes won’t be affected by the ripening gases from melons, and you’ll get maximum storage life from both foods. Remember that uncut melons can last longer at room temperature, while potatoes need cooler conditions.
Pears and peaches can damage potato quality
Stone fruits like peaches and pears might seem innocent enough, but they’re actually working against your potatoes when stored nearby. These fruits produce high levels of ethylene gas as they ripen, which speeds up the sprouting and aging process in potatoes. When potatoes start sprouting, not only do they look unappetizing, but they also lose nutritional value and develop a less pleasant taste and texture. Since many people buy peaches, pears, and other stone fruits slightly underripe and let them soften at home, they’re often producing ethylene right in your kitchen or pantry.
To prevent this problem, keep all stone fruits well away from your potato storage area. Fruits like peaches and pears are best kept at room temperature until ripe, then moved to the refrigerator to extend their life. Potatoes, on the other hand, need a consistently cool, dark environment to stay fresh. The ideal storage spot for potatoes is in a ventilated container (like a paper bag with small holes or a basket) in a dark cupboard or pantry. This separation ensures your potatoes won’t be affected by ripening gases from fruit, and you’ll get the longest possible storage time from both.
Garlic affects potato freshness
Many people store garlic and potatoes together since both need similar conditions – cool, dark, and dry. However, this common practice can actually shorten the life of your potatoes. Garlic, like onions, releases gases as it ages that can trigger sprouting in potatoes. Those little eyes that pop up on potatoes will appear much faster when garlic is nearby. Since most of us buy potatoes in larger quantities that we plan to use over several weeks, any factor that speeds up sprouting means wasted food and money.
The fix is simple: store garlic and potatoes separately, even though they both need similar conditions. You can keep them in the same pantry, but use different containers and place them on different shelves or areas. Mesh bags or baskets work well for both foods since they allow air circulation, but make sure they’re not right next to each other. Good ventilation is key to preventing moisture buildup which can lead to mold and rot for both potatoes and garlic. With proper separation, both foods will last much longer, saving you money and reducing waste in your kitchen.
Now you know the secret to keeping your potatoes fresh for weeks longer! By keeping them away from ethylene-producing foods like bananas, apples, and onions, you’ll prevent early sprouting and spoilage. Store your potatoes in a cool, dark place with good air circulation, like a paper bag with holes or a basket in a pantry. Check your potatoes regularly and remove any that show signs of sprouting or softening to prevent them from affecting the others. With these simple changes, you’ll waste less food, save money, and always have fresh potatoes ready when you need them.
