Discussion Board

Last summer I was joking that potatoes were growing faster in my cupboard than in the garden. I've been buying potatoes from the store and storing them in a basement closet that is against a north wall. They still sprout quickly. I guess I should put my max-min thermometer and check the temperature. How do you store potatoes?

potatoes just don't seem to stay like they use to. I wish I had a root cellar, but not sure that would work with the potatoes that are out there now a days.

I usually buy my potatoes singularly and use them the next day. I did get a 5 lb bag of golds and put those in the fridge. At least they aren't sprouting. I've tried special blackened, with air circulating bags. I've tried paper bags. I've tried mesh bags. I live in a basement and it's always a cooler temp, and of course, not too light. So I have no clue. So far the fridge seems to work, but I always heard that it isn't good for the tater.

I've noticed this too. They sprout so quickly and even the ones in the stores often have small sprouts already. I've yet to find a good way to store them either. When the stores have good sales, I can get frozen hashbrowns and such for about the same as they charge for the loose potatoes so I sometimes go that route.

Storing vegetables - potatoes need cool temps and high humidity.

Thanks for this link.

Thanks for the link, Chilie. The instructions for creating a basement root cellar are interesting. I guess the temperature in my storage area is just slightly high. Also interesting that 'new' potatoes don't store as long.

I have a heck of a time storing any fresh produce in the summer. Our kitchen runs 85-90 degrees for months and the closets aren't much cooler. The fridge is too cold for most things. I want an honest-to-goodness root cellar!

Things are storing much better now because my house is staying under 70 degrees for the winter. It's a bit too dry for spuds, but the low humidity is good for storing dry goods, canned items, and my dehydrated foods.

If I understood the linked article correctly, it seems that the purpose of high humidity (but not wet) is to prevent shriveling (which means drying out). The purpose of low temperature is to keep the potato from sprouting.

I have never had a problem with shriveling, but turnips, rutabagas, and russet potatoes sprout after a week or two. Perhaps my frig isn't cold enough.

The problem I have with sweet potatoes is that they rot, usually on the ends. I suppose that is because they were damaged and the skin broke.

Maybe the best solution is to use them within a week or so or bake them and then freeze them. I eat about 20-30 lbs of tubers per week, so this is a serious issue for me. I have been unable to find instant mashed potatoes without either preservatives or butter added.

Wouldn't instant mashed potatoes be the equivalent of processed potatoes anyway? I can't imagine they would be nearly as good for you, with not nearly the fiber and vitamins.

I'm a potato lover too. Roasted, boiled, mashed, you name it, I eat it. Happy to report that I'm quite slim as well. As McDougall says, the starches are good for you.

My Yukon Gold didn't cause me a problem but the red russet potatoes did, as far as shrivelling and sprouting goes. Maybe it was just coincidence though!

take care,

Yvie

Interesting to hear you all talk about the problems you are having. I've noticed that when I buy potatoes at Costco they seem to last longer than potatoes I buy at the supermarket. Do you suppose some of the problem is poor quality or poor handling by the market?

I see nothing wrong with processing--as long as it does not significantly damage the nutrients or introduce dangerous additions. Most foods that most McDougallers seem to buy are processed: washing, trimming, straining, precooking (as with many frozen vegetables), milling and separating grains from the chaff (as with wheat and oats). Refining is a different matter.

If the instant mashed potatoes are made from whole potatoes, then the fiber content should be the same. Presumably the flaking process destroys some vitamins, but I know of nothing making them worthless. Besides, I don't eat potatoes for the vitamins, but for the starch.

My former source for instant mashed potatoes, Barbara's Bakery, seems to have closed up their line. Here is an example of pure instant mashed potatoes, that I hope will soon be available.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EDBPY8

I don't drive. Transporting, even by cart, 30 pounds of roots and another 30-50 pounds of other groceries is getting to be too much of a challenge for me. I walk 3 miles round trip on a grocery run. Instant potatoes, in addition to whole tubers, lightens the load.

it says no preservatives but the flakes do have this--
Ingredients
Dried Idaho Russet Potatoes, Mono and Diglycerides from Vegetable Oil (to Improve Texture), Citric Acid.

are these ingredients acceptable to you? I hope you find what you're looking for!

a trip to the store to tote back potatoes and sweet potatoes would be challenging! have you checked out this brand?

Alpine Aire Foods Mashed Potatoes
http://www.campsaver.com/Itemdesc.asp?ic=286068

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000JECHW6?smi ... nkCode=asn

http://www.alpineairefoods.com/itemDeta ... odID=96229

Yes, the citric acid is not a problem and glycerides are okay. They are a kind of oil and they are safe according to this source: http://www.cspinet.org/reports/chemcuisine.htm

(As Dr. McDougall suggested in one of his newsletters, I have been adding oil and sugar to my meals, because I lost too much weight on my subset of the McDougall Program.)

Thanks for mentioning the camp potato flakes. They seem to be perfect--but far out of my price range. One packet is almost as much as 10 lbs of russet culls. I am hoping the Bob's Red Mill potato flakes will be somewhere in between, when ordered in large quantity. I will see.

Too beat to read the other posts, might have been pointed out. If stored next to onions, the gas will promote "growth".

I am having no luck printing links this a.m., go to the recipe forum, Feb.21, 2008: grren potatoes again. I wrote some facts under the post NEVER EAT GREEN POTATOES! Maybe there is something for you there.