I bought a 10 pound bag of potatoes in March and by April half of them had sprouted into little alien creatures. I kept them in a plastic bag on a warm cabinet, which is basically a potato greenhouse. No wonder they went wild.

Potatoes are picky, but they are not that hard to please once you know the rules.

Keep Them Out of the Fridge

Refrigeration turns potato starch into sugar, which makes them sweet and causes them to darken when cooked. Unless you are planning french fries tonight, keep spuds at room temperature.

The fridge also has too much humidity. Potato skin hates it.

Dark and Cool Wins

Potatoes sprout when they see light and feel warmth. Store them somewhere dark, cool, and dry, around 45 to 55 degrees. A pantry, a basement, or a cabinet away from the stove all work.

I moved my bag into a paper bag in a dark pantry corner and the difference was night and day. No sprouts for months.

Let Them Breathe

Never store potatoes in a sealed plastic bag. They release moisture and that moisture breeds rot. Use a paper bag, a mesh bag, or a basket with holes so air can circulate.

I also keep them away from onions. They seem like natural neighbors, but onions give off gas that makes potatoes sprout faster. I learned that one the hard way.

Check for Bad Ones Weekly

One rotting potato can ruin a whole bag. It releases moisture and spreads rot to everything around it. Go through the bag once a week and pull out any soft, green, or sprouting potatoes.

Sprouting potatoes are not necessarily lost. Cut off the sprouts and they are fine for most cooking. Green skin means solanine, so toss those.

Buy What You Will Use

The honest fix is to stop buying 10 pounds at a time. I now buy 5 pounds max and store them right. I waste less food and my countertop actually has space.

Between a better storage spot and smaller bags, I have not thrown out a sprouted potato in months.