Potatoes should be kept in a cool, dark pantry—not the fridge

YouTuber Marandia Wright recommends storing potatoes in a cardboard box placed in a dark room, coating them lightly with dry garden soil after removing them from plastic bags. She says the method works for any potato and requires no special equipment.

Chefs Mike Reid and Poppy Cooks, along with HelloFresh recipe developer Mimi Morley and storage expert Vlatka Lake, all agree that potatoes belong in a cool, dark, breathable pantry or cupboard. Reid warns that refrigeration turns starch into sugar, making potatoes gritty, sweet‑tasting and causing them to brown too quickly when cooked. The experts also advise keeping potatoes away from onions and avoiding plastic packaging, preferring paper bags or breathable containers.