USDA-based · Sean Bernath · How this page was made · Last reviewed July 10, 2026 · Sources ↓
Potatoes
Raw potatoes last 1–2 months in a cool, dark pantry. Don’t refrigerate raw potatoes.
How long it keeps — Raw
Fridge times here are mostly quality windows from USDA FoodKeeper and related federal guidance — past them, flavor and texture decline; discard when mold, slime, off odors, or other spoilage signs appear. Freezer times are also quality windows at 0°F (FoodKeeper / FDA where cited). Not medical advice.
Cooked potatoes last 3–4 days in the fridge and 10–12 months in the freezer (mashed or roasted).
How long it keeps — Cooked
Fridge times here are mostly quality windows from USDA FoodKeeper and related federal guidance — past them, flavor and texture decline; discard when mold, slime, off odors, or other spoilage signs appear. Freezer times are also quality windows at 0°F (FoodKeeper / FDA where cited). Not medical advice.
How to store potatoes
Potatoes keep 1–2 months in a cool dark pantry and should not be refrigerated. That is the central rule and it surprises people.
They want somewhere cool (45–50°F is ideal), dark, dry, and ventilated — a paper or mesh bag in a cupboard, a cellar, or a garage that does not freeze. Not a sealed plastic bag, which traps moisture and rots them.
Never store potatoes next to onions. Onions give off moisture and gases that accelerate potato sprouting, and potatoes give off moisture that softens onions. This is one of the most commonly repeated bits of kitchen advice and it happens to be correct.
Keep them in the dark. Light exposure turns potatoes green and produces solanine.
Raw potatoes do not freeze — they turn black and mealy. Cooked or blanched potatoes freeze fine.
By state & packaging
Why potatoes go bad
Refrigerating potatoes causes a specific chemical change called cold-induced sweetening. Below about 40°F, the potato converts its starch into reducing sugars. The potato is still safe, but it tastes noticeably sweet and, more importantly, those sugars react with the amino acid asparagine during high-temperature cooking to form acrylamide — a compound classified as a probable human carcinogen. This is why the FDA advises storing potatoes somewhere cool but above refrigerator temperature, and why refrigerated potatoes brown too fast and unevenly when fried.
The other issue is solanine, a natural glycoalkaloid that potatoes produce as a defense. It concentrates in the skin, in sprouts, and in any part that has turned green from light exposure. The green itself is chlorophyll and harmless; it is simply a reliable marker that solanine has been produced alongside it. Solanine is bitter and, in quantity, genuinely toxic — causing nausea, headache, and neurological symptoms — and it is not destroyed by cooking.
The practical rule: cut away green areas and sprouts generously, and discard any potato that is extensively green, deeply sprouted, or tastes bitter.
Ordinary spoilage shows as soft or wrinkled flesh, dark mushy spots, and a musty smell. A slightly soft potato is fine; a leaking, foul-smelling one is not.
Signs it has gone bad
Any of these means discard it. Do not taste food to check (FDA / CDC). Fridge times above are mostly quality guidance — use these spoilage signs (and package condition) to decide when to toss, rather than treating the day count as a raw-meat-style safety cliff.
FAQ
Are green potatoes poisonous?
Green areas indicate solanine, which can cause illness in quantity. Cut away small green spots generously; discard potatoes that are green through much of the flesh or taste bitter.
Is a baked potato left in foil overnight safe?
No. Foil creates a low-oxygen environment where botulism bacteria can grow at room temperature. Discard it.
How long do leftover cooked potatoes last?
3–4 days refrigerated. Discard cooked potatoes left out more than 2 hours — including foil-wrapped baked potatoes left overnight.