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The Daily Insight

Can I store potatoes and onions together

Author

Rachel Hickman

Published May 23, 2026

Be careful about the neighbors: Just like garlic, you’ll want to keep the onions in a ventilated space. In fact, it’s perfectly fine to store the two alongside each other, says Davison. What you don’t want is to have your potatoes and onions in close proximity, as gases from the onions can hasten sprouting in potatoes.

Can I store potatoes and onions in the same container?

Don’t store potatoes and onions together. When put together, they create yucky gases and will cause BOTH of these handy, tasty foods to go bad more quickly. In addition, according to the official Idaho Potato Page, potatoes should not be stored in the fridge.

Can onions be stored in an airtight container?

Properly stored whole onions will stay fresh for 6 to 8 weeks. If you’ve already peeled an onion or have leftover pieces you’d like to save, wrap tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

What happens if you store potatoes and onions together?

Can I Store Potatoes and Onions Together? … Your onions produce and emit ethylene gas, which speeds up the ripening process and can cause nearby potatoes to rot and spoil more quickly. (However, garlic, another root bulb, can be safely stored alongside onions with no scary side effects.)

Should potatoes and onions be stored separately?

While potatoes are sensitive to ethylene gasses, the reason to keep onions and potatoes apart has to do with moisture. Both onions and potatoes release moisture, which can lead to faster spoiling. It’s best to store them separately in an area that has good air flow, is dry and somewhat cool.

Can I store potatoes in my garage?

Keep potatoes in a cool, dark, dry place. A kitchen cupboard or closet, even the basement or garage, can all the good choices. The 45°F to 55°F temperature range is the sweet spot for potato storage, where they can last for months.

What can you store next to onions?

“You can store them in a paper bag, but just make sure they’re in a container where moisture or condensation can’t build up, which would make them soften and go bad faster.” A friendly neighbor for onions is garlic. They can be stored near each other without ripening or spoiling.

Should potatoes be stored in the fridge?

Cooking and storing potatoes Potatoes should be kept somewhere cool and dry but not in the fridge. This is because putting potatoes in the fridge can increase the amount of sugar they contain, this could lead to higher acrylamide levels when the potatoes are roasted, baked or fried at high temperatures.

Can potatoes be stored in a drawer?

Keep Them out of the Sunlight (but Not out of Sight). Don’t store potatoes out in the open on the countertop. Keep them in a drawer, in a basket, in a closet, in a paper bag, or in a bamboo vegetable steamer—anywhere that’s dark—and they should last for one to 2 weeks.

Can onions be stored in the fridge?

Whole onions and shallots are best stored in a cool, dry, dark and well-ventilated room. Ideal places include the pantry, cellar, basement or garage. Peeled onions can be stored in the fridge for 10–14 days, while sliced or cut onions can be refrigerated for 7–10 days.

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What's the best way to store potatoes and onions?

Keep ’em where you can see ’em: Don’t shove these foods into the cold recesses of the back of the fridge, says Davison. Instead, keep them in the front where it’s warmest (but still cool, because it is a refrigerator, after all). The fridge will keep them fresh but if it’s too cold, they could become dried out.

Do onions need airflow?

Store onions in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area. Maintain storage temperature of 45-55°F. Do not wrap onions in plastic or store in plastic bags. A lack of air circulation will reduce shelf life.

What's the best way to store potatoes?

Potatoes need airflow to prevent the accumulation of moisture, which can lead to spoilage. The best way to allow free circulation of air is to store them in an open bowl or paper bag. Do not store them in a sealed container without ventilation, such as a zipped plastic bag or lidded glassware.

What is the best way to store onions?

Keep storage onions in a cool, dark, and dry place. Moisture and light lead to mold (ew) and sprouting (annoying, though not a deal-breaker), so stow your storage onions (red, yellow, and white as well as shallots and the diminutive pearl and cippoline) in a dry, well-ventilated basket, bin, or large bowl.

How far apart should onions be from potatoes?

Plant sets or plants no more than 1” deep, 4” – 5” apart, and in rows 12” – 18” apart. Do not replace the soil around bulbs as they emerge. Onions that send up flower stalks should be cut or pulled, as they are done growing. Store seed potatoes in the refrigerator until ready to use.

How do you keep potatoes from sprouting?

Store potatoes with an apple to avoid early sprouting. Keep them away from onions and in a cool, dark place. The ethylene gas given off by an apple will prevent potatoes from sprouting, while keeping onions nearby will actually cause them to sprout.

Which vegetables Cannot be stored together?

  1. Apples – Ethylene Producing. …
  2. Asparagus – Ethylene Sensitive. …
  3. Avocados – Ethylene Producer. …
  4. Bananas – Ethylene Producer. …
  5. Broccoli – Ethylene Sensitive. …
  6. Brussels Sprouts – Ethylene Sensitive. …
  7. Carrots – Ethylene Sensitive. …
  8. Cauliflower – Ethylene Sensitive.

Is it bad to keep vegetables in plastic bags?

An airtight plastic bag is the worst choice for storing vegetables, according to Barry Swanson, professor emeritus of food science at Washington State University. And don’t pack veggies tightly together, either; they need space for air circulation or they’ll spoil faster.

What vegetable should not be refrigerated?

Vegetables That Should Not Be Stored in the Refrigerator Store them apart from potatoes, as potatoes emit some ethylene that can cause the onions to sprout. Potatoes, taro, sweet potatoes, and yuca (cassava, manioc) should not be refrigerated.

How do farmers store potatoes?

Potatoes store longest if they are unwashed. After harvesting from the garden, lay them out in a single layer in a dark and airy place to let the soil dry on to the tuber. Lightly brush off excess dirt before you pack them. Pile dry, unwashed potatoes in a clean wooden or waxed cardboard bin.

Is it safe to eat a sprouting potato?

The short answer is yes. Potatoes that have sprouted are still OK to eat, but only once you’ve removed the sprouts.

How do you store potatoes and onions in an apartment?

Potatoes and onions should be stored separately in a cool, dry area. In a small apartment, they could be placed on the countertop or a shelf provided that they are inside a container. Put them inside different a paper bag with ventilation. Limit their exposure to light to avoid sprouting.

Can you freeze potatoes?

Potatoes don’t freeze well raw, so they will need to be cooked or partially cooked beforehand. The great thing is that you can choose a variety of different ways to prepare and freeze them. … Always use potatoes that are fresh. Potatoes in the freezer will be at their best within three months.

How do you store potatoes carrots and onions?

Step #1 is to get root vegetables like onions and potatoes out of the crisper drawers. As a rule, root vegetables should be stored in wire mesh or natural fiber baskets at room temperature. Store potatoes in ventilated baskets or metal bins, or even a sturdy cardboard box holes poked in the sides.

Should carrots be kept in the fridge?

You’ll have to store your carrots in the refrigerator, but how you store them can actually make a difference. Raw carrots, when properly stored will usually stay fresh for around 3 to 4 weeks in the fridge. If your carrots are sliced or chopped, you can store them in the fridge and they’ll last for about 2 to 3 weeks.

Do you wash potatoes before storing?

Clean potatoes before storing them. You need only brush off the soil on potatoes grown in coarse, sandy soil. But if the soil is fine, sticky clay, your potatoes may need washing. If so, be sure they are completely dry before placing them in storage.

Should tomatoes be kept in the fridge?

Simply put, really good, ripe tomatoes tend to do well in the refrigerator, while lower-quality tomatoes remain bad or get worse in the fridge: Underripe tomatoes continue to be underripe, and mealy tomatoes become mealier.

What can I do with too many onions?

You can take about four to five onions and caramelize them. Keep them in the fridge all week and add them to your meats, or pizzas, or casseroles. Make an Onion Soup out of them. Take a couple and pickle them to add to other foods, such as tacos, burgers and salads.

Should Lemons be refrigerated?

Whole lemons can last up to a week if you store them at room temperature on the countertop. Store lemons in the refrigerator. Whole lemons can last for a month in the refrigerator if you store them in an airtight container or a sealed plastic bag in the crisper drawer. Wrap up cut lemons.

Do onions last longer in the fridge or on the counter?

While the fridge isn’t ideal for storing onions, it will extend the shelf life of whole, raw onions beyond a week at room temperature. Onions absorb moisture very easily however, so their texture may get somewhat soft in the fridge. Whole, raw onions can last in the fridge for up to two weeks.

What happens if potatoes are refrigerated?

Refrigerating potatoes will cause some of the starch to turn into sugar, resulting in a sweeter potato. However, refrigerating potatoes causes them to darken if fried in oil (french fries, potato chips). … If you are boiling, steaming, baking, roasting potatoes, refrigeration is perfectly fine.