Sweet potatoes are sold in larger quantities and often you’ll have stocked up on too many of them than you’ll need. Sometime later you stumble upon the large bag with some potatoes in it. Do sweet potatoes go bad, that classic question pops through your head.
How could I easily detect spoilage and decide if they’re still good for my next meal? We all hate to throw away food, we get it, but sometimes it’s just the best course of action for everyone.
Are you looking to learn more about sweet potatoes, their shelf-life, storage, and spoilage?
We will cover everything you need to know in this article.
Enjoy the read!
How Long Can Sweet Potatoes Last
As always, we will start with a quick table for your convenience:
| Sweet Potatoes | Pantry | Refrigerator |
|---|---|---|
| Uncut and unpeeled | Up to 4 weeks (1 month) | |
| Cut and peeled | / | Up to 4 days |
| Cooked | / | Up to 4 days |
As you can see, we’re talking about different sweet potatoes here: the uncut ones (still intact), the cut ones, and the cooked ones. Each has its own story and has different factors that contribute to its spoilage and shelf-life. We will give a small overview and then talk more about them in a separate paragraph.
When you buy sweet potatoes from the store or farm, you’ll buy them in bags and in 1 piece, as they come out of the ground. They’re best stored in a cool and dry place. They will last up to 1 month if stored properly.
From the moment you cut them, things will change. Just like you open preserved foods and drinks, cutting a sweet potato will have a huge impact and make it easier for external threats like heat, air, moisture, bacteria, and so on. They will last for a period of up to 5 days when they’re cut and stored in the right way (seal them tight in an airtight container, plastic bag, or both).
You can also cook sweet potatoes. These have a shorter shelf-life, up to 4 days. The potato is more vulnerable when cooked or used to prepare other dishes.
Uncut And Unpeeled Sweet Potatoes
Uncut sweet potatoes, also whole sweet potatoes will last for up to 4 weeks if stored in the pantry (a cool and dry place). The closer to the 4th week, the less likely the quality will be as great as you can imagine.
You can use an unheated cellar or even a dark corner in your garage.
Cut And Peeled Sweet Potatoes
When you put the knife into your sweet potatoes, you set the door open for external threats and should store them properly when not cooking or integrating them with other dishes.
They will last up to 4 days, that is if they’re stored in the refrigerator and are sealed very tight and good. Sealing protects it better from external threats like moisture, odors, temperature changes, and so on. The potatoes should be finished within 2 days if possible. Don’t let them rest or sit out any longer.
Cooked Sweet Potatoes
Cooked potatoes have undergone a transformation and are often cut and/or peeled. They can last in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just as with cut and peeled potatoes, try to finish them within 2 days.
When you cook them, it’s important to transfer them as soon as you can in an airtight container or plastic bag. When sealing the bag, try to squeeze the air out of it before sealing it tight.
These periods are estimates and will be close if the potatoes are stored correctly: sealed tight in a plastic bag or airtight container and in the fridge.
How To Store Sweet Potatoes
As we’ve said before, sweet potatoes should be stored in a dark, cool, and dry place. Places like the pantry or cupboard will do just fine. The cellar or a dark corner in your garage will also do just fine.
You must strive to store your potatoes a bit below room temperature, between 12.5 – 15.5 degrees Celsius or 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. This is of course just an estimate but you get the idea, try to store them and keep the temperature constant and thus avoid temperature fluctuations.
You simply must avoid hot or cold temperatures. Potatoes are grown in the soil and are not used to extreme temperatures. The heat will make holes in the potatoes, the cold will make them a bit harder.
The cut potatoes need better protection and should be stored in a plastic bag or airtight container. They should be sealed tight if you plan on storing them for a few days in your fridge. It’s best to put them into the water, as they will remain longer but if you finish in a few days, that’s not needed.
The key here is, from the moment they’ve been cooked or cut, they should be stored in the fridge and sealed tight. Try to finish them within 2 days if you can.
If you have too many of them, you can always freeze them for later.
How To Freeze Your Sweet Potatoes
You can opt for freezing your sweet potatoes if you’re sure that you won’t be able to finish them within the first week. That’s a simple and good rule to follow.
When it comes to freezing, you must be aware that thawing can have some risks. Another risk is freezer burn.
People don’t realize enough that freezing cooked potatoes will give you a better result than freezing uncooked potatoes. Just let them thaw overnight and you can use them because they’re already cooked.
Feel free to freeze uncooked and/or uncut sweet potatoes. It’s your call and freezer of course.
How to freeze sweet potatoes:
- Just try to divide them into single-serving portions
- Put them into freezer bags or 2 plastics bags (double-bag them) or 1 plastic bag into a larger container
- Label your portions with the correct date and time of freezing. Writing down the date and time of buying + cooking is also great. This can help you in your decision-making when thawing them.
- Place into the freezer
We don’t advise you to store a lot in the freezer, even sweet potatoes. It all comes down to managing what you’ll freeze and what won’t freeze. Try to finish all of your sweet potatoes within a week or 2. Cooking and eating sweet potatoes is all about having a great taste and journey. Sweet potatoes that taste nothing don’t improve your culinary experience.
When you get them out of the freezer, let them thaw for one night in your fridge and unpack them after that so they can get to room temperature and ready for consumption (after reheating) and cooking.
Now, to see when your sweet potatoes still are fit for consumption?
How Can You Tell If Your Sweet Potatoes Have Gone Bad
When it comes to sweet potatoes, spoilage signs aren’t that hard. Checking regularly for those signs is a way of getting more experience in it.
Guidelines:
- Do the sweet potatoes have another darker color? You can try to cut away the bad pieces if you like and check for other signs or simply be cautious and discard all of them.
- Are there any black spots on the potatoes? This can be a sign of mold. Discard the potatoes immediately without giving it a second thought!
- Feel the potatoes. Do they feel soft (when they’re not cooked!), toss them away. Try to put your finger on it. This shouldn’t be the case. Discard them!
- Do the sweet potatoes have a weird smell? If you smell something off, discard them.
- How do the potatoes taste? Do they taste weird or unpleasant? Discard them and rinse your mouth with water.
Enjoy your sweet potatoes!