Is It Okay To Eat Potatoes That Have Sprouted?

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Have you ever headed to the cupboard to grab some potatoes and realised they could probably walk out of there if they wanted to?

This is something that happens to me often, despite being someone who tries to be very conscious about food waste. Anyway, if you find yourself in this situation you might be wondering if it’s okay to eat potatoes that have sprouted whether it could be harmful to do so.

Is It Okay To Eat Potatoes That Have Sprouted?

When it comes to food waste, potatoes are one of the most prevalent offenders, ranking number three on this list put together by River Cottage after bread and milk. 5.8 Million potatoes get wasted each year which is a huge amount.

As sprouted potatoes look a bit funny I think our first instinct is often to chuck them away, but if they can be saved then I definitely think it’s something worth doing to save money as well as saving on food waste.

Related Post: Potato Peel Soup Recipe

Is It Okay To Eat Potatoes That Have Sprouted?

Yes, it is perfectly okay to eat potatoes that have sprouted. Potatoes growing sprouts can be tamed simply by cutting out the sprouts (also called eyes when they are smaller) and ideally removing the area of skin they were growing from.

If your potatoes have lots of sprouts then it might be worth just peeling them completely.

While I’m usually a fan of either not peeling potatoes or making something tasty with the skins on this occasion I think it’s fine to ditch the skins if means the potatoes will get eaten rather than just checked in the food waste.

If the sprouts are small you can usually just go over them with a peeler to get rid or use the pointed peel tip to circle around them. Bigger sprouts will need a knife.

Potatoes growing sprouts isn’t a sign that they have gone bad, however, if the potatoes are very soft and wrinkly (as pictured below) then they are well past their best and should probably be discarded.

Is It Safe To Eat Potatoes That Have Sprouted?

Yes, it is perfectly safe to eat potatoes that have sprouted as long as you cut away the sprouts and the eyes and the potatoes are still firm.

You should also cut away any green areas of potato as these can be harmful to eat, especially for the elderly and pregnant women, although you do need to eat a lot for it to be harmful to your health.

What To Do With Sprouted Potatoes

There are lots of things you can do with sprouted potatoes, as once you’ve removed the sprouts, eyes and skin you can use them pretty much as you usually would.

If you’re making them into mash, for example, consider doubling up to get the potatoes used up and then freezing the extra to use another day. This will prevent the potatoes from deteriorating any further.

Here are some things you could try making with sprouted potatoes:

• Gnocchi
• Fish Cakes
• Polish Potato Cakes
• Mash
• Potato Gratin
• Bubble and Squeak

You could also use the sprouted potatoes to grow your own. I’m not very green-fingered myself but this is a great guide on how to get started with growing sprouted potatoes.

How To Prevent Potatoes From Sprouting

Storing potatoes correctly is the key to preventing them from sprouting. Potatoes should always be stored in a cool dark place although in very warm weather I do actually store mine in the fridge.

Adding an apple to a sack of potatoes can help prevent them from sprouting whereas storing them with onions can actually cause them to sprout.

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Sprouted Potatoes FAQ

Here are some of the most common questions about sprouted potatoes answered.

Do Potatoes With Sprouts Have Fewer Nutrients?

Potatoes that have sprouted have pretty much the same nutrients as normal potatoes while they are still firm.

Is It Safe To Eat Potatoes With Eyes?

The term eyes usually refers to when potatoes have just started sprouting and the sprouts are tiny. As long as you remove the eyes before cooking, the potatoes will be perfectly safe to eat.

Are Potato Eyes Poisonous?

Potatoe eyes contain bitter toxins and that can make you ill if eaten in large amounts. However, once the eyes are removed from the potato the potato can be eaten safely and cooked just as you usually would.

Is It Safe To Eat Sweet Potatoes That Have Sprouted?

Just like regular potatoes, if you remove the sprouts from the sweet potato they will be perfectly safe to eat

Can I Plant Sprouted Potatoes?

Yes, you can plant sprouted potatoes and it’s a great way to start growing your own potato crop at home.

Can You Eat Green Potatoes?

No, green potatoes should not be eaten as they are toxic and could be harmful to your health. If a potato is mostly green it should be discarded completely, small areas of green can be cut away.