How to store yams/sweet potatoes
Best place: the pantry. Yams/sweet potatoes are shelf stable and keep for 2 to 3 weeks in a cool, dry cupboard.
2 to 3 weeks
from the package date
No guideline
No guideline
How yams/sweet potatoes compare with other produce: fresh vegetables
USDA FoodKeeper gives yams/sweet potatoes one time: 2 to 3 weeks in the pantry from the package date, and no figure for the other places. A blank usually means the food is not stored that way, not that the data is missing. The foods USDA lists next to yams/sweet potatoes in produce: fresh vegetables show the range for the group:
| Food | Pantry | Fridge | Freezer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tamarind | 1 to 3 weeks | 6 months | 1 year |
| Taro | 7 days | 2 to 3 days | no guideline |
| Thyme | 1 to 2 weeks | 2 to 3 weeks | no guideline |
| Tomatoes | Until ripe | no guideline | 2 months |
| Turnips | no guideline | 2 weeks | 8 to 10 months |
| Yuca/cassava | 7 days | 3 days | 1 to 2 months |
| Zucchini | no guideline | 1 week | 10 months |
About produce: fresh vegetables. Fresh vegetables vary widely in how they keep, with leafy greens wilting within days while root vegetables like potatoes and onions last for weeks in the right conditions. Moisture is usually the enemy of storage life, whether there is too much of it or too little. All produce: fresh vegetables.
How to tell yams/sweet potatoes have gone bad
General signs for produce: fresh vegetables, the group USDA lists yams/sweet potatoes under.
- Slimy, wet leaves on greens that were crisp before
- Soft or mushy spots on vegetables that were firm
- Sprouting or wrinkled skin on potatoes and onions
- Mould, often white or fuzzy, near the stem or cut end
- Sour or off smell replacing a vegetable's usual earthy scent
More on produce: fresh vegetables. The times above are quality guidelines, not safety limits; food that shows these signs goes out regardless of the date.
Storage habits that make the difference
Store leafy greens loosely wrapped in the crisper drawer, ideally with a paper towel to absorb extra moisture. Keep potatoes, onions and garlic in a cool, dark, dry place outside the fridge, and store potatoes away from onions since they spoil each other faster. Trim and wash vegetables just before cooking.
How to store other produce: fresh vegetables
Source: USDA FSIS FoodKeeper dataset (public domain). How we decode the data.