Well, it's just me and if I get a 5 lb bag, I would have to eat them all in one month or less. Probably a lot less. I got a 5 lb bag of potatoes in January and ended up tossing them at the end of the month because they were already starting to rot. And not just get soft, these were rotting. Phew!
I've never known potatoes to keep beyond a couple of weeks. They always get soft, sprout eyes, and then they get the green layer under their skin. Now I've peeled them and eaten them anyway (I peeled off all the green part), but I'm not sure how long a potato is good for after getting soft like that.
It's not good for very long after it starts to soften
Do you keep them in a cool, dark place? Warmth and light will cause them to sprout and turn green - that's their signal to start growing and reproducing. In the "old days," people kept potatoes and other root veggies in cool, dark cellars through the winter. People have also buried them in sand or layered them in boxes with straw. Also, keep them away from onions; storing onions and potatoes together limits the life of both of them.
The only reason I thought this might work was because I only go to the store once a month or so and make one big shopping day (which is going to happen this Friday). I don't really plan my meals and usually only eat what I feel like having that night. The most I'll plan ahead is to take some meat out of the freezer and thaw it.
I've made mashed potatoes before and separated it into batches with meatloaf and frozen it, so if I don't feel like cooking on a particular day, I can just throw this into the oven and reheat. It's always come out fine.
Anyway, I thought it would be a good idea. *sigh*
I don't think anyone said it wouldn't work, just that it may not be the best option, which of course, depends on your circumstances. We shop weekly and sometimes stop in for forgotten items during the week, so getting fresh stuff is not a problem for me.
I guess I should also add that I would really like to cut down on eating potatoes if I could. For some reason I thought it wasn't healthy eating so many of them. Besides of which, I haven't met a potato yet I can't keep from putting bacon and cheese on.
In that case, what is this thread all about??
Just kidding. Potatoes are not unhealthy unless you're diabetic, since they have a lot of carbs. If you use them in soups and stews, there are usually other veggies, chicken stock, etc., that contribute to the healthfulness of the entire meal.
Try this: Buy four potatoes, so you can have one per week this month, make sure you're storing them properly, and see how that goes. If they start to go in a couple of weeks, then you can make mash or twice-baked potatoes, etc., and freeze them then.