Can baked potatoes be refrigerated? - It is safe?

Baked potatoes are a great meal if you’re looking for something quick, tasty, and cheap. They can be popped in the oven, or even microwaved, to get perfectly tender and topped with butter, sour cream, or whatever else you like to top them with.

Making a baked potato ahead of time can save you some trouble when you need a quick meal.

But is it safe to keep a baked potato in the fridge?

Yes, it can be safe to store a baked potato in the fridge, as long as you prepare and store it properly. You have to make sure that you store your baked potato properly and keep it within a good temperature range to ensure that it is protected from disease-causing bacteria. 

Read on to learn how to safely refrigerate baked potatoes.

Safe refrigeration of baked potatoes

Where you store your baked potatoes when they’re refrigerated will play an important role in ensuring they’re safe to eat within the best-before time.  Along with temperature regulation, proper packaging will ensure that your potatoes are safe to eat.

The proper container or wrap will protect the potato from bacteria that can cause disease, as well as protect the baked potato from picking up odors from other foods in the fridge.

Potatoes have a reputation for picking up odors from the food around them, as they are porous and easily absorb flavors and odors.

So, to seal them well, you’ll need to use large, high-quality, double-zip freezer bags (these are the ones I use), or get some airtight freezer containers.

Or you can use reusable organic beeswax food wraps, like I do.

Temperature

It is very important to keep the baked potato at the right temperature, and the temperature inside a fridge must be safe.

The reason is that bacteria grow rapidly at temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Keeping potatoes below 40 degrees Fahrenheit will inhibit the growth of disease-causing bacteria.

Storage

You should be careful how you store baked potatoes in the fridge, as some packages protect the potatoes more from bacteria.

Proper storage will prevent harmful bacteria from spreading in the potato, thus protecting you from disease.

Plastic storage : It is safe to pack baked potatoes in plastic bags or containers. These must be moisture resistant to prevent any moisture or odor from coming into contact with the potato. Both resealable plastic bags and plastic containers with tight lids are good. Being moisture resistant, the plastic containers or bags will protect the potatoes from oxygen, which could discolor them and encourage the proliferation of bacteria.

Reusable Food Wrap - This is my preferred method of refrigerating baked potatoes. If you have a good quality wrapper, it will properly seal the potato and keep the air out, as well as not alter the flavor at all.

If the baked potatoes have sauce or butter in them, it’s a good idea to use a rigid plastic container , as it can be difficult to pour the sauce or butter out of a plastic bag.

Aluminum foil - Although many people choose to bake their potatoes in aluminum foil, it is not the best idea to store them in the fridge wrapped in foil. Foil-wrapped potatoes left in the fridge have been linked to botulism, as these botulism spores can survive during the cooking process. Wrapped in aluminum foil, potatoes are at increased risk of developing botulism, which can cause serious illness in people.

Once cooked, you should remove the aluminum foil from the roast potatoes, cool them quickly and store them in plastic.  Place the potatoes in the refrigerator immediately to inhibit the growth of botulism.

Quickly cool the potatoes

When the potatoes are cooked, you will have to cool them quickly to put them in the fridge. Placing a hot potato in the fridge or freezer will raise the temperature of nearby foods, increasing your chances of being in the 40- and 140-degree Fahrenheit danger zone.

You can place the potato in a sink filled with ice to cool quickly, or divide larger portions of potato into smaller portions to cool faster.

How long does a baked potato last?

Depending on the type of potato, a raw potato can last between 3 and 5 weeks in the pantry. Sweet potatoes can last up to five weeks, while Yukon gold potatoes can only last up to 3 weeks.

If they are baked, the potatoes can last in the fridge between 3 and 5 days if they are stored correctly in the appropriate container. If frozen, potatoes can last up to 6 months.

Being so versatile, and with a considerably long shelf life, potatoes hold an important place as a cooking ingredient in many homes.

Reheat a baked potato

Knowing how to safely store a baked potato is one thing, but you also need to know how to safely reheat it.

• Take the potato out of the fridge and remove any plastic wrap. You can reheat the baked potato on its own or wrapped in aluminum foil.
• Place the baked potato in a preheated 350 degree Fahrenheit oven and allow the baked potato to reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure it is safe to eat.
• You can also reheat the baked potato in the microwave, but it will need to be free of any foil wrapping.
• Microwave the baked potato on high heat for 1 minute, take it out to check, and put it back in 30-second intervals if it needs more heating.

How to make sure your baked potato is safe to eat

• Do not leave the baked potato at room temperature for more than 2 hours , regardless of whether it is wrapped in aluminum foil or not. Botulinum bacteria can grow on potatoes if they are left out at room temperature for a long time, whether or not they are wrapped in aluminum foil.
• Store the baked potato immediately after cooking , or put it in the fridge immediately to keep it at a safe temperature. If you used aluminum foil to bake the potato, be sure to remove it before placing it in the fridge.
• Do not put the baked potato in the fridge still wrapped in aluminum foil.  The baked potato will still need to cool through the temperature danger zones, and being wrapped in aluminum foil increases the risk of botulism growing rapidly, which could cause serious illness.
• Do not reheat the baked potato if it has already been reheated once after you put it in the fridge. The baked potato should only be reheated twice, once when cooked and once when reheated from the fridge. Reheating it further after this will only increase the risk of disease-causing bacteria growing on and in the potato.
• Eat a refrigerated baked potato within 5 days of storing it in the fridge. Before eating the refrigerated baked potato, be sure to look for any signs that the baked potato may have gone bad. Proper storage and temperature should keep potatoes good for up to 5 days, but prevention is always better.

Related questions

How long can roast potatoes be left at room temperature?

Since bacteria can grow rapidly between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, all cooked potatoes should be refrigerated within 2 hours of cooking. If the potato has been left out for more than 2 hours, it should be discarded.

Can whole baked potatoes be frozen?

Freezing baked potatoes is not a good option, and should be avoided if possible. Whole baked potatoes will most likely be soggy when thawed after being frozen.

Can you freeze mashed, scalloped or frozen potatoes?

Mashed, scalloped, and baked potatoes freeze well and can be easily thawed, almost to their original state. Freeze them in airtight containers or place them inside heavy-duty freezer bags to freeze.

How long can a baked potato last in the freezer?

Although ideally you don’t want to freeze baked potatoes, they can last in the freezer at their best quality for up to 6 months, but are still safe beyond that time period.

How long does a baked potato last after being frozen and thawed?

All types of potatoes, baked, roasted, scalloped or mashed, that have been thawed in the fridge can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days after thawing, before reheating. If you thaw and reheat the potato, it should be eaten immediately and any leftovers should be thrown away.

How can you tell if a potato has gone bad?

The best way to tell if a potato has gone bad is to smell it. If it has a strange odor, it must be discarded. You can also visually inspect the potato, if it looks strange or dull, you should throw it away.

Refrigerate the baked potatoes

It’s perfectly fine to refrigerate a baked potato, but you need to make sure you do it safely.  Avoid putting your baked potato in the fridge if it’s still wrapped in aluminum foil, as this could lead to a foodborne illness.

Instead, remove the foil from the potato and place the baked potato in an airtight container, or a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag.

Reheat the potato when it is time to eat it and discard the remains.