FAQs

Green-e® is an established global leader in clean energy and carbon offset certification. What that means is you can take comfort in knowing every potato and onion grown, packed and stored by our dedicated farmers is produced using 100% renewable electricity. Our farmers are committed to doing their part of your future. Look for the Green-e® seal on every Farmer’s Promise potato and onion package.

This depends on how they are stored since our potatoes contain no preservatives. Generally speaking, potatoes should last several weeks as long as they are stored in a cool, dark place. The optimum temperature is 45-55 degrees F, and darkness ensures the potatoes won’t “wake up” and produce chemicals that can taste bitter. Storing them in a refrigerator is not a good idea as it allows starches in the potatoes to break down into sugars, which can affect the flavor. Your potatoes should be good to use as long as they are not soft and breaking down.

Yes, but freezing is not the best option since your potatoes will have a bit of a watery consistency after thawing. If you do wish to freeze them, we recommend that you boil or roast them first, then let them cool before freezing.

Yes, all of our Farmer’s Promise^® potato varieties are gluten free. Gluten-free foods can be beneficial for people with certain health conditions. It is important to consult your healthcare provider to determine if a gluten-free diet is right for you.

Yes, all of our Farmer’s Promise® produce comes from natural, non-GMO (genetically modified organism) seeds.

Yes, green potatoes are safe to eat, but take our word for it that you’d rather not because of the bitter taste that typically accompanies that green color. Potatoes become green as a result of chlorophyll formation, and an associated substance called solanine produces the bitter taste.

Exposure to light, either natural or artificial, is the main reason potatoes turn green. We make every effort to prevent exposure to light, but it is possible for potatoes to become exposed to light and turn green beyond our last inspection point. You can learn more about this subject here: https://potatogoodness.com/potato-greeningfact-check/

The USDA and FDA produce standardized nutritional guidelines for all potatoes regardless of size. Nutritional facts are based on an estimate of how many potatoes are in the package, but do not account for potatoes that may have a higher density and account for more weight within any given package.

Here is some additional nutritional information: https://potatoesusa.com/programs/

Farmer’s Promise® offers both organic and conventional potatoes. Organic potatoes are clearly marked as “organic” on the bag or label.

Look for potatoes that are firm in texture, do not have any visible greening, and are free of cuts, bruises or sprouts.

It’s actually not a good idea to wash your potatoes before storing them. Dampness can promote early spoilage, so you want to avoid that.

No, but they should be stored in a cool, dark place. The optimum temperature range is 45-55 degrees F, which allows potatoes to last for several weeks, depending on storage conditions.

Refrigerator temperatures are too low and allow starches in the potatoes to break down into sugars. This can change the flavor of the potatoes. If you must refrigerate them, try to use them up within a few weeks to get the best flavor possible before the sugars take hold.

Yes, you can. Simply pick off the sprouts and you they are good to use. Those sprouts are the result of potatoes “waking up” after being exposed to warm temperatures. The optimum temperature range is 45-55 degrees F.

Store your potatoes in a cool, dark place for the best results. The target temperature range should be 45-55 degrees F, which should allow your potatoes to last for several weeks in most situations. Avoid storing potatoes in a refrigerator unless necessary as the colder temperatures allow starches to break down into sugars, affecting the flavor.

Uncooked, peeled potatoes will start to turn brown quickly due to exposure to air. To prevent this, place peeled or cut potatoes in a bowl of cool water until ready to use (up to 2 hours). Refrigerating cut or peeled potatoes uncovered will not stop the discoloration process. The brown color doesn’t really affect the quality of the potato, but many people find it visually unappealing.

This comes down to minimizing light exposure so greening does not occur to the potatoes.

It is best to use low or medium heat when sautéing onions. Using high heat can cause the onions to taste bitter.

Dicing an onion is a multi-step process as follows:

• Place the onion on a cutting board. Remove the stem end and trim the root, but leave it otherwise intact.
• Cut the onion in half through the stem and root. Remove the outer layer of onion skin and place the onion cut side down.
• Cut parallel slices of your desired thickness vertically from the root toward the stem end without completely cutting through the root end.
• Make a single horizontal cut on a small onion (or two cuts on a large onion), again without cutting through the root end.
• Turn the onion and cut slices perpendicular to the other slices to produce diced onion. Make the thickness of these slices similar to the thickness of the vertical slices.

Complete a julienne cut of an onion as follows:

• Place the onion on a cutting board. Remove the stem and root ends of the onion.
• Cut the onion in half through the stem and root. Remove the outer layer of onion skin and place the onion cut side down.
• Work with half of the onion at a time. Begin by placing it cut side down and with one of its round edges facing your knife.
• Angle your knife at 45 degrees to the cutting board and begin slicing the onion half into pieces about the size of matchsticks.
• Continue cutting in a radial manner, gradually changing the angle of the knife with each cut.
• Your knife should be at a 90-degree angle (vertical) by the time you reach the middle of the onion. When you are most of the way through and the onion begins to feel a little unstable, flip it over and continue slicing.

The best onions are firm, with no soft spots. They should have little to no scent, and should be free of cuts, bruises and blemishes.

This is a relatively simple cut as follows:

• Place the onion on a cutting board. Remove the stem end and trim the root, but leave it otherwise intact. Peel away the outer skin.
• Position the onion in the center of the board with the stem end facing your knife. Cut slices of your desired thickness.
• Stop when you reach the root end and discard it. You can now separate the onion slices into rings.

Tip: If you are not comfortable slicing an onion because it is round, hold it so the stem end is facing you, then cut away a quarter-inch piece from the side of the onion so it can lay flat on the cutting board.

Rub your hands with lemon juice. Be careful if you have any cuts, as the juice may cause a slight burning sensation.

This depends on what state the onions are in. Here is a guide:

Whole onions (uncut and unpeeled)
Store them in a cool, dry, dark place with plenty of air movement. The best temperature is 45-55 degrees F. They can keep up to 4 weeks when stored properly.

Peeled onions
You can store whole peeled onions in the refrigerator.

Cut onions
Store cut onions in an airtight container, bag, or wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator. They should be good for up to 7 days when stored properly.

First, chill the onion for about 30 minutes.
Cut off the top and peel the outer layers, leaving the root end intact.
(The root end has the highest concentration of sulphuric compounds, which is what makes your eyes tear.)

The choice of red, yellow or white onions depends on your recipe.

Red onions – Commonly used in salads and sandwiches, as they are considered the best raw onion. They also are great grilled, roasted or pickled.

Yellow onions – This all-purpose onion is great for caramelizing, and as an ingredient in soups and stews. They are best lightly cooked, sautéed, grilled, baked or caramelized.

White onions – This onion is popular in Mexican and Southwest cuisine. They are popular raw, grilled, sautéed, or lightly cooked.

One medium onion generally yields about 1 cup of chopped onion.

Some of the information in these FAQs comes from Potatoes USA and the National Onion Association.