'Yuck!': Some Kroger Shoppers Are Disgusted By This Reportedly Often-Rotten Vegetable

"Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew." That was Samwise Gamgee's advice regarding potatoes in "The Lord of the Rings," and, honestly, it's a maxim we can get behind. Potatoes are not just the backbone of rabbit stew, but they are a taste sensation with so, so much versatility. From old-school southern Mississippi mud potatoes to Martha Stewart's fluffy baked potatoes, we aren't selective when it comes to spuds. That is, as long as the potatoes haven't gone bad. Unfortunately, judging by a 1.75 out of 5-star rating and dozens of bad reviews, Kroger's bulk bags of russet potatoes might be a product to skip.

One reviewer indicated that the problem wasn't new: "Spongey is something fresh potatoes should never be, or filled with black spots to cut out, but this is happening a lot recently. Someone else wrote 'shame on you kroger' in their review for these potatoes, and I must say that I echo every syllable." Another unhappy customer wrote "worst bag of potatoes ever" and spelled things out: "Upon attempting to prepare a few, I discovered that they were all decayed internally. Consequently, I inspected each potato and found that every one was blackened and rotten throughout." They wrote that they found the entire bag unfit for use. "Another bag of rotting potatoes," a third reviewer sighed. "They have been in storage way too long. I wasted over half of them in order to get enough to cook." The hits just keep coming, with a majority of 1-star reviews and quite a few shoppers stating that their taters were spoiled as soon as they were brought home.

Right behind cleaning potatoes in the dishwasher — please don't do that! — not storing your spuds properly is one of the biggest mistakes you can make when dealing with store-bought potatoes, or even utilizing ones that you grew in your garden. As long as potatoes are kept cool, dry, and in a well-ventilated area, they should keep for at least a month, if not double that. Note that putting your potatoes in the fridge isn't recommended. Your pantry can be a great spot for potatoes, on the other hand, as they likely won't be exposed to too much light or humidity there.

Kroger's consistently rotten potatoes have led us to wonder whether the grocer isn't guilty of improper storage. If potatoes are allowed to get wet or are exposed to too much light, they can start to rot more quickly. Dropping or rough treatment can also lead to some of the black spots mentioned in reviews. Of course, we have no way of proving this. One alternative idea is that Kroger is purchasing potatoes that are already towards the end of their life span, maybe because they are less expensive at wholesale prices. 

Whatever the case, something appears to be off in the supermarket's supply chain. It's not your job as a consumer to suss out the mystery of why Kroger's bagged potatoes are so poorly-regarded, but the fact remains that you might want to buy your potatoes elsewhere, or at least skip the bagged ones. For what it's worth, Kroger has a pretty lenient return policy, but who wants to run back to the store during dinnertime for a refund?