Oops, we all do it. But here’s what food safety experts say.

If tomato season is the highlight of summer, potato season is the highlight of fall and winter. As we stock up on flavorful sweet potatoes for fall dinners and russet potatoes for Thanksgiving sides, one big question lingers for potato lovers everywhere: Is it safe to eat potatoes once they start looking kind of … weird?

If a potato has ever sat on your countertop or in your pantry for a while, you know what we’re talking about — a greenish tint and little buds called eyes that were definitely the inspiration for the Mr. Potato Head toy. They look weird, sure, but it’s common knowledge in 2023 that “ugly produce” is still OK to eat and eliminates food waste. So once potatoes start looking a little worse for the wear, is the same thing true? Are ugly potatoes OK to eat?