Storing sweet potatoes properly is essential if you don't want them to rot or start sprouting, but proper storage can also make these tubers tastier. Sweet potatoes are best stored in dry and cool places, since refrigerating them can cause them to harden, and if you wait a while before cooking them, the texture gets even better.

According to Food & Wine, when sweet potatoes are stored in a cool, dry place for 30-60 days, their starches break down into sugars. When this happens, their flesh begins to taste sweeter and the texture becomes much creamier, and you can even wrap the sweet potatoes in banana and tobacco leaves while aging for extra flavor.

If you're not patient enough to wait for months, try curing your sweet potatoes in a room that's about 80 degrees Fahrenheit with 90% humidity, which shortens the process to just one or two weeks. The hot curing method also helps the potatoes develop a sturdier skin that acts as a barrier against bruising.