Can You Boil Potatoes in the Mesh Bag? Here’s the Truth.
Updated: May 26, 2022
You can boil potatoes in the mesh bag. But should you?
There’s a whole mess of ways to serve up potatoes, and all of them are delicious. You may find yourself leaning toward baked potatoes and french fries, others may love hash browns and garlic mashed potatoes. However way you slice it, the pliable potato can rarely be beat when it comes to signature side dishes.
But a new TikTok trend for potato preparation has taken the internet by storm, and it begs the question: Can you boil potatoes in the mesh bag? That’s what we’re here to figure out!
Is It Safe to Boil Potatoes in a Mesh Bag?
The trend arose around the same time TikTok user @debomazing posted a video of a chef on the Food Network boiling an entire bag of potatoes in the mesh. She was so flabbergasted, she had to let the internet know what was going on!
@threepointturnerHAVE I BEEN COOKING POTATOES WRONG MY WHOLE LIFE?!♬ Spongebob – Dante9k
It is in fact possible to boil your potatoes in the mesh bag they come in. Since most of the bags come with large holes, water can easily pour in and cook your potatoes as they normally would without the bag. It’s all extra convenient to be able to just pull the whole bag out at once!
However, there’s a catch. Most of the plastic mesh bags that potatoes come in may release toxins into the water once heated. The plastic itself won’t melt, but it’s important to know what’s possibly getting into your food. Some commenters have claimed that certain colors of mesh bags are safe while others are not, but there isn’t enough evidence to back that up.
The Best Way to Boil Your Potatoes
Don’t worry—there’s still a way to safely boil potatoes in the mesh. If your bag is made of nylon, you’re safe. And if you don’t want to boil your potatoes in the bag, use our surefire method for basic boiled potatoes.
