5 Reasons You Should Eat More Potatoes

Potatoes are a staple starch all over the world. It’s easy to see why with thousands of different varieties grown and just as many ways to incorporate them into your meal. The average American consumes 142 pounds of potatoes a year making it the most consumed produce. If the fact that they have their own national holiday isn’t reason enough, these are 5 reasons you should eat potatoes.

1. They Are Absolutely Delicious!

Potatoes are delicious, there’s no denying it! They are the ultimate comfort food that reminds you of home. What’s more American than a side of spuds?! But it’s not just Americans who love this starchy vegetable but the rest of the globe, too.The top consumers are China, Russia, India, and the U.S. China alone consumed 47,594,193 tons in 2005. Their popularity alone proves how delicious they are regardless of who you are or where you’re from.

2. They Take Many Different Shapes

Potatoes are an extremely versatile food that takes many different shapes and complements any meal, culture, or time. Our favorite ways to serve them up at Kate’s Kitchen are breakfast potatoes in the morning and a pile of french fries in the afternoon. Have them mashed, scalloped, boiled, baked, roasted or fried. The options are endless with casseroles, soups, and sides, but the most popular will always be french fries, chips and mashed potatoes. You can dress up them by piling on toppings like cheese, garlic, rosemary, sour cream, green onions, butter or bacon bits. Yum!

3. Potatoes Can Help Improve Your Health

Over the years, the potato has earned a bad reputation for being unhealthy and causing weight gain but in reality the opposite is true. They are high in vitamins and minerals like potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin A and vitamin C. They help with weight loss by being low in calories, high in fiber and their lack of fat. Potatoes contain lots of antioxidants to help fight diseases. Many civilizations, such as Ireland and China, lived off of potatoes and nothing else due to its high nutrition properties. As the most nutrient-rich vegetable on Earth it contains all of the necessary nutrients for survival.

4. They Won’t Break The Bank

In the United States, potatoes cost an average of 31 cents per pound! A study found that they have the second highest nutritional value per penny making them a great choice when you are wanting to stretch your dollar. They are the most cost effective way to get in all your nutrients.

5. They Have A Long Shelf Life

We know that potatoes are cheap to buy and can be made into just about anything but even better is that they will last in your kitchen for what feels like forever. The average shelf life is three to four months. This will vary slightly on the type of potato and where you store them. TIP: You can store them in your  freezer for up to eight months!

Are you convinced yet? I mean, what’s not to love?! Now that you know why you should eat more spuds, come to Kate’s Kitchen to fill up on all the taters you can eat, like our tasty breakfast potatoes and french fries. We’ll cook ’em up fresh just for you!