Real mashed potatoes vs. Instant

"An all-rounder that stores well, 'Dutch Cream' was bred in Holland in the 1880s but has been a favourite in Australia since its introduction in 1959. A waxy, creamy fleshed variety that holds its shape when baked or roasted, 'Dutch Cream' is also popular in mash as it doesn't turn to mush when boiled. A long season potato, don't be in a rush to harvest as they potatoes need a long time to develop fully under the soil."
 

I didn't know that instant potatoes were still a thing. Wouldn't dream of buying such a thing. It I want a quick feed of potatoes I just throw some frozen chips in the air fryer.
 

Real mashed potatoes vs. Instant:​

Instant ingredients: Dried Potato, Palm Oil, Dried Skimmed Milk, Flavourings, Milk Sugar, Milk Proteins, Salt, Colourings, Algal Carotene, Curcumin, Black Pepper, Antioxidant.
Who knows what the flavourings and antioxidants are?
Real potato ingredients:
potato.jpg
 
ms gamboolgal spoils me and I am thankful !
I honestly can't recall in eating her cooking if she ever used instant potatoes ? We're coming up on our 43rd Anniversary in afew days - so I don't think she will ever use instant mashed potatoes....

Just yesterday, she had me stop at the Grocery Store so she could get some Potato's.
She then fixed up one of my favorite dinners 🍽️
We had frozen meats left over from when she cooks - she cooks up big batches and we freeze up the leftovers. Helps having 3 Freezers !
So today we had:
Fried Cube Steak
Fried Chicken
Fried Pork Chops
Fresh Mashed Potatoes
Homemade Gravy
Field Peas
Green Beans
Corn on the Cob
Collard Greens
Fresh Sliced Tomatoes
Raw Onion
Serrano Peppers
About a gallon of home brewed Iced Tea - as them Peppers are hot !

She is a wonderful cook. And I am good at doing the dishes after - and staying out of her way when she is cooking. Ha !

The only problem and it's not much of a problem to me - is that after I have her good meals and get done with the dishes - I am usually in a semi comatose state and I have to go hold down my Lazy Boy for a couple of hours - Ha :sleep:
 
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againstthegrain said:
Not sure where WINCO is sourcing it's potatoes, but there are ample supplies of good potatoes from all US and CA points of origin. They are 1/3 the price of the last 2 years and generally higher in quality.
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I don't know either. I think they were Idaho potatoes. Grade A. I don't think so. I've got potatoes in bags there in the past. Maybe didn't look so good on the outside but were great internally. Recently I got a bag that was probably 2/3 green, so next I got them in bulk and the skins are just tasted terrible. And I like baked potato skins.
 
Remy said:
I don't know either. I think they were Idaho potatoes. Grade A. I don't think so. I've got potatoes in bags there in the past. Maybe didn't look so good on the outside but were great internally. Recently I got a bag that was probably 2/3 green, so next I got them in bulk and the skins are just tasted terrible. And I like baked potato skins.
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There is no such thing as Grade A potatoes, the grades are US #1, US#2, etc.

The bag that was 2/3's green aka (greening or sunburn) had been out in the light which indicates they were sitting around on display before purchase. Always, for any produce item, pls dig to the bottom of the pile, or back of the display or make your selection from the box as the produce clerk puts out the fresh stuff.

All Idaho potatoes must have the variety, the Julian date code for when they were packed, and the shed number that they were packed in. Use the date code to determine how recently the bag was packed.

For example:

Variety = Norkotah or Burbank, or others
Date code = 365 or Dec 31st
Shed number = 32, refer to Idaho Potato Commission web page for further details on that

As for the skins tasting bad I can only guess maybe they were stored next to another smelly item or they were stored or transported where they were effected by the environment. (As an aside I've heard every complaint in the book and the taste of the skins is a new one after 30+ years in the potato biz.)
 
gamboolman said:
I loved baked Potato Skins
ms gamboolgal does not
So it's a win/win - as I will eat her left over Skins with the left overs the next day.
I am fortunate to have a wife that is a good cook.
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My mom is like your wife. She couldn't believe it when we went to a restaurant and she saw potato skins as a menu item. She regarded skins as "garbage". However, to me the skins are the best part especially if they're really crispy.
 
Some brands of flakes-type aka dry mash potatoes taste better than others. However, in the last 20 months, we've been getting frozen packets of mashed potatoes and these wee cylinders have been absolutely excellent.

I've still got two packets as emergency backup. Batchelors SMASH called The Original Instant Mashed Potatoes with an insert "Made from real potato". They're divine, quality makes the difference!

It has saved us lost potatoes and no need for peeling and boiling in advance.

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horseless carriage said:

Real mashed potatoes vs. Instant:​

Instant ingredients: Dried Potato, Palm Oil, Dried Skimmed Milk, Flavourings, Milk Sugar, Milk Proteins, Salt, Colourings, Algal Carotene, Curcumin, Black Pepper, Antioxidant.
Who knows what the flavourings and antioxidants are?
Real potato ingredients:
potato.jpg
Click to expand...

Well, except when making mashed potatoes if a person adds a little milk and margarine plus salt and pepper, then I think you'd have about the same set of ingredients as the instant has.
 
My mom would often buy instant mashed potatoes but they never really tasted like potatoes. Real potatoes with real butter, real milk, real sour cream and chives make the BEST mashed potatoes.

The only time I ever purchased instant mashed potatoes was while we were interior camping and canoeing. Obviously instant potatoes are much lighter than the real thing which was our ONLY reason for getting them.
 

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