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Get your spoons ready and prepare to celebrate National Mashed Potato Day on Oct. 18! This day has been around since the mid-1970s as a way to recognize this delicious side dish. But did you know that mashed potatoes have been around for centuries? In fact, some historians say that mashed potatoes were being served in Europe as early as the 1600s! So why not join in the festivities and whip up some creamy, buttery mashed potatoes this October? It's a great way to bring friends and family together and enjoy the classic comfort food.
<div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1600s</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Mashed Potato Origin</div><div class='timeline-text'>Europeans begin making mashed potatoes, a dish that eventually becomes a staple in many households worldwide.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1800s</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Potato Popularization</div><div class='timeline-text'>As the potato crop spread throughout the continents, mashed potatoes became more common and were prepared in a multitude of ways according to regional tastes.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1945</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Invention of Instant Mashed Potatoes</div><div class='timeline-text'>Dehydrated "instant" mashed potatoes were invented, providing a quick and convenient way to prepare the dish.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1975</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Start of National Mashed Potato Day</div><div class='timeline-text'>The day dedicated to celebrating mashed potatoes is first established in the United States.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1990</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Creative Mashed Potatoes</div><div class='timeline-text'>The trend of adding different ingredients such as cheese, garlic and herbs to mashed potatoes takes off, allowing for a plethora of variations on the original dish.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>2010</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Global Celebration</div><div class='timeline-text'>National Mashed Potato Day is celebrated widely, with numerous restaurants and households around the world putting their spin on this classic side dish.</div></div></div>
<div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>1</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Make your own mashed potatoes</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Making mashed potatoes is easy and delicious. Boil your potatoes, mash them with a masher or an electric mixer, add butter and milk, and season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>2</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Go out for mashed potatoes</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Head to a local restaurant that serves up comforting mashed potatoes. Or, try a new place you haven't been to before that specializes in mashed potatoes.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>3</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Bake mashed potato cakes</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Mix leftover mashed potatoes with eggs, cheese, and any other desired ingredients and bake in the oven for a tasty change from traditional mashed potatoes.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>4</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Throw a mashed potato party</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Invite your friends over and have everyone bring their favorite mashed potato dish. Have a competition to see who can make the best dish!</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>5</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Make sweet potato mash</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Mix sweet potatoes with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg for a delicious sweet mash that's sure to please.</p></div></div>
<div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>A</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>Mashed potatoes are comforting</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>Nothing says "comfort food" quite like mashed potatoes. Whether you're sharing a meal with family and friends, or just cuddling up with a good book on the couch, mashed potatoes can make any occasion feel special! Plus, they're easy to make and always turn out delicious!</p></div></div><div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>B</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>Mashed potatoes are easy to customize</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>If you want to get creative in the kitchen, mashed potatoes are the perfect canvas. You can add all kinds of herbs, cheese and sauces for an added flavor boost. You can also mix in vegetables like carrots, corn or peas if you want to take your mashed potato game to the next level.</p></div></div><div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>C</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>Mashed potatoes are the perfect side dish</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>Mashed potatoes pair perfectly with almost any entree - from steak and chicken to fish and veggies. They also make a great last minute side dish that everyone will love. Add some butter and salt, and you have yourself a classic accompaniment that never fails to please!</p></div></div>
<div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>1</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Mashed Potatoes Have a Long Space Travel History</h3><p class='facts-content'>Dehydrated mashed potatoes have been used extensively by NASA for space missions since the Apollo missions, for their lightweight and easy-to-prepare nature.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>2</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>There are Over 5,000 Varieties of Potatoes Worldwide</h3><p class='facts-content'>Many of these varieties can be used to make mashed potatoes, each introducing a unique texture and flavor to the dish.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>3</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Mashed Potatoes were the First Food to be Prepared Using a Handheld Electric Device</h3><p class='facts-content'>In 1922, Stephen J. Poplawski invented the first electric blender primarily for making Horlicks malted milkshakes, but it was soon being used in whipping potatoes as well!</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>4</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Guinness World Record for Largest Serving of Mashed Potatoes</h3><p class='facts-content'>The record for the largest serving of mashed potatoes was set in 2012 in St. Petersburg, Russia, weighing an impressive 2,297 pounds.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>5</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Potatoes are the world's fourth-largest food crop</h3><p class='facts-content'>Following rice, wheat, and maize, potatoes are the fourth largest food crop in the world, contributing to the abundance of mashed potatoes globally.</p></div></div>
National Mashed Potato Day is celebrated on October 18 every year. In 2024 National Mashed Potato Day will occur on a Friday.
2023
Oct 18
Wednesday
2024
Oct 18
Friday
2025
Oct 18
Saturday
2026
Oct 18
Sunday
2027
Oct 18
Monday
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