Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Take a Break: Celebrate National Potato Lover’s Month

I don’t think I’ve ever met a potato I didn’t like, yet I didn’t know that February is National Potato Lover’s Month until this past weekend. There is a first time for everything.

Did you know that potatoes are a good source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, and manganese? They are 5,000 potato varieties, with 3,000 of them in the Andes.

When we think of potatoes, we may think of Ireland and the “potato famine.” However, potatoes originated in the Andes Mountains of South America. The first potato didn’t cross the Atlantic until 1570 and it didn’t become a staple crop of Ireland until around 1780.

There are lots of ways to celebrate the potato:

• Crafts using potatoes
- Potato printing (potato stamps)
- Turquoise potato beads
- Potato Dough

• Try some heart healthy recipes from the Idaho Potato folks

• Learn more about the history of the potato and the Irish potato famine

Play Mr. Potato Head’n Friends

Dance the mashed potato with Dee Dee Sharp

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