Do you make homemade mashed potatos or buy store-bought?
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
United States
May 19, 2008 11:09am CST
When I was growing up, my mom would make homemade mashed potatos all the time. And, I hated them. She liked to make them too soupy. Now I can see why she made her own and didn't buy the store brand. As a mom and principle money saver in the house, I've found that homemade mashed potatos are a very frugal money saving dish.
I've tried the mashed potatos that you buy in the little tub from Country Crock and I don't like them too much. My little kid loves them and refuses to eat homemade mashed potatos. Of course, they use tons of salt and Mommy doesn't use any salt. Oh, well!
Do you prefer to make your own mashed potatos or buy the store brand in the little tub? Or, do you use potato flakes? How do you get those to taste like the real thing? Would appreciate some tips on this subject.
18 people like this
62 responses
@mrbranan (1012)
• United States
19 May 08
I usually make homemade but mine are not soupy at all. Every now and then if I am in a hurry I will make instant potatoes (the flakes). I start off using milk instead of water and put butter in it. I know you don't like salt but I put salt in everything so I put salt in my instant potatoes also. Try that and let me know how your kids like it.
@Jakesnake1978 (1380)
• United States
22 May 08
Making homemade mashed potatoes is always great idea. It is a lot better than from the box. Hey, you can add veggies to your meal. How about salt and pepper?
@phoenix25 (1541)
• United States
9 Jun 08
I used to use the flakes, but now that I've been cooking a lot more for a few years, I make them homemade. They don't come out soupy, though. I add milk and butter and salt and pepper. I keep them over the heat for a little bit while I mash them and the milk thickens them up.
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
19 May 08
99% of the time I do real mashed potatoes. I do keep some of the 100% real potato flakes on hand though just in case we want potatoes a bit quicker.
I bet that tub stuff is gross. Why don't you just buy the potato flakes? You can get a large box for very little money.
1 person likes this
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
19 May 08
Yes, I do avoid the tub potatos whenever possible. Thanks for the tips and ideas.
@madebyrobyn (616)
• Australia
30 Jun 08
I usually make home made mash, although lately I have found some frozen mashed potatoes that are real potato and not the powdered variety. They are so good that my family - who are quite fussy - don't know that they come ready made. I probably serve them once a week and everyone loves them!
@Ldyjarhead (10233)
• United States
20 May 08
I never had mashed potatoes from a box until long after I was married. Yuck!
I do keep a box on hand to use as filler (it's great for creamed soups and gravies and such), and if I was short on potatoes I might mix my own with some of the boxed stuff, but that's it.
I don't think anything can compare to real potatoes mashed with butter, a bit of milk, salt and pepper. Sometimes I add a little sour cream - yum!
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
20 May 08
ldyjarhead you are a woman after my own heart. I
hate potatoes from those goshawful flakes.yuck.
@kmt2207 (47)
•
19 May 08
I always make homemade, I used to hate them mainly because of school dinner mashed potato that were always served out of an ice cream scoop, and were soooo lumpy!!! My Dad taught me how to make them the best way. Chop the pots with a knife before adding anything, then a good glug of olive oil and large knob of butter. Keep mashing then every so often whisk with the masher makes them really creamy.
Oh and use floury potato like maris pipes or desiree
1 person likes this
@beautyqueen26 (16030)
• United States
19 May 08
That's a brilliant suggestion! I guess I have a lot to learn about home cooking. Thanks ever so much for the great cooking tips.
@danishcanadian (28953)
• Canada
28 Jun 08
My husband made some really great homemade mashed potatoes for us, at Christmas time, and he made really good gravy to go with them too. Yummy!!! I miss his cooking. He's stuck in AZ right ow, and I'm up here in Canada.
1 person likes this
@kellys3ps (3723)
• United States
30 Jun 08
For the holidays we always make homemade mashed potatoes, but for everyday use we buy the potato flakes - homemade ones just take so long to prepare!
1 person likes this
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
21 May 08
i use both-though most often homemade.
if i'm in a hurry for some reason,i'll use the flakes,but i try not to,it tastes somewhat different to me for some reason,and my family knows right away.
i'll dress them up adding a little garlic and some evaporated milk instead of regular milk,then they don't complain as much.
@Crystalxdr (443)
• China
21 May 08
Lol,from the point of view of health,I strongly support homemade mashed potatos.Just like I never buy pork powders in the supper market though it is really convenient for cooking,I consider it may not be sanitary and difficult to clean at home.Oh,I don't know if the pork would be mashed into powder and sells in your country.I 'd rather do it myself actually.
On the other hand,homemade mashed potatos may just as well a good method to save money.To ensure a sustainable living,I think it is necessary to have a money saving plan which should be executed into details.
I always eat potato flakes and cut potato into flakes little by little.
1 person likes this
@Jakesnake1978 (1380)
• United States
22 May 08
I always rather make homemade mashed potatoes myself. I use potatoes bought from produce. I boil them for a while. I press down on them after boiling, using something to mash. Then I add milk and butter. How about salt and pepper? It's a lot better than in the box. That is always great idea. I beat/mix them altogether.
1 person likes this
@jdyrj777 (6530)
• United States
22 May 08
I have IBS. I cannot tolerate any of that boxed stuff. I make everything from scratch. The taste and quality is so much better anyway. Not to mention the expense. Makeing mashed potatoes, scallop potatoes, augraten potatoes, mac n cheese, or any thing else is not that difficult. I friend of mine always made the most incredable mashed potatoes ever. Instead of adding milk he put in a couple big spoonful of mayonaise. They are so delectable that way. Try it im sure you will like it.
@joanntheartist (67)
• United States
22 May 08
I make homemade most of the time. However, when I'm pressed for time or just don't feel like peeling a bunch of potatoes, I opt for the instant. When I make the instant potatoes, I use garlic powder (I don't like to use salt in my cooking either), and some parmesean cheese. Makes it takes more like the real thing, and gives a nice flavor that sometimes event th real thing doesn't have...
1 person likes this
@Anne18 (11029)
•
22 May 08
I have a very tight budget for when I go shopping and it doesn't go to buy ready made mashed potatoes.
I buy a large paper sack of potatoes and store them in the store cupboard.
Mashed pots are my fave sort of potatoe dish. I like to boil them and mash them with butter and milk. If I have any left over I put them into the frezeer.
Sometimes I mix grated cheese in the mash and bake in the oven to make a cheese and potato pie. That is one of the children's fave dishes. I also mix shredded cabbage and onion with mash and again bake in the oven.
Its too dear to buy ready made mash and its so easy to make so why would anyone want to go and buy it!
1 person likes this
@IddiKlu (176)
• United States
20 May 08
Homemade is the only way, they taste sooo much better. While mashing them, I add some butter slices which improves the mashing process (and flavor later), and when they are smooth, I finally add a little bit of milk. Not too much as I don't like them 'soupy' as you call it.
1 person likes this
@Modestah (11179)
• United States
19 May 08
I make my own, everyone likes them better. I use real butter and seasonings - low fat milk...
sometimes I skip the butter and milk and use cream of chicken soup or no fat sour cream.
my potatoes probably taste different everytime -
last night I boiled up and mashed 15 russet potatoes - and they were gone about as quick as they were made.
1 person likes this
@souless_tragedy (259)
• Canada
20 May 08
I make my mashed potatoes from scratch all of the time. The only time I buy and use the boxed/instant kind is when i'm making Shepherds Pie because it actually tastes better with that kind.
@mamacathie (3928)
• United States
20 May 08
I love to boil my potatoes and make real mashed taters. I do not buy instant potatoes because it seems to be another expense to buy the box of instant potatoes when I have the real potatoes in my tater bin already. My mama always made instant potatoes but she could make them so no one knew they weren't real! I learned how to do that but just love to make them from scratch so to speak. God bless you.
1 person likes this
@makingpots (11915)
• United States
20 May 08
I do about half and half. It all depends on how excited I feel about cooking when I am grocery shopping that week. I only use the potato flakes. I have not tried the ones in a tub. I try not to buy one-time-use things that come in a tub. It seems like over packaging to me and I try to be environmentally aware. Once in a while when I am trying to be healthier I make homemade and will leave about half of the skins on them because they have a lot of nutritional value.
1 person likes this
