Fun Facts

• A potato is about 80% water and 20% solid

• Henry Spalding first planted potatoes in Idaho in 1837
• "French Fries" were introduced to America when Thomas Jefferson served them at a White House dinner.
• United States potato lovers consumed more than 4 million tons of French Fries in various shapes and sizes.
• The average American eats 140 pounds of potatoes per year. Germans eat more than 200 pounds per year.
• The largest potato grown was 18 pounds and 4 ounces according to the Guinness Book of World Records. It was grown in England in 1795.
• The highest volume baked potato restaurant, The Hot Potato, is located in Plaza las Americas in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
• In the United States, potatoes are grown in all 50 states and in about 125 countries worldwide.
• At first, potatoes were not initially accepted by Europeans. Some claimed potatoes were not mentioned in the bible, while others attributed some common diseases to potatoes.
• During the Alaskan Klondike gold rush, (1897-1898) potatoes were practically worth their weight in gold. Potatoes were so valued for their vitamin C content that miners traded gold for potatoes.