Latest News from the IPC

When Tater Tots® began arriving in grocery stores in 1954, they quickly caught on as a snack food, a side dish and the foundation for casseroles at dinner tables across America. Across the next sixty years, foodservice operators capitalized on tot popularity, enthusiastically integrated them into menus ranging from quick service to white tablecloth. As these bite-sized potato croquettes officially move into middle age, the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) salutes the tot as both an inspired potato product and a springboard for potato creativity.

During peak picnic season make sure your spread is complete with the perfect potato salad. With more than 100 potato salads in its rich recipe database, as well as tips from the experts and how-to videos, the Idaho Potato Commission’s (IPC) website is your top resource for this popular summer side dish.

For operators who research products and order online, the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) has added another essential foodservice tool to its online resources. The IPC cost and size calculators help operators take the guesswork out of purchasing Idaho® Potatoes. From carton to plate, operators can rely on these tools to give them real time numbers for keeping food costs in line and customers happy.

As the potato industry’s best resource for product information (varieties, handling, storage) and usage (preparation tips and recipes), the IPC collected targeted solutions and recommended recipes for five potato menu standards: All Things Au Gratin Potatoes, All Things Baked Potatoes, All Things Mashed Potatoes, All Things Potato Salads, and All Things French Fried Potatoes.

The fans voted and the results are in! The winner of the Idaho Potato Commission’s (IPC) first-ever Virtual Side Dish Challenge is Rachael Hutchings of the popular food blog, La Fuji Mama. As a resident of Lehi, Utah, Hutchings and her winning recipe for Coconut Lime Idaho® Potatoes Anna earned a $5,000 donation for her local Meals On Wheels program of the Mountainland Association of Governments in Orem.

One potato, two potato…and more. The state of Idaho produces over 25 potato varieties, and the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) is proud to promote them all. From the popular Russet Burbank to the delectable Cal Red to exotically named Russian Banana Fingerling, Idaho produces a potato to meet every recipe requirement. For operators who need help selecting just the right potato for their needs, the IPC has developed a “Our Most Popular Varieties” web page with a link for a downloadable Idaho® Potato Varieties poster to take the guesswork out of purchasing.

More than 5,000 supermarket chains and independent retailers showcased spuds for the annual Potato Lover’s Month retail display promotion in February, the most ever in the contest’s 23 years.

The head-turning, jaw-dropping Great Big Idaho® Potato Truck is back on the road for its third consecutive cross-country tour with a new message for women: Take care of your heart! The five-month long, 2014 Big Idaho® Potato Truck Tour kicked off in Boise, Idaho with waves, cheers, and hugs from the students of Riverside Elementary School and salutes from soldiers at the Air Force Base in Mountain Home.

One of the most popular vegetables in the produce aisle is easier than ever to enjoy, especially when you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your family and friends. Our unique tip is perfect for potato salad season. Watch the Dawn Wells potato peeling video on YouTube and idahopotato.com.

Consumer awareness of gluten as a trigger for autoimmune and other conditions has rocketed to prominence, creating both a new industry of gluten-free products and a new gluten-free menu category. While the resulting wave of gluten-free menu requests has stymied many a foodservice operator, a popular, widely available solution is always at hand: Idaho® potatoes.