# Stove Top \[stuffing\] instead of potatoes! How common were potatoes?? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 8, 2011, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stove-top-stuffing-instead-of-potatoes-how-common-were-potatoes/605562 "2011-12-08T22:41:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stove-top-stuffing-instead-of-potatoes-how-common-were-potatoes/605562/41 "2011-12-09T03:36:16Z")
When I grew up in the 1960s, there were potatoes every night. Baked, boiled, mashed, fried, scalloped … every night, there were potatoes in some form. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stove-top-stuffing-instead-of-potatoes-how-common-were-potatoes/605562/42 "2011-12-09T03:36:58Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > I remember growing up there was a long lived campaign by Stove Top stuffing mix to replace the potatoes in your meal with stuffing. Mostly it was kids asking if they could stay at a friend’s house for dinner because they were having stove top instead of potatoes. Actually, the typical formula I remember for those commercials involved a housewife being surprised to learn that her husband actually preferred Stove Top stuffing to potatoes. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stove-top-stuffing-instead-of-potatoes-how-common-were-potatoes/605562/43 "2011-12-09T03:42:17Z")
Northeast US, grew up in the 70s & 80s. Potatoes were part of dinner at least 5 times a week. Boiled, baked, fried, mashed, salad-ed (it’s a word, I swear!), hash browned. Lunch potatoes were generally limited to potato salad, breakfast to hash or home fries. Rice was very rare as my mom didn’t care for it (it’s because you were making Minute Rice, lady!) and pasta was limited to the occasional spaghetti night or elbow macaroni in homemade mac n cheese or “goulash.” Now we eat potatoes as potatoes once a week or less, and as a component in soup or stew once a week. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stove-top-stuffing-instead-of-potatoes-how-common-were-potatoes/605562/44 "2011-12-09T03:45:13Z")
Look at the produce section of any supermarket. Lots and lots and lots of 5 pound bags of potatoes. Obviously they’re a staple for many people. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stove-top-stuffing-instead-of-potatoes-how-common-were-potatoes/605562/45 "2011-12-09T03:46:28Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > Look at the produce section of any supermarket. Lots and lots and lots of 5 pound bags of potatoes. Obviously they’re a staple for many people. That reminds me - we always bought 10 or 15 lb bags of potatoes growing up. Now I buy them singly or a little pod of them show up in my vegetable delivery. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stove-top-stuffing-instead-of-potatoes-how-common-were-potatoes/605562/46 "2011-12-09T03:51:33Z")
My mother’s maiden name was Rosie O’Rourke. You bet we had potatoes (usually mashed, sometimes baked) 9 dinners out of 10. Rice was an exotic exception, usually served with butter. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stove-top-stuffing-instead-of-potatoes-how-common-were-potatoes/605562/47 "2011-12-09T04:12:34Z")
Grew up in the 50’s & 60’s, Washington D.C. area. I’d say potatoes 3-4 times a week, rice 1-2 times, spaghetti dinner every Wednesday, other pasta (macaroni or flat noodles) 1-2 times. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stove-top-stuffing-instead-of-potatoes-how-common-were-potatoes/605562/48 "2011-12-09T04:26:44Z")
Growing up in the 70s/80s, we had potatoes every other meal. Rice was for the rare occasions we went to the only chinese restaurant in town, and then it was always fried rice. I must have been a teenager before I ever tasted plain white rice. But we had mashed potatoes, fried potatoes with onions, baked potatoes, potato salad, and baked frozen french fries all the time. Wow, I can’t remember the last time I cooked frozen french fries, but I must have had them once a week as a kid. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stove-top-stuffing-instead-of-potatoes-how-common-were-potatoes/605562/49 "2011-12-09T04:26:51Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > Grew up in the 50’s & 60’s, Washington D.C. area. I’d say potatoes 3-4 times a week, rice 1-2 times, spaghetti dinner every Wednesday, other pasta (macaroni or flat noodles) 1-2 times. Ditto. All of it. Born in DC. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stove-top-stuffing-instead-of-potatoes-how-common-were-potatoes/605562/50 "2011-12-09T04:28:12Z")
Grew up in the 80s in Cleveland and dad worked at the Ford plant. Of course we ate potatoes! Mostly baked or mashed tho. Don’t remember too many of a fried or cheesed type. Of course we had chips with hamburgers or sloppy joe. We never had rolls tho. Never two starches! (that includes corn) ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stove-top-stuffing-instead-of-potatoes-how-common-were-potatoes/605562/51 "2011-12-09T05:54:19Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > Opal, you’ve made me really curious. What did your family serve on a regular basis? What do you serve your family today? My “family” (that is, my single mother) didn’t “serve” jack shit, ever. I heated up TV dinners for supper, or had canned soup, or canned refried beans, or failing that, I ate breakfast cereal for dinner. Always by myself as my mom ate her meals in her room with the door closed. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stove-top-stuffing-instead-of-potatoes-how-common-were-potatoes/605562/52 "2011-12-09T06:00:53Z")
I just realized I didn’t answer the rest of your question. We usually eat a protein (often tofu or a veggie burger or another vegetable-based meat substitute, along with some sort of steamed green vegetable, such as broccoli, green beans, brussels sprouts, etc. Every rare, rare once in a while I’ll make potatoes (either baked or mashed) but it’s rare. Also rarely, we will have something like corn as a side dish. Or peas. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stove-top-stuffing-instead-of-potatoes-how-common-were-potatoes/605562/53 "2011-12-09T06:08:59Z")
Yet you eat Lima Beans? Man, that’s fucked up. ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stove-top-stuffing-instead-of-potatoes-how-common-were-potatoes/605562/54 "2011-12-09T06:15:15Z")
Lima beans I learned to enjoy as an adult. They’re delicious. ---
**Author:** ![Hbns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hbns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hbns)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stove-top-stuffing-instead-of-potatoes-how-common-were-potatoes/605562/55 "2011-12-09T06:44:53Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > Well I admitted that I knew my experience wasn’t normal in the OP. What I have no way of knowing without asking is how common they ARE/WERE. Which is why I started the thread. Another Midwesterner. We had potatoes with meals all the time growing up, but even if we hadn’t, I think it would be fairly easy to deduce that they are a common staple. McDonald’s offers them in one form or another with nearly every “meal” choice, and they are by far the most common side dish with most restaurant meals. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stove-top-stuffing-instead-of-potatoes-how-common-were-potatoes/605562/56 "2011-12-09T06:56:56Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > Crushed potato chips, swear to god, on Pizza, is a local delicacy. It’s gotta be crushed, Marcelled, Ballreich’s Potato Chips, though. Added as the final topping above the cheese and then baked. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stove-top-stuffing-instead-of-potatoes-how-common-were-potatoes/605562/57 "2011-12-09T10:04:27Z")
> [@OpalCat](#): > > I just realized I didn’t answer the rest of your question. We usually eat a protein (often tofu or a veggie burger or another vegetable-based meat substitute, along with some sort of steamed green vegetable, such as broccoli, green beans, brussels sprouts, etc. Every rare, rare once in a while I’ll make potatoes (either baked or mashed) but it’s rare. Also rarely, we will have something like corn as a side dish. Or peas. Are you a vegetarian? ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stove-top-stuffing-instead-of-potatoes-how-common-were-potatoes/605562/58 "2011-12-09T11:47:17Z")
Appalachia in the 60s and 70s. Beans and potatoes. For variety, potatoes and beans. Meat was for weekends, hamburgers on Saturday, fried chicken on Sunday. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stove-top-stuffing-instead-of-potatoes-how-common-were-potatoes/605562/59 "2011-12-09T14:17:11Z")
My parents (in Saskatchewan, Canada) grew potatoes in their garden in the city, and they grow potatoes in their garden at their cottage. In addition, I had two sets of grandparents who grew more potatoes than they could eat and who would give us some. So during potato season (i.e. summer, fall and part of the winter), we would have potatoes for supper probably 5-6 times a week. Almost always boiled. Now I almost never eat potatoes at home. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2011, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stove-top-stuffing-instead-of-potatoes-how-common-were-potatoes/605562/60 "2011-12-09T16:04:26Z")
Growing up (70s South Africa) I’d say we had potatoes 4 nights a week, either as part of a stew or curry. Nowadays, I’d say once or twice, if that. But that’s because I eat a lot more Medieval, Italian, Japanese and other exotic foods nowadays. But if I’m making a Sunday roast, damn straight it’s going to have 'taters. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stove-top-stuffing-instead-of-potatoes-how-common-were-potatoes/605562.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stove-top-stuffing-instead-of-potatoes-how-common-were-potatoes/605562.md?page=4)