Mash potato.....How much ??

2

Replies

  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,899 Member
    I also don't make them that often -- pretty much standard for a holiday meal for me, but other than that I'm much more likely to have roasted potatoes if I have potatoes.

    Because I have them on holidays, I typically have as much as I like, and don't measure. I often do use the half cauliflower trick, since I think it actually adds a nice flavor. I don't usually have milk on hand, so will use just butter or butter and sour cream (sour cream is a great addition, so if I have it I use it). I add it to hot boiled potatoes (skin on) and then just mash them. Garlic can be a nice addition too, but requires more fuss and usually I have many other things going on and like the potatoes to be simple.
  • LockdownLoser23
    LockdownLoser23 Posts: 93 Member
    A reasonable portion is generally the amount from the top of your middle finger to the top of your thumb. Spuds aren't the devil my friend, but you can mash anything if you boil it long enough. Have a play, see what you find you like....just don't add olive oil, that is ridiculous :'(

    Asking for a homo sapiens friend whose thumb is opposable, so the distance between the top of their middle finger to the top of their thumb is highly variable: What position is the thumb meant to be in? Also, what are the other dimensions, as this describes a linear distance and mashed potatoes are measure by volume or weight?

    So basically extend the middle finger and thumb and lower the other fingers. You can fold the thumb in if you want, then stand in front of a mirror and check your hand :p

    :D:D

    Someone finally worked it out - :p
  • Go_Deskercise
    Go_Deskercise Posts: 1,630 Member
    A reasonable portion is generally the amount from the top of your middle finger to the top of your thumb. Spuds aren't the devil my friend, but you can mash anything if you boil it long enough. Have a play, see what you find you like....just don't add olive oil, that is ridiculous :'(

    Asking for a homo sapiens friend whose thumb is opposable, so the distance between the top of their middle finger to the top of their thumb is highly variable: What position is the thumb meant to be in? Also, what are the other dimensions, as this describes a linear distance and mashed potatoes are measure by volume or weight?

    So basically extend the middle finger and thumb and lower the other fingers. You can fold the thumb in if you want, then stand in front of a mirror and check your hand :p

    :D:D

    Someone finally worked it out - :p

    Gave me a pretty good laugh on an otherwise boring work day, thanks! :)
  • KrissDotCom
    KrissDotCom Posts: 217 Member
    ....

    This is where i keep my comments to myself
  • Shortgirlrunning
    Shortgirlrunning Posts: 1,020 Member
    edited July 2020
    I’m a terrible person to ask for this. I legit just ate mashed potatoes for dinner last night - not had them with my dinner, I only ate the mashed potatoes. I don’t have them often because I do have a bit of trouble controlling my portions. I never have an alternative and I’m not adding disgusting cauliflower to it.

    I would say half a cup is a reasonable serving size. That usually comes out to about 150 calories. I don’t add anything but a little bit of salt and pepper (butter is typically already mixed in so no need to add more).
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,394 Member
    According to Betty each box comes with 4x portions of 1/3 of a cup (23g to 29g) powdered potatoes that get hydrated with about 2 cups of boiling liquid. Each portion being about 80 to 120 Cal depending on flavours... and this assumes making them with water.

    So that would make each portion... about 0.83 of a cup for about 100 Cal. about 360-450 Cal for the tub. Add 175g of 0% greek yogurt mixed in and your favourite frozen vegetables separately nuked while the water was boiling in the electric kettle gismo... and you have a, literally, 5-6 minute to prepare from start to finish meal in the 700-800Cal range... especially if you use the Roasted Garlic ones and add say 10-16g of Garlic seasoning...

    Yes... I am a criminal for not boiling baby potatoes in pristine spring water and delicately smashing them with silver spoons!!!! :lol:
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    A "reasonable" portion is going to be different for me vs someone else. For me I would say 1/3 of my plate, x2 (servings). I don't weigh so I just loomp it on there. I like it with butter, milk, garlic, and chives.
  • joyanna2016
    joyanna2016 Posts: 323 Member
    Canned rutabagas are very soft and mash in nicely with potatoes and tastes great!
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,950 Member
    lemurcat2 wrote: »
    I also don't make them that often -- pretty much standard for a holiday meal for me, but other than that I'm much more likely to have roasted potatoes if I have potatoes.

    Because I have them on holidays, I typically have as much as I like, and don't measure. I often do use the half cauliflower trick, since I think it actually adds a nice flavor. I don't usually have milk on hand, so will use just butter or butter and sour cream (sour cream is a great addition, so if I have it I use it). I add it to hot boiled potatoes (skin on) and then just mash them. Garlic can be a nice addition too, but requires more fuss and usually I have many other things going on and like the potatoes to be simple.

    For the garlic, you can just smash a few cloves at the outset to get the skin off (or use a garlic press, or whatever your preferred method of getting the cloves separated from the skin is) and toss them in the boiling water with the potatoes at the outset. No need to try to fish them out when you drain the potatoes. This will give you a mild garlic flavor for what (to me) seems like a bare minimum of fuss.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,950 Member
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    According to Betty each box comes with 4x portions of 1/3 of a cup (23g to 29g) powdered potatoes that get hydrated with about 2 cups of boiling liquid. Each portion being about 80 to 120 Cal depending on flavours... and this assumes making them with water.

    So that would make each portion... about 0.83 of a cup for about 100 Cal. about 360-450 Cal for the tub. Add 175g of 0% greek yogurt mixed in and your favourite frozen vegetables separately nuked while the water was boiling in the electric kettle gismo... and you have a, literally, 5-6 minute to prepare from start to finish meal in the 700-800Cal range... especially if you use the Roasted Garlic ones and add say 10-16g of Garlic seasoning...

    Yes... I am a criminal for not boiling baby potatoes in pristine spring water and delicately smashing them with silver spoons!!!! :lol:

    I try not to be a food snob, but no. Just no.

    I vividly remember the first time I ever had instant potatoes as a child. They looked fairly normal so it wasn't until they were in my mouth that I knew something was wrong. We were eating in the kitchen, so I glanced around the counters to confirm my suspicions. Yup, there was the box. I was a guest, so I swallowed, and washed it down with some milk, then tried to eat enough of the rest to not make it look like I didn't like them by sneaking a tiny amount on to each fork- or spoon-load of the other foods on the plate.

    I believe they can be useful as a thickening agent in sauces, cream style soups, and gravies, though I haven't tried it.
  • LockdownLoser23
    LockdownLoser23 Posts: 93 Member
    A reasonable portion is generally the amount from the top of your middle finger to the top of your thumb. Spuds aren't the devil my friend, but you can mash anything if you boil it long enough. Have a play, see what you find you like....just don't add olive oil, that is ridiculous :'(

    Asking for a homo sapiens friend whose thumb is opposable, so the distance between the top of their middle finger to the top of their thumb is highly variable: What position is the thumb meant to be in? Also, what are the other dimensions, as this describes a linear distance and mashed potatoes are measure by volume or weight?

    So basically extend the middle finger and thumb and lower the other fingers. You can fold the thumb in if you want, then stand in front of a mirror and check your hand :p

    :D:D

    Someone finally worked it out - :p

    Oh, I worked it out. Normally I consider being told to go *kitten* myself -- no matter how clever the person telling me thinks they are -- to be the end of a conversation.

    Lol.. you said what i was thinking.

    ...but didn't have the potatoes to say lol
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,394 Member
    I believe they can be useful as a thickening agent in sauces, cream style soups, and gravies, though I haven't tried it.

    Yup! Works for that too!
    Sooooo versatile!!! :wink:
  • KrissDotCom
    KrissDotCom Posts: 217 Member
    A reasonable portion is generally the amount from the top of your middle finger to the top of your thumb. Spuds aren't the devil my friend, but you can mash anything if you boil it long enough. Have a play, see what you find you like....just don't add olive oil, that is ridiculous :'(

    Asking for a homo sapiens friend whose thumb is opposable, so the distance between the top of their middle finger to the top of their thumb is highly variable: What position is the thumb meant to be in? Also, what are the other dimensions, as this describes a linear distance and mashed potatoes are measure by volume or weight?

    So basically extend the middle finger and thumb and lower the other fingers. You can fold the thumb in if you want, then stand in front of a mirror and check your hand :p

    :D:D

    Someone finally worked it out - :p

    Oh, I worked it out. Normally I consider being told to go *kitten* myself -- no matter how clever the person telling me thinks they are -- to be the end of a conversation.

    Lol.. you said what i was thinking.

    ...but didn't have the potatoes to say lol

    Reason being is I wouldn't of been so polite.
  • dsc84
    dsc84 Posts: 208 Member
    As a family we typically have them every Sunday with our family sit down dinner. I make them with butter and milk. I measure what I put in and calculate how many calories and how much I can have. I work it into my diet. Everyone in the family enjoys them, and we just make it work.

    In a pinch I've subbed the butter with avocado oil but I'm not saving calories there, but I will use low fat milk (not that it reduces the calories by a lot.)

  • LockdownLoser23
    LockdownLoser23 Posts: 93 Member
    A reasonable portion is generally the amount from the top of your middle finger to the top of your thumb. Spuds aren't the devil my friend, but you can mash anything if you boil it long enough. Have a play, see what you find you like....just don't add olive oil, that is ridiculous :'(

    Asking for a homo sapiens friend whose thumb is opposable, so the distance between the top of their middle finger to the top of their thumb is highly variable: What position is the thumb meant to be in? Also, what are the other dimensions, as this describes a linear distance and mashed potatoes are measure by volume or weight?

    So basically extend the middle finger and thumb and lower the other fingers. You can fold the thumb in if you want, then stand in front of a mirror and check your hand :p

    :D:D

    Someone finally worked it out - :p

    Oh, I worked it out. Normally I consider being told to go *kitten* myself -- no matter how clever the person telling me thinks they are -- to be the end of a conversation.

    Lol.. you said what i was thinking.

    ...but didn't have the potatoes to say lol

    Reason being is I wouldn't of been so polite.

    Got no spuds 🤣
  • whoami67
    whoami67 Posts: 297 Member
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    According to Betty each box comes with 4x portions of 1/3 of a cup (23g to 29g) powdered potatoes that get hydrated with about 2 cups of boiling liquid. Each portion being about 80 to 120 Cal depending on flavours... and this assumes making them with water.

    So that would make each portion... about 0.83 of a cup for about 100 Cal. about 360-450 Cal for the tub. Add 175g of 0% greek yogurt mixed in and your favourite frozen vegetables separately nuked while the water was boiling in the electric kettle gismo... and you have a, literally, 5-6 minute to prepare from start to finish meal in the 700-800Cal range... especially if you use the Roasted Garlic ones and add say 10-16g of Garlic seasoning...

    Yes... I am a criminal for not boiling baby potatoes in pristine spring water and delicately smashing them with silver spoons!!!! :lol:

    I was 20 years old before I found out you could make mashed potatoes by boiling potatoes and mashing them. I thought they only came from Betty Crocker potato buds until I was at someone's house for Thanksgiving and saw them actually mash potatoes. I didn't like them. I thought the Betty Crocker kind were better. I've since changed my mind on that.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,931 Member
    Instant packet mashed potatoes aren't a thing much here in Australia- you can buy them but they are not much used.
    I dont recall ever buying them myself.

    If one says one is having mashed potatoes the assumption would be actual cooked potatoes mashed - usually with milk and butter but some variations on this
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,329 Member
    Am I the only one who never has mash potato unless I make shepherds pie or mash it with onions and carrots, or other veggies for stampot?