Potent Potatoes

Photo Credit: www.cookingclassy.com

Yes--the title to this post is a little on the dramatic side. Potatoes are usually an extremely healthy food. Most families have a bag of potatoes in their home at all times. You never know when you'll need to make some kind of potato for a side at dinner! Potatoes aren't hard on your wallet either. They come rather cheaply, and you can make them a plethora of different ways. So, why such a harsh title if I'm praising potatoes this much?

The issue is not the potatoes that you make in the privacy of your home, but the ones that you purchase when you're out to lunch or dinner. Yes, potatoes have many healthy effects, but consider them gone when you're eating out. Instead of a low calorie side, they become a calorie loaded main entree. Restaurants offer potatoes loaded with butter, sour cream, bacon bits, and cheese. A home made potato usually contains less than 100 calories, but these contain upwards of 700 calories! Ouch. That isn't going to settle well with someone trying to watch their calorie intake. It doesn't help that the potatoes used in restaurants probably aren't as fresh as they should be.  That's why all of the additions are thrown on top to get some extra flavor.

Next time you head out to dinner and think about potatoes for a side, think twice. Save your potato craving for a time when you're able to make them at home.

Make sweet choices--in food and in life.