Good morning, welcome to our series sharing Food Holidays: February 2nd, 2022. Looks like David might be going to Sonic for lunch today and no, it isn’t for me a Cherry Dr. Pepper but an order of Tater Tots so I can celebrate National Tater Tot Day. Although I did purchase Potatoes and if Charlie is feeling better, he could make us Homemade Tater Tots in his Homeschool Cooking Class. Would you like to celebrate with us today?
National Tater Tot Day– #NationalTaterTotDay
Five facts about tater tots:
1. Tater Tots literally mean “baby potatoes”; tatter for potato & tots “meaning little one.”
2. Americans consume over 70 million pounds or Tots per year.
3. Tater Tots were first invented in 1953 at the Ore-Ida Labs.
4. Tater is slang for potato (origin: 1750–60; America; by Apheresis, tato, and substitution of -er for final -o, tater).
5. In Australia, Tater Tots are known as “potato gems.”
Our love of Tater Tots likely stems from Elementary School with a little help from the 2004 classic film “Napoleon Dynamite”). However, there’s far more to Tater Tots than that. Did you know Tater Tots are considered “fine dining”? At upper-echelon restaurants all across the U.S., you’ll find Tater Tots on the menu, right next to Foie Gras.
NATIONAL TATER TOT DAY ACTIVITIES
- Host a Tater Tot eating contest. Have your favorite condiments on hand.
- Head to your favorite fast-food restaurant and order Tater Tots.
- Make your own Tater Tots although sometimes restaurants do make better Tater Tots, today is the day to test your baking skills. You can find recipes online or come up with your own recipe.
5 TOT facts
- People thought of Tater Tots as the “unwanted” parts of potatoes. However, clever marketing and actually making Tater Tots more expensive eventually changed all that.
- In Australia, you’ll discover that Tater Tots are not Tater Tots. They’re Potato Gems.
- Every year, Americans consume a whopping 70 million pounds of Tater Tots.
- You’ve likely called a potato a “tater” before. Throw in “tot” — for obvious reasons.
- Other names for Tater Tots are Potato Rounds, Tater Puffs, or Potato Croquettes.
WHY PEOPLE LOVE NATIONAL TATER TOT DAY
- Potatoes are an American staple. Baked. Scalloped. Au gratin. No arguments here. However, when that Potato is a tiny little tot you can just pop in your mouth, well, we seem to love Potatoes even more.
- Tater Tots reduce Potato waste because Tater Tots are made from the leftover parts of French Fries? By eating Tater Tots, you’re keeping Potato waste to a minimum.
- Tater tots are great for “on the go. “As much as we love a good Baked Potato, they’re not very portable. Tots, on the other hand, can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere!
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
