Potatoes make a surprising and tasty substitution for pizza crust and bread. Top grilled or roasted potato planks with your favorite pizza topping.

Potatoes as a base for nachos instead of tortilla chips make a great substitute whether you’re choosing to eat gluten-free or not. You can also save time by using frozen potato wedges. It’s a convenient and delicious alternative.

Dice a potato into 1/2 inch squares, toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and your favorite seasonings. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 450 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Let cool and toss in your salad. No time to dice? Try frozen potatoes instead.

The starch in potatoes is a natural thickening agent. Try using instant mashed potatoes or even pureed leftover mashed potatoes for hearty gravies, soups and stews (mix in the potatoes a little at a time so as not to over-thicken).

Instead of the traditional crostini or sliced sourdough bread, slice potatoes 1/4-inch thick, toss in olive oil and bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes. When the slices are finished cooking, top with your favorite tomato bruschetta and enjoy!

Try using naturally gluten-free potatoes instead of pasta. Thin “noodles” of potatoes can be used to recreate your favorite pasta dish or thin slices of potatoes can be used to in place of noodles in your family-favorite lasagna recipe.

Potatoes contain antioxidants including vitamin C, carotenoids, and anthocyanins. The amounts and types are dependent upon the potato variety. So, make sure to include a number of different potato types (e.g., reds, purples, yellow, russets) in your diet.

Potatoes are a good source vitamin B6, which is a nutrient that plays an important role in carbohydrate and protein metabolism. It helps turn the energy from food into energy your body can use.

Potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C (45% of the DV), in fact they have more vitamin C than one medium tomato (40% DV) or sweet potato (30% DV). Vitamin C plays a key role in the synthesis of collagen (important for healthy skin and gums) and may help support the body’s immune system.

Potatoes are a blank canvas for hundreds of flavor combinations. Asian, Italian, American, German, Mediterranean…the possibilities are endless!

One wholesome, satisfying potato with skin contributes 2 grams of fiber to the diet or 8% of the recommended daily value. Dietary fiber has been shown to have numerous health benefits, including improving blood lipid levels, regulating blood glucose, and increasing satiety (makes you feel full longer), which may help with weight loss.

Potatoes are naturally gluten-free. An ideal substitution for some of your favorite bread, grain and pasta-based dishes, potatoes add a boost of nutritional benefits too.

(periodic table, anyone?). Research suggests diets high in potassium and low in sodium may reduce the risk of hypertension and stroke. Potatoes with skin are a good source of potassium.

A medium potato provides 48 mg of magnesium and research indicates potatoes contribute 5% of the total magnesium intake in the diets of Americans. **

Resistant Starch (RS) is found naturally in potatoes and is a type of carbohydrate that is “resistant” to digestion by human digestive enzymes, just like dietary fiber. It also is believed to deliver similar health benefits to dietary fiber and has been shown in both human and animal studies to improve the health of the gastrointestinal tract and digestive system.

That’s right, folks. Potatoes are a vegetable.

Did we mention zero fat, sodium or cholesterol?