Ireland is famous for its love of food, and what better way is there to enjoy some home-grown produce than by tucking in on National Potato Day?
Low in fat and a good source of vitamins, potatoes are a healthy addition to the diet and make a great side dish or even a meal in their own right.
Potato Initiatives Launch on National Potato Day
However, the launch of an exciting new campaign is set to challenge that and aims to reverse this trend over the next three years.
Bord Bia, in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture, are investing in a €4.5 million operation to change the spud’s fortunes.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney TD, announced that his department would be contributing €1 million to the marketing strategy in order to encourage more people to eat the humble spud.
Targeting female shoppers in the 22-to-44 age group, the focus is demonstrating that potatoes can make a healthy and delicious meal in their own right rather than just being used as an accompaniment.
The tagline “More than a bit on the side” is designed to encourage people to think creatively about how this versatile ingredient can be used and to reinforce the idea that it is a healthy option.
Kicking off on National Potato Day, it is hoped that this will provide the boost the industry so desperately needs.
In addition to making a great accompaniment, the humble spud can easily be elevated into the star ingredient in many delicious meals and is a brilliant, healthy option.
Embrace National Potato Day and give this versatile vegetable the treatment it deserves!
The Irish Potato – A Healthy Choice
Many recent diet fads have seen people try to street clear of carbohydrates in the belief that they can encourage weight gain.
However, carbohydrates are vital for giving us energy and helping our bodies and brains to function.
Empty carbs such as sugar give a quick energy boost, but this quickly tails off to be replaced by a crash, leaving you with even less energy than you had before.
Good carbohydrates release energy more slowly, which is far better for the body and will help you feel fuller and more energised for longer.
National Potato Day on 2nd October is the perfect time to try this vegetable.
It is naturally low in fat, a good source of energy, contains more potassium than bananas, and can be prepared in lots of different ways, making it a very healthy option.
Irish Potato = Irish Cuisine
This vegetable has been synonymous with Irish cuisine for centuries and is as much a part of Ireland’s culture as Irish breakfast tea and Guinness.
A number of different types of potatoes are grown in Ireland, including Roosters, Queens, Kerr Pinks and Whites, in regions including Meath, Wexford, Donegal, Louth, Cork and Dublin.
However, the last few years have seen a decline in their consumption, with sales dropping by around 25 per cent over the last decade and as much as a third between 2002 and 2014.
This decline can be attributed to two main factors. The first is the false perception that potatoes are not a particularly healthy food.
The second is that there are now many more carbohydrates available to consumers.
Ingredients such as rice, pasta, quinoa and spelt are much more commonplace now and seen as more exciting alternatives, particularly among younger shoppers in the under-45 group.
If these preconceptions are not challenged, there is a real fear that the decline will continue as more traditional diets are replaced by modern alternatives.
