July 14, 2025

Positively potatoes: Students celebrate Food Day, Farm to School Month

By Erica Quinlan

Potatoes are the featured food in Indiana during National Farm to School Month.

INDIANAPOLIS — Potatoes are the theme of this year’s Indiana Food Day, celebrated by schools across the state during National Farm to School Month.

The program’s goal is to encourage healthy eating and to support farm to school efforts.

A “spud squad” is teaching kids about different potato varieties.

Fun Facts About Potatoes

Yukon Gold potatoes were first bred in Canada and are named after the Yukon River. The gold color is a reference to the gold rush. Yukon potatoes are one of the few types of vegetables that can grow in Alaska.

All potatoes are rich in potassium, but purple potatoes go an extra step with having anthocyanin. Anthocyanin gives the potatoes their purple color and is a powerful antioxidant that makes these a perfect choice for a healthy meal.

Sweet potatoes play really well with others — you can bake them in sweet dishes, savory dishes, or even put them in smoothies.

The “French fry potato” as Jimmy Buffet would call it. Russets are a great source of Vitamin C which helps us heal faster when we get hurt.

Red potatoes were brought over to Europe from Peru by Spanish explorers in 1560s. Once they became popular all over Europe, they made their way to the United States. Red potatoes are great for recipes both hot and cold because these potatoes hold their shape very easily.

Learn more at www.smore.com/v3cqd-indiana-food-day.

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Erica Quinlan

Erica Quinlan

Field Editor