Potatoes

Potato/Rīwai

Availability

All year round. You can buy new season potatoes from late August until February.

Storage and Handling

Store in a cool, dark and dry place, do not refrigerate as this can change the flavour. Handle all fresh produce with care and wash before eating.

History

Potatoes, often called spuds, are probably native to the Andes in South America. They have been a staple food of the Europeans and North Americans for nearly two hundred years! Potatoes, like most of the common vegetables we know today, came to New Zealand from the British Isles and were established by 1880 as a staple part of the early settlers’ diet. Potatoes are such an important food that 2008 was declared Year of the Potato by the United Nations.

Facts and Varieties

Potatoes are the number one vegetable in New Zealand with 97% of us eating them
53% of New Zealanders consume fresh potatoes four times per week and 21% of New Zealanders eat them daily
The part of the plant we eat is the swollen underground stem, called the tuber
Many potato varieties are grown in New Zealand, but there are no more than 10 to 12 varieties which are ‘common’ and readily available. In addition, there are many varieties that have limited and/or localised supplies
Potatoes tend to be categorized as waxy, general purpose or floury with each category being better suited to specific types of cooking

Waxy potatoes (most early/new season potatoes)

Nadina
Draga
Frisia

General-purpose potatoes

Desiree
Karaka
Moonlight

Floury potatoes

Ilam Hardy
Red Rascal
Agria
Fianna

New Potatoes

New potatoes are available from late August through to February
New potatoes are immature potatoes harvested during the spring or summer
The skins of new potatoes are generally thinner and flakier than found on older potatoes

Growing Facts

Plant potatoes in September to November (after frost risk has passed)
Once seed potatoes sprout they are ready for planting
Potatoes can be planted in large buckets or pots if you short of space in your vegetable patch

Nutrition Information

1 potato = 150g

	Average Quantity per serving	% Daily Intake per serve	Average Quantity per 100 g
Energy (kJ/Cal)	470/112	5%	313/75
Protein (g)	3.1	6%	2.2
Fat, total (g)	0.1	0%	0.1
- saturated (g)	0.02	0%	0.01
Available carbohydrate (g)	23.2	7%	15.4
- sugars (g)	0.5	1%	0.3
Dietary Fibre (g)	2.6	9%	1.7
Sodium (mg)	4	0%	3
Vitamin C (mg)	19	47% RDI*	12.0
Folate ug	21	11% RDI*	14.0
Niacin (mg)	2.1	21% RDI*	1.4
Pantothenic Acid (mg)	0.6	11% ESADDI*	0.4
Thiamin (mg)	0.14	12% RDI*	0.09
Magnesium (mg)	34	11% RDI*	23
Potassium (mg)	726		484