Shedd's Country Crock Homestyle Mashed Potatoes Review

In my ongoing experiments with "healthy alternative" entrees and dinners, I have been surprised to find that several times mashed potatoes have been a part of the action.  On one occasion, the potatoes had been mashed with sour cream and often mashed potatoes were partnered with meat and gravy or other sauce.  Surprising as it is, this could possibly make sense if the mashed potatoes were moderately served as a part of a carefully planned dining experience.

As a lazy cook who lives alone, on those occasions when I wanted mashed potatoes in the past, I have resorted to one of the best convenience side dishes -- Shedd's Country Crock Homestyle Mashed Potatoes.  Struggle for five minutes to get the gol-darned thing open and the plastic film removed and stick it in the microwave for about four and a half minutes, give it a stir, and Voila! you have mashed potatoes which aren't bad, or at least that is what I used to think.  (An added convenience is the handy dish which can be recovered and stored in the fridge for future use, a big plus for a single person or a couple.)

STATS:

Two thirds of a cup equals one serving which contains 180 calories with 80 calories from fat.  There are nine grams total fat, four grams saturated fat, zero trans fat, 15 mg. cholesterol, 470 mg. sodium, 23 grams total carbs, two grams dietary fiber, one gram sugars, and two grams protein -- with 4% (D.V.) Vitamin A, 8% Vitamin C, and 2% Calcium.  Oh yah, and a whole string of odd, difficult to pronounce, additives and preservatives.  If you are pressed for time or just plain tired, Shedd's Country Crock Homestyle Mashed Potatoes are okay and surely taste delicious but the fact is that ...

YOU COULD DO BETTER THAN THAT:

For a modicum of money coupled with the investment of extra time and effort, you can cook yourself up a whole pot of mashed potatoes in your own kitchen that will probably be better for you and taste just as good ... and not contain anything mysterious that you can't pronounce. 

STATS:

According to NutritionData.com, a whole cup of traditional home-made potatoes boiled and mashed with milk and butter is a single serving which contains 174 calories with only 11 calories from fat.  There is one gram each total and saturated fat, zero trans fat, 4 mg. cholesterol, 634 mg. sodium, 37 grams total carbs, three grams each dietary fiber and sugars, and four grams protein.  Also on hand are 1% (D.V.) Vitamin A, 22% Vitamin C, 5% Calcium, and 3% Iron. 

TASTE TIP:

The beauty of creating your own mashed potatoes is the control and creativity you can vest in this beloved sidedish.  For instance, the stats above are for potatoes mashed with whole milk and butter but on those rare occasions when I have actually made mashed potatoes, I had no problem making them with 2% milk and a little less butter than the recipe called for.  Some people have replaced butter or margarine with a little olive oil successfully.  They say that there is a great recipe out there somewhere for mashed potatoes made with Swanson Chicken Broth in place of the milk and butter ... and mashing your own also is that big chance to reduce the sodium.  Use less salt and serve either ReaLemon juice or powdered True Lemon along with coarse black pepper at the table.  Calorie counts will vary but they will depend upon what you do to your own potatoes and sometimes a great feeling like that is worth a little extra work.

EXTRA HINT:

If you live alone or have a small family, buy some of those small plastic storage containers with fitted lids made by Glad and other manufacturers, and fill these with leftover mashed potatoes, then refrigerate or freeze for future use when prep time may be at a premium and convenience will be important.