With food prices rising, Potatoes USA says families are embracing a playful, budget-friendly tradition: Easter potatoes.
Potatoes USA is celebrating the growing Easter trend by painting, crafting and cooking potatoes, proving that creativity and tradition go hand in hand, according to a news release. Durable, versatile and already a pantry staple, potatoes make the perfect blank canvas for Easter fun, the organization says.
“Kids of all ages love that potatoes offer an easy, fun and affordable way to get creative,” said Kayla Vogel, a mom and senior global marketing manager for Potatoes USA. “You don’t need delicate handling — just grab some edible paint or removable stickers and let the fun begin.”
Potatoes decorated with safe-for-consumption materials can be enjoyed as a delicious treat once the artwork is complete. No special dyes are needed; paint, markers, stickers and food coloring are all great options for decorating your Easter potatoes, the release said.
“We already keep potatoes in our pantry, so decorating them for Easter just made sense,” Vogel said.
Potatoes USA says for potato crafting time, it helps to:
- Cover the workspace with newspapers or plastic tablecloths to minimize cleanup.
- Consider using gloves to keep little hands clean from food coloring or paint.
For gold-star-level results:
- Food coloring makes a great, edible die; paint the coloring directly onto the potato for the most vibrant color.
- To prevent the color from rubbing off and to maintain the potatoes as purely decorative items, apply a coat of hairspray to seal the color.
For paint-based projects:
- Use a white primer coat to make the colors pop.
- Look for nontoxic, washable paints.
“This year, we’re slicing our potatoes and using cookie cutters and food coloring to paint Easter shapes and spring animals before putting them in the air fryer,” Vogel said. “It’s a really fun activity. My kids love eating potato bunnies, and I love my kids eating their vegetables.”
Parents can also cut potatoes in half to create Easter stamps, the release said. Once halved, children can use a pen or marker to draw a shape or design on the potato’s flat edge. Adults can carefully cut around the drawing using a carving knife, leaving the raised shape on the potato. After the adults have finished carving, the little artist can paint the potato stamps and use their creations to make Easter-themed paintings on paper.
Potatoes are a versatile food that can pull double duty as a canvas and a delicious pantry staple, the release said.
A nutrient-dense vegetable, potatoes have one-third of the daily vitamin C needed, more potassium than a banana (620 milligrams to 422 milligrams), and 3 grams of plant-based protein, says Potatoes USA.
With any leftover potatoes, the organization suggests trying easy, kid-approved recipes for Easter celebrations like:
