What is National Tater Tot Day?

National Tater Tot Day, February 2nd, honors a kitchen staple. We consume approximately 3.5 billion of these nuggets of potato goodness per year in the United States.

These bite-sized pieces of golden delight were made from the leftovers from making French fries once used to feed cattle. How can the cast-offs from making French fries into the bite-sized, kitchen-friendly morsels we love to eat today? Of course! Of course, persistence and ingenuity are the key to success.

When they rented a plant on the Oregon and Idaho borders in 1934, two brothers, Nephi and Golden Grigg, and their brother-in-law started dabbling in frozen food. They were focusing on making French fries, but the waste fed to cattle seemed to be excessive. Is there a way to minimize the excess? Was there a way to minimize the excess? Maybe, but rather, they chose to produce a product from the excess. Not only did the scrapped and shredded pieces turn into delectable bites when blanched and fried, but they also fit into their product line. They froze well, could be baked, and were delectable!! They purchased the plant in 1952, establishing the Oregon Frozen Foods Company, which would later become Ore-Ida.

Whether spiced or baked into a casserole, tater tots make a dish, side dish, or a snack party. We dip them, pop them, or simply savor them.