AND the best of the vitamins in Potato, mainly Vitamin C is right under the skin so when you peel potatoes you toss all the goodness away. If I want the peel off I boil them in their skins, when cooked pop them into cold water and take the skins of them, they taste a lot better that way.

Economically if you are on your own like me, boil a batch of potatoes and cool them down completely in cold water and keep them in the fridge ready for frying, baking or salads. They will keep for a few days in the fridge quite happily.

Good tip to know.

Living alone, I have learned to make big meals and freeze portions for later. So, I peel potatoes maybe once a week or maybe twice a month. Menus include, large pot roasts, large beef stews, chicken and noodles, pot pies and meat loaf w baked potatoes. All of these adapt to creating "TV" dinners for later. I don't mind peeling potatoes since its not very often. And, I have the box variety for when I really want mashed potatoes in a hurry.

I use the Ore-Ida instant potatoes in a small bag. 4 servings in a bag. Add a little butter or sour cream or whipping cream or whatever you like in them. But mostly I peel, or boil and keep peelings in, or bake, or microwave. If you microwave, put them in a baggie. It keeps the moisture in them better. But don't close the bag.

When I use instant potatoes, I use sour cream instead of the milk, using the same amount, then put 2 minced garlic cloves in the water while it heats. Also add some black pepper, maybe 1/4 tsp in 4 servings. Takes away that "boxy" taste. My favorite brand is Potato Pearls, but I haven't seen them for a long time, not sure they are are on the market any more.

An aside: I always ask everyone what they expect for Thanksgiving. One son in law always requests real mashed potatoes. One year I said if that's what he wants he could bring them. He didn't bring them , so I handed the bag of potatoes and peeler and told him to get busy. The next year, he asked for lemon meringue pie!

A large portion of the mineral value in potatoes in in the skin. My family gave up skinning potatoes in about 1950.

I gave up boiling potatoes a long time ago. My DH and I like baked or roasted potatoes much better. I just give them a good scrub, oil them and toss them into the oven. My hands don't stand up against peeling potatoes any more. Arthritis is to blame. Oh, my DH actually likes Hungry Jack Instant Mashed Potatoes and asks for them often. Sometimes that was all he wanted to eat when he was on chemo. Just the instant potatoes with a bit of gravy. :):):)