National Potato Day 2017: Where To Get Potato Deals & Freebies

Starchy vegetables are a dime a dozen, but not all of them acquire a national holiday in its honor. Spud lovers have a reason to celebrate because National Potato Day is Saturday, August 19. Although National French Fries Day was celebrated in July, this holiday will be an all-inclusive celebration of potatoes.

The potato is one of the most popular vegetables worldwide, and it also helped to pave the way for modern industrial agriculture. According to Smithsonian Magazine, potatoes are the fifth-most important crop worldwide behind wheat, corn, rice and sugar cane.

Some retailers and restaurants are participating in the national holiday by giving away or selling spud-inspired items to customers.

National Potatoes Day Participating Retailers/Deals:

McAlister’s Deli: The sandwich shop will be selling its fan favorite “Spuds,” which are made from Idaho Russet potatoes. They're filled with an assortment of diced meats, melted cheeses and fresh garnishes.

Rí Rá: The Irish restaurant has celebrated National Potato Day all week long. Rí Rá has created a spud-inspired menu and will offer potato trivia to restaurant goers Saturday.

Becks Prime: The gourmet hamburger restaurant chain is serving up stuffed baked potatoes to spud lovers who use the code 'HAPPY POTATO DAY' when ordering.

Hwy 61 Roadhouse & Kitchen: Double rewards points will be offered to customers who order the restaurants signature Roadhouse Fries or Roadhouse Skins.

The potato was first discovered in South America, but its initial name batata (sweet potato) was misused by Europeans, according to History Magazine. After potatoes were brought to Europe by Spanish Conquistadors in 1536, Europeans discovered that the veggie contained many nutrients needed for nourishment. According to PotatoGoodness.com, Irish workers at the time primarily sustained themselves with potatoes.

Potato patches first arrived in North America in 1719, courtesy of Scotch-Irish immigrants in New Hampshire, according to PotatoGoodness.com. The vegetable then made its way across the United States. However, Idaho is the largest producer of potatoes, but they didn't begin harvesting the starchy veggie until 1836.

Potatoes haven't always been known for the smooth taste. According to Science Magazine, the starchy vegetable's ancestors resemble misshaped fingers, and they still grow in South America to this day. The South American version offers a bitter taste, whether it's baked or fried. European potatoes cultivated the familiar, smooth taste that most people recognize.

Potatoes were primarily eaten fresh in its early beginnings, but that's a practice that has changed vastly. The veggie is eaten worldwide mashed, roasted, chipped, fried, baked and boiled.

Potatoes offer surprising health benefits. The vegetable, which is primarily comprised of water, can aid in maintaining a lower blood pressure. According to Live Science, the fiber in its peel can help to lower cholesterol by allowing cholesterol and blood to bind together. Studies have also shown that potatoes can be used as a preventive method for cancer. According to the Huffington Post, a 2015 Chinese study conducted by researchers from Zhejiang University claimed that potatoes reduced the chance of acquiring the illness by 33 percent.