National Tater Tot Day
National Tater Tot Day occurs on February 2 each year in the United States. On this day, you can enjoy the golden, bite-sized deliciousness of one of nature’s most perfect foods, the tater tot.
So, join fellow Americans and throw some tots in the oven to accompany your next meal. That’s all you need to do to celebrate National Tater Tot Day!
When is National Tater Tot Day?
National Tater Tot Day is celebrated on February 2 each year.
FAQs
These tater tot frequently asked questions will inform you of all you need to know to impress your friends on tater tot day.
What is a tater tot?
Tater tots are made of grated potatoes that are formed into a small, cylindrical shape. These bite-size morsels are then deep-fried and usually served as a side dish with meals.
What is tater tot short for?
The word “Tater” is short for potato. And the word “Tot” represents the small size of the tater tot, as in a small child or toddler. So, tater tot means baby potatoes.
The name Tater Tot is a registered trademark of Ore-Ida, an American frozen food company.
Why are tater tots bad for you?
Tater tots are made of fried potatoes, vegetable oil, salt, and other flavorings. A 3 oz. serving of tots (about seven pieces) contains 8 grams of total fat, of which 1.5 grams are saturated fat.
There is also quite a bit of sodium (430 mg) and 130 calories per serving.
What is the UK equivalent of tater tots?
The British call tater tots “potato croquettes.”
What did Napoleon Dynamite say about tater tots?
Tater tots played an important role in the popular 2004 film “Napoleon Dynamite.” In a very funny scene, Napoleon tucks several tater tots in his pants pocket.
Dialog from the scene goes like this:
Randy: Napoleon, give me some of your tots.
Napoleon: No, find your own.
Randy: Come on. Give me some of your tots.
Napoleon: No. I’m freakin’ starved. I didn’t get to eat anything today.
(Randy kicks Napoleon’s pants pocket, squishing the tater tots)
Napoleon: Ugh.. gross. Freakin’ idiot!
Napoleon Dynamite – Tater tot scene with Pedro
Why do we celebrate National Tater Tot Day?
The celebration of National Tater Tot Day began in 2009, created by a food writer who wanted to put the spotlight on the humble tater tot and celebrate its simple greatness as a food item.
How do we celebrate National Tater Tot Day?
Here are some simple ways you can make the most of your National Tater Tot Day celebration:
Cook up some tots – whether you eat them straight out of the oven with ketchup or include them in a fancy hot dish or casserole, tater tots will make your meal complete.
Have a tot-eating contest – Cook up some tots and see who can eat the most. Have plenty of dipping sauce on hand to accompany your tater tots, anything from ketchup to chili cheese dip.
Make homemade tots – Create your own unique tater tots (think unusual flavors and spices) by shredding potatoes and forming them into homemade tater tots. Check for recipes online.
Watch tater tot movies – Obviously, the best choice here is the film “Napoleon Dynamite.” But another tater tot movie to check out is “Tater Tot & Patton.”
Take a tot on the go – Be like Napoleon Dynamite and take tots with you as you drive. They are very portable! Just don’t put them in your pocket as he did—a squished tot is not quite as appetizing.
Fun facts about tater tots
1.) Sonic fast food restaurant is a tater tot hot spot.
2.) Tater tots originally were made from the ‘unwanted’ parts of the potato in making french fries. But look at it this way, the tater tot is one of the original zero-waste foods.
3.) Americans eat about 70 million pounds of tater tots each year.
4.) Other names for tater tots include tater puffs, potato croquettes, potato cylinders, baby taters, and potato nuggets.
5.) The potato is one of the main staples of food worldwide for over 400 years, and it is the world’s fourth-largest crop.
6.) Tater tots are called “potato gems” or “potato pom-poms.”
7.) Tater tots were rolled out to retail stores in 1956. Dwight D. Eisenhower was the President of the U.S. at that time.
Tater Tot Jokes
1.) What goes through a potato’s brain?
Tater thoughts.
2.) Do you know what a dictator is?
An evil tater tot.
3.) What vegetable can work as a sports announcer?
A common tater.
4.) What does an imposter potato say?
I’m a tater.
5.) Mr. Potato Head’s wife is upset.
She claims he won’t tater anywhere.
6.) I have a tattoo of a Russet potato on my right shoulder and of a Sweet Potato on my left.
They are my Tater Tats.
7.) What do you call a potato that has turned to the dark side?
Vader tots!
8.) Potatoes in glasses are never the center of attention.
They’re just spec taters.
9.) What do you use to carry potatoes?
A tater tote.
10.) The tater tots I took to my friend’s super bowl party were just like the Patriots.
A little old, but seasoned to perfection.
Potato Humor
11.) What do you call a lazy spud?
A couch potato.
12.) A potato gave a gift to his girlfriend. She said, “Aww, why are you so sweet?” He said, “It’s just the way I yam.”
13.) What kind of potatoes are in the best shape?
Hash browns, because they’re shredded!
14.) What’s a potato’s favorite TV show?
Starch Trek.
15.) What do you call a baby potato?
Small fry.
16.) We’re a perfect mash.
17.) Why shouldn’t you give a zombie mashed potatoes?
Because they’re already a little grave-y.
18.) What do you get when you put an elephant and a load of potatoes together? Mashed potatoes.
Tater Tot Joke Meme
Spuds Puns
19.) What do you call a potato that wears glasses?
A spec-tater
20.) What kind of potato would Kim Jong Un be?
A dic-tater
21.) What kind of job does your average potato have?
He’s a common tater.
22.) I find you very a-peeling.
23.) What do you call an annoying potato?
An agi-tater.
24.) What do you call a spinning potato?
A rotate-o.
25.) What do you call a calm potato?
A medi-tater.
26.) What do potatoes eat for breakfast?
Pota-toast and jelly.
27.) What’s a sweet potatoes favorite sports team?
The New York Yamkees.
Potato Puns
28.) Who is the most powerful potato?
Darth Tater.
29.) What’s a potato’s favorite horror movie?
The Silence of the Yams.
30.) What do you call a yam with a broom?
A sweep potato.
31.) Why did the potato salad blush?
Because it saw the salad dressing.
32.) What does a potato say on a sunny morning?
What a mashing day!
33.) What do you call a stolen yam?
A hot potato.
Potato Chip Puns
34.) What do potato chips yell out when they’re celebrating?
Chip, chip. Hurray!
35.) You’re a chip off the old block.
36.) What is a potato’s chip favorite day of the week?
Fry-day
Quotes About Tater Tots
37.) Gimme your tots. I’m freakin’ starvin’.
Napoleon Dynamite
38.) You gonna eat your tots?
Napoleon Dynamite
39.) She’s got the strength of a tater tot.
Jenn Bennett
40.) I just want to get on a table, dance on someone’s tater tots, and wait for the hall monitor to drag me away.
Katherine Applegate
41.) As a chef and as a father, I am very upset by what’s on the menu at most schools: chicken nuggets and tater tots and ketchup and pizza.
Jose Andres
42.) My daughter is a very adventurous eater. I’m not the guy who sits around lamenting that all my kid will eat is Tater Tots and chicken nuggets. With my kid, it’s more capricious and whimsical decision-making.
Adam Mansbach
43.) “When in doubt,” Calypso said, “Tater Tots.”
Rick Riordan
44.) Someone who doesn’t care if they get Tater Tots or turnip slurry is a person who has given up on life.
Charlie Jane Anders
45.) “Four different kinds of Tater Tots?” I felt overwhelmed by culinary confusion. “Why would anyone need so many? Chili. Sweet potato. Blue?”
Rick Riordan
46.) He had this domineering way about him that totally ketchuped my tater tots — it was like he knew what I wanted more than I did.
Nicole Peeler
47.) Tater tots care about you. Not salad. Salad is cold and unconcerned with your problems.
Mary Mack
Captions for Instagram
48.) Taters over haters.
49.) Just a girl who loves tater tots.
50.) Can I have your tots?
51.) I just really like tater tots.
52.) I have ice in my heart and tater tots in my veins.
53.) Tater tot pride.
54.) Love you lots like tater tots.
55.) Hottest tater tot in the oven.
56.) Tater tot connoisseur.
57.) Keep calm and eat tater tots.
58.) Couch tater.
59.) I think we all agree on one thing. Tater Tots.
60.) Squats? I thought you said, tater tots!
61.) Potatoes gonna tot.
62.) I love tater tots—the end.
63.) Professional tater tot eater.
64.) Hot, hot tater tot.
65.) You say potato; I say, tater tot.
66.) The hottest tater tot in the oven.
67.) Later Tater.
68.) Mommy’s little tater tot.
69.) Tater tots: the food in my beard.
70.) Team Tot.
71.) Tater Nation!
72.) Taters gonna tate.
73.) Tater tot is short for a potato toddler.
74.) Termi-tater.
Hashtags
75.) #NationalTaterTotDay
76.) #TaterTotLover
77.) #TotTeam
78.) #TaterLife
79.) #FindYourOwnTots
80.) #TaterKing
That’s all you need to know about tater tots.
By Michael O’Halloran
Michael is the founder and editor of Greeting Card Poet. In his first job, he helped harvest Minnesota-grown potatoes.
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