As one of the largest fast-food chains in the United States, almost everybody knows about KFC. Best known for its fried chicken, KFC also offers several other savory menu options like biscuits, pot pies, and mashed potatoes.
However, if you’re a big fan of KFC, you might be wondering, are KFC’s mashed potatoes real? If you’d like to find out, keep reading this article to see what else I discovered!
KFC mashed potatoes aren’t made from fresh potatoes and are instead an instant potato recipe as of 2022. KFC mashed potatoes aren’t vegan because the ingredients contain milk. Also, KFC’s mashed potatoes have almost a quarter of the daily recommended sodium intake and over 100 ingredients like food additives and preservatives.
If you want a more in-depth look at the ingredient list for KFC’s mashed potatoes, or if you want to know whether or not KFC’s mashed potatoes are healthy, keep reading for more interesting tips!
Are KFC’s Mashed Potatoes Made From Real Potatoes?
KFC’s mashed potatoes are not made from scratch. Instead, the fast-food chain uses powdered potatoes, otherwise known as instant mashed potatoes.
The reason KFC doesn’t make its mashed potatoes from scratch is due to the time it would take to do so. For example, if KFC made its mashed potatoes from scratch every day, it would be challenging to keep up with the customer demand.
Essentially, instant mashed potatoes are easier to prepare and keep up with lunch and dinner rushes. Additionally, it would be hard for KFC to keep real potatoes fresh and make space for the proper storage.
Why Do KFC Mashed Potatoes Taste Like Real Mashed Potatoes?
If you’re like the majority of people, learning that KFC’s mashed potatoes are made from instant potatoes may come as a surprise.
In fact, several KFC fans note that the restaurant’s mashed potatoes taste like they’re made from natural, fresh potatoes.
Well, thanks to several food additives and preservatives in KFC’s mashed potatoes, the menu item tastes like it was made fresh. In addition to that, some of the food additives in KFC mashed potatoes include the following:
- Maltodextrin
- Diglycerides
- Sodium Bisulphite
- BHT
What Are the Ingredients in KFC’s Mashed Potatoes?
Because KFC mashed potatoes aren’t made from fresh potatoes, you’re probably curious about the ingredient list.
Currently, KFC mashed potatoes contain over 100 ingredients due to the food additives and preservatives, and listed below are the more prominent ingredients in KFC mashed potatoes:
- Potato (Dry)
- Salt
- Maltodextrin
- 2% Or Less Of Whey Product (Whey, Calcium Caseinate, Calcium Stearoyl-2-Lactylate)
- Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (Soybean, Cottonseed)
- Vegetable Mono and Diglycerides
- Spice
- Artificial Color
- Natural and Artificial Flavor
- Calcium Stearoyl-2-Lactylate
As you may note above, KFC’s mashed potatoes contain a lot of unnatural or artificial ingredients. However, using artificial ingredients is quite common in the fast-food industry, as it helps keep costs down so restaurants can offer lower prices.
Also, one benefit of the artificial flavorings is that it gives the mashed potatoes a delicious taste that keeps customers coming back to KFC for more.
Are KFC Mashed Potatoes Healthy?
As with all fast-food menu items, KFC’s mashed potatoes are by no means the healthiest food available. However, the mashed potatoes from KFC aren’t terrible for you either.
One thing to note is that KFC’s mashed potatoes contain a lot of sodium, and while this contributes to the flavour, this dish should also be eaten in moderation.
Listed here are the nutrition facts for KFC’s mashed potatoes:
- Calories: 130
- Total Fat: 4.5g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Protein: 3g
These figures represent the mashed potato nutrition facts with the gravy included in the order. However, if you choose to eat KFC mashed potatoes without the gravy, you’ll consume less sodium and overall calories, making them just a little bit healthier.
Are KFC Mashed Potatoes Vegan?
Unfortunately, KFC’s mashed potatoes aren’t vegan. Currently, the mashed potatoes from KFC contain milk, which excludes them from a typical vegan diet.
However, with vegan and vegetarian diets slowly gaining more popularity, it’s certainly possible that KFC will switch its recipe to make vegan-friendly mashed potatoes in the future. In the meantime, the mashed potatoes from KFC are one thing vegans will have to pass up.
Although KFC’s mashed potatoes aren’t currently vegan-friendly, the fast-food chain offers several menu items that appeal to vegans. For example, some of the vegan options on KFC’s menu include:
- BBQ Baked Beans
- Corn on the Cob (request no butter)
- Green Beans
- Potato Wedges (Fries)
- Sweet Kernel Corn (request no butter)
- House Side Salad (No Cheese)
- Marzetti Light Italian Dressing
- Apple Turnover
- Apple Sauce
The vegan-friendly options at KFC are side dishes, which shouldn’t come as a surprise because the fast-food chain is best-known for fried chicken.
Therefore, while there are some vegan options available, KFC being a fried chicken establishment means that the items available are quite limited.
To learn more, you might also be interested in reading up on whether or not KFC has potato wedges, if KFC has grilled chicken, and where does KFC gets its chicken.
Conclusion
Although KFC’s mashed potatoes aren’t made from real, fresh potatoes, the number of food additives and preservatives make them taste like they’re real.
Further, KFC’s mashed potatoes contain a lot of sodium, so you should only eat them in moderation. Finally, KFC’s mashed potatoes aren’t yet vegan-friendly because the ingredient list contains milk.