Mashed potato - basic staple or too much effort?

[NoblyBobly]

I was at a social event this morning with a mix of age ranges. We were chatting about what everyone was having for their main meal (dinner/lunch/tea/supper). I mentioned we were having a quick meal tonight of sausage and mash along with some mushroom, onion and courgette.
I was really surprised that so many said they love mash but it's too much effort..........
I consider boiling a few spuds as minimal effort and an everyday basic food. am I out of touch?

I love making mash. One of my clearest memories from childhood is the 'thud-thud-thud cla-clack' of the potato masher as my mum bashed it onto the potatoes then cleared it by banging the side of the pan.
It was a signal to me that food would soon be coming! I always think of her when I am mashing spuds or swedes.

I would never use pre-made mash. You'd have to be insanely rich or have an insanely birdlike appetite to make that work. And Smash is just disgusting.

I often do the same and call it "rustic mash"

These were the last of a sack of potatoes and starting to sprout so definitely needed peeling.

As pp I do mine in microwave. So fast.
2 types

• quick no fuss mush which is still lumpy and skin on

• mixer buttery milky super smooth one.

Usually do the first one. Skin from potatoes is healthy

It doesn't have to be expensive to be fair and the convenience is worth the extra pennies.

Smash is indeed disgusting and all the other brands have dairy in. So we use potato fufu flakes as they are very handy in recipes.
Potato fuf flakes

Frozen mash is cheap.
I can get a bag from Morrisons for £1.50. It lasts a while and tastes just as good as the pre- made stuff.

I honestly never considered making mash a chore. It's quick to peel them. Chop them up, then throw them in a pan for 20 mins. No big deal. A splash of milk, a knob of butter, some salt. A few minutes mashing and job done.
I do it frequently for our lot. Seems like a cheap way to feed a family to me.

Idahoan instant mash. Game changer.

😳 at the too lazy to mash folks. They’re really not that much effort (except if you have a disability etc, before anyone jumps in).

I'm the only mashed potato fan in my house so I use instant

I'm on my own through the week - DH works away - and I won't cook anything that creates mess of any kind.

I grab something homemade from the freezer (batch cooked by me during a previous weekend, and portioned) and have it with microwave ready cooked wholegrain rice or ready cooked sweet potato mash (the real stuff from the fresh aisle, not processed).

Zero effort, zero mess, zero washing up Monday-Thursday.

Same here, DS1 positively hates it (but isn't fussy about any other food, odd boy) and DD isn't keen. DS2 loves it, as do I. DH likes it with about 500 calories of butter, cream and cheese...
So we don't bother often.
I've tried frozen and it's ok as a topping for cottage pie (line up the little frozen pellets on top!) but not keen on it as a side, it doesn't taste right.

As to the OP though, yes it's a bit of a faff due to the different stages needed. So I didn't consider it a quick side dish. Bit like roast potatoes (though at least I can leave the skin on those).

Make more than you need, then use the leftovers for fish cakes the next day. Yum!

Another vote for Sainsburys frozen mash with loads of butter.

In the time it takes to peel the spuds you could have microwaved a bowl of frozen mash pellets and have them on plates.

I actually prefer the frozen stuff 🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️

I hate making mash but DH and the kids love it so I get frozen. So much quicker.

I'm not lazy. It's a strategic choice to keep efforts in the kitchen to a minimum during the working week so that I can make the time available to walk the dog and go to the gym.

I've no problem making mash but our lives are so disorganised (surprising for 2 adults) that we have the frozen stuff. I put olive oil in a pan, frozen on top, bit of heat and it's fine. Always have onions with sausage and mash so they're cooked in olive oil as well and no butter is required. Not sure it's actually healthier than butter but it's tastes nice.

The day that I have to entertain the idea of eating instant/ frozen mash, because I find the task of making it too much faff, is the day that I will stop eating it.

I love mash and when boiling potatoes I always cut them in small bits don’t take too long to boil, what’s left over I use the next day, add them to omelette or make potato cakes yummy, rest family aren’t as keen on potatoes as me preferring pasta/rice

It’s actually quick — you put water on while you are preparing potatoes then while potatoes are cooking you put sausages into the frying pan and then courgettes and mushrooms there as well.
If you are ok with a bit of uneven pieces it’s very simple. 30 minutes max unless you are cooking for many people.

Too much effort. I hate mashing potatoes.

Urgh I bloody hate making mash!! And I don't know why I don't think it takes much effort; however I have to have mash perfectly smooth no sign of the tiniest lump! Its not even laziness on my part because I'd happily do roasted or dauphinoise which are much more time consuming. But there's something about making mash that I hate hate hate. Like to eat it though because I'm a mash-hypocrite.