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?

Which is your prerogative no one is forcing you to do so however if others make the choice to use instant/frozen mash to save time, minimize washing up or just because then it's fine. It's not impacting on anyone else so not sure why so many feel the need to brand those doing so lazy.

I tried fooling the kids with rustic mash once. Aka new potatoes mashed with skins on (as one refuses to eat boiled potatoes). Won't make that mistake again.

I inordinately hate peeling things though

Put an egg in it once off the heat and mashed a bit it really works. Save on butter. Nice and smooth.

I sometimes feel its hassle. Planning a cottage pie tomorrow. Do both make it fresh or use frozen.

Right, it's not a 'lot' of effort, but that is still more effort than "put new potatoes in pan, boil for 15mins, drain and serve". Or even "spray oil on potato, stick in oven and go do something else".
So for me, it's just not the easiest potato option, easier ones are available and so I go to them first.

I don't think it is a faff to make mash and make it at least twice a week. It doesn't take that long and I think is part of a quick tea.

Tried all the frozen mash and no way is it as nice

Except it doesn't

I can't be bothered to make mash, all that peeling, boiling, draining, mashing ... and then the washing up after! I like the idaho instant mash 😂 I do sometimes boil small new potatoes and just crush them and add butter and chopped parsley which is easier as no peeling!

How can it not taste the same it's made of exactly the same ingredients?

5 boys who eat like horses + me and DH so it's a lot!

Doesn't anyone on here eat basics like cottage or shepherds pie? I love mashed swede,sweet potato,cheese toppings crisped off . A bag of spuds is pennies,we often grow our own.

Well it doesn't taste the same despite some posters saying it does. Me and DH have tried a lot of different ones and we both agree it is not as nice. Maybe those who like it smother it in sauce or gravy so can't really taste it?

I do wonder how much cooking the posters that think making mash is a faff actually do

Not much point having mash if you're not going to smother it in gravy. 😅

I cook plenty, making mash is absolutely a faff I can't be arsed with when I can use the frozen stuff and spend the time I would be peeling or mashing doing other stuff. I see it in the same category as using a dishwasher or washing machine, it's more convenient.

@PianPianPiano it's true, plain boiled new potatoes or baked potatoes require very little effort but one of the best things about spuds are how versatile they are. We are a household of potato eaters and enjoy them cooked all sorts of ways. I wouldn't rule out making mash because it requires a small bit more effort.

It is not impacting me, no. But I wonder about the wider implications of the lack of cooking skills, that appear to be prevalent here. If the task of cooking a few potatoes to mash is so onerous, what on earth are people cooking, and feeding their families day to day, in general. What cooking skills are being passed down? Why is it seen as a waste of time to some people to cook with food that is not from a jar, or from the freezer?

lady it's not lack of ability, it's being time poor in the evening after work. I have so many things to do that I'm not adding peeling spuds and keeping an eye on a boiling pan to it.

I love mash. It takes all of two minutes to chuck some milk and butter in the pot with the potatoes and mash it all together.

No, almost never. In this house we live on homemade vegetable curries, chilli, jambalaya, jerk chicken with rice and peas, homemade Kurdish kebabs, homemade fajitas at the weekend (including the dough made from scratch).

It's not just the ingredients that affect the taste. You could say that fresh milk and UHT milk have exactly the same ingredients, i.e. cow's milk, but they don't taste the same because they are processed differently. Pasta sauce from a jar doesn't taste like freshly made tomato sauce.

Having said that, I've occasionally bought M&S mash when it's available as a flash sale, i.e. reduced price, from Ocado, and it was nice enough. I wouldn't want to buy it regularly though, (a) because of the price and (b) because it would mean contributing to the huge amount of plastic and other packaging waste.

I'm totally buying frozen mash next time I shop!

The thing is, for most people frozen mash is just as nice as making it from scratch so it makes sense to take the easier option which is less faff and less washing up.

It's not a compromise in my house! We'd prefer the frozen stuff!

I used to have a ricer, but it took far too long for the amount I typically make. Now I just use a masher, with milk and plenty of butter.
Good mash is food of the gods. 😋

It's not a lot of effort, but it's more time consuming than other options like pasta or rice.

Before I started making it regularly, it took me a while to perfect how long to boil for, how to get it smooth, how much milk to use.

Yep! I've never peeled spuds for mash since I discovered Idahoan - brilliant stuff!

I microwave unpeeled potatoes, cut them in half and put cut side down in a potato ricer. The skin sticks to the plunger, so no skin in the mash and no peeling required.

I make a really big batch. Freeze it with grated cheese on in individual bowls