Potatoes USA Educates Kroger Dietitians on the Power of Potatoes

“Everything I learned as a child about potatoes has already been debunked.”

That was a comment from one of the 11 Kroger retail dietitians who recently attended a Potatoes USA presentation on the nutritional value of potatoes as part of its “Food as Medicine” effort.

Kroger dietitians provide one-on-one nutrition counseling to patients across the country, serving an average of 2,800 people each year.

Why it matters: Some dietitians have misinformation about potatoes. In a setting designed specifically for Kroger’s dietitians, Potatoes USA presented evidence-based facts and offered specific ways to incorporate potatoes into their recommendations. With each dietitian speaking to hundreds of patients each year, the potential for more potato purchases is exponential.

“The session highlighted potatoes as a nutrient-dense, affordable, and culturally versatile vegetable, providing key nutrients like potassium, vitamin C, and fiber,” said Riley Peterson, RDN, Director of Nutrition at Potatoes USA.

Potatoes USA addressed emerging nutrition topics relevant to client counseling, including potatoes’ ability to produce resistant starch, which can increase fiber-like benefits when cooked and then cooled.

“We also shared research findings on cardiometabolic health, satiety, and diet quality, to demonstrate that the benefits of potatoes are science-backed,” said Riley. “Dietitians love seeing scientific evidence, so sharing the research we have gives them all the more motivation to recommend potatoes.”

Another dietitian commented during the presentation, “That was REALLY helpful! Loved all the tips and research.”

The presentation ended with actionable resources, recipe inspiration, and opportunities for Potatoes USA to support Kroger dietitians through toolkits, handouts, and “Food As Medicine” collaborations.

• For the next eight weeks, Kroger dietitians will track their potato recommendations to patients. When recommended, potatoes will appear in patients’ after-visit summaries, reinforcing nutrition recommendations and encouraging purchases at the grocery store.