What Are Baked Potatoes?
Baked potatoes are so easy to make and so filling! Not only are they the ultimate comfort food, being fluffy, carby, and can be made to fit whatever mood you are in, but they are the easiest thing to prepare – even on short notice if you know what you are doing!
My kiddos love baked potatoes and they are totally customizable, which makes them something I love too! I know that everyone in the family is going to love supper when we have baked potatoes.
They are also a perfect way to clean up the little bits of items you have left over in the fridge because they are such a blank pallet you can add anything to the top. Have some bacon bits? Use them up. Small amount of broccoli, no worries throw it on there! Cheese crumbs at the bottom of the bag? Why yes, please put that on here. Leftover chili need a new life? Perfect for the potato. Literally anything can be tossed on the potato for a delicious dinner!
Some of our favorite things to add to the top are bacon bits, cheese, sour cream, broccoli, taco meat, salsa, butter, Greek yogurt, ham, and so much more!
Potatoes are so cheap too, making this an even better meal. You can buy a 10 pound bag of my favorite variety, Yukon Gold, for less than $10. Other varieties of potatoes like Russet are even cheaper so you can have a budget friendly meal ready to go in a matter of minutes.
Why You’ll Love Baked Potatoes
You can feed your whole family for hardly any money. Done. That’s it. That’s why you will love baked potatoes.
Jk.
But it is part of the reason I love them. Plus they literally are prepped in minutes. All you have to do is wash them. Then roll in foil, toss in the oven, set the timer and walk away. Fold laundry, read a book, watch a show, whatever you want to do with your time because you aren’t babysitting a pan on the stove top.
You, your children, your partner, your dog can all pick exactly what you want to throw on top of your potatoes so it is like making individual meals but not really.
You can also clean out the fridge using baked potatoes. Find all the odds and ends of things that don’t have enough to go into another recipe and throw it on top of your potato.
Baked potatoes can be made multiple ways. Ways I have made them are in crock pots, oven, or even the microwave in a pinch (they have a potato button for a reason friend, use it).
Baked potatoes are also the start to a delicious Twice Baked Potato, if you are interested in that and have a little time on your hands this is a great recipe from All-Recipes for Twice-Baked Potatoes.
Baked Potatoes Meal Prep and Storage Tips
You can bake the potatoes, cool them, and then store them in an air tight container. Meal prep made in minutes and literally no dishes.
You can use the pre-cooked potatoes to make hash browns in the morning for breakfast, easy lunches, or as a quick side dish!
Baked Potatoes With A Twist
If you are looking for fun ways to make your baked potatoes and you don’t want to do the fridge clean out mentioned above these three ways might work for you.
- BBQ Chicken Potatoes – use some shredded chicken, add BBQ sauce and top with a little shredded cheese.
- Greek Potato – use Greek yogurt, cucumbers, tomatoes, and add a little feta cheese.
- Buffalo Ranch Bakes Potatoes – split the potato, add hot sauce, shredded chicken, ranch dressing drizzle, and some green onions.
Other Recipes You Might Like
Roasted Garlic Parmesan Potatoes
Ingredients
Method
- Oven Method
- Preheat oven to 425.
- Wash and wrap potatoes in tin foil and place in the oven. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the potatoes feel soft when lightly squeezed. This may take longer if the potatoes are larger.
- Crockpot
- Wash and wrap potatoes in tin foil. Place in a crock pot. Set to low for 4-6 hours, check for tenderness.
- (I have left them for a whole work day, picking up kids, etc. so they were in for 9ish hours on low, they were fine!)
- While the potatoes are baking prepare the toppings if needed.
- Cut the potato open and top with your favorites!