Love them or hate them…
Funeral potatoes are a staple in Utah and Mormon kitchens, but the rest of the internet just found out about them thanks to Walmart ads on Facebook and Twitter.
Salt Lake-based company Augason Farms’ sells dehydrated funeral potatoes, but many out-of-staters have been disturbed by the name. In fact, #FuneralPotatoes started trending on Twitter over the confusion.
The only people not confused? Mormons and Utahns.
So what’s the story behind this local potato dish? Funeral potatoes are often served at post-funeral gatherings in Utah.
How did this become a thing? Well, to be honest, they are cheap to make and can feed a lot of people with just a few ingredients. The Wall Street Journal reports, recipes for “Funeral Potatoes” first surfaced in LDS Relief Society cookbooks in the early 1900s.
Let’s take a look a the confusion online,
Good thing for Google,
I keep getting suggested ads for funeral potatoes. I had to Google that to find out what that even is.
— niceguyirl (@niceguyirl) March 26, 2018
When ads seem to threaten you,
What… what are “funeral potatoes”
Is Facebook’s algorithm threatening me pic.twitter.com/dtNPEA5WQb
— Bibliobimbo (@sebhar) March 28, 2018
Crazy, weird or both?
That moment when you’re bee-bopping along on FB, and you come across Funeral Potatoes. What exactly are Funeral Potatoes? Is that a thing? I mean, I guess it is, cause Walmart’s selling them. Am I crazy or is this weird? pic.twitter.com/g01h0KB4NA
— Bree Livingston (@BreeLivWrites) March 28, 2018
These potatoes are “to die” for,
Is it just me, or does anyone else find the name of this potato casserole mix disturbing? The back side says “potatoes to die for” – now that’s kinda funny ? ? ? https://t.co/v7ic0ZJRB1
— Melanie Seppeler (@ArtsyCatDesigns) April 2, 2018
When you think ads have become victims of fake news,
Someone please tell me- is this real?#FuneralPotatoes pic.twitter.com/o5hEnR5FQs
— Heather Bea (@heatherbeamatz) April 4, 2018
I’m guessing she’s from Utah, or Idaho,
Not gonna lie, I made funeral potatoes for our Easter dinner. But, I called them cheesy potatoes because Christ is risen…
— April Fiet (@aprilfiet) April 2, 2018
A peculiar people is right,
Deut 14:2
“…and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people…”Exhibit A: #funeralpotatoes
— Kyle Groberg (@kylegroberg) April 5, 2018
If you’ve never tried them while living in Utah (to be honest, I don’t think they’re that great) now you know where to pick some up in the frozen foods section of Wal-Mart.
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