{"id":38957,"date":"2025-11-19T16:41:54","date_gmt":"2025-11-19T16:41:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/usa\/i-tried-5-kinds-of-store-bought-instant-mashed-potatoes-the-best-tasted-homemade\/"},"modified":"2025-11-19T16:41:54","modified_gmt":"2025-11-19T16:41:54","slug":"i-tried-5-kinds-of-store-bought-instant-mashed-potatoes-the-best-tasted-homemade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/usa\/i-tried-5-kinds-of-store-bought-instant-mashed-potatoes-the-best-tasted-homemade\/","title":{"rendered":"I tried 5 kinds of store-bought instant mashed potatoes. The best tasted homemade."},"content":{"rendered":"<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/691de09889026fbb4d0df0bb?format=jpeg\" alt=\"idahoan instant mashed potatoes\"\/><figcaption>I tried instant mashed potatoes to determine which one is the best for Thanksgiving.<\/p>\n<p>Erin McDowell\/Business Insider<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li>I tried instant mashed potatoes from Big Y, Bell&#039;s, and Idahoan in various flavors.<\/li>\n<li>Bell&#039;s instant potatoes were delicious but required extra effort.<\/li>\n<li>Idahoan nailed it with buttery, flavorful mashed potatoes that were perfectly light and creamy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>With a mountain of dishes to make for Thanksgiving, sometimes it&#039;s necessary to take a shortcut or two.<\/p>\n<p>Despite usually swearing by homemade mashed potatoes, I decided to try out a variety of instant mashed-potato brands and flavors to determine the best option at the grocery store \u2014 and to see if any were good enough to earn a spot on my Thanksgiving table.<\/p>\n<p>I tried five options. Here&#039;s how they compared, from my least favorite to my favorite.<\/p>\n<p>I tried multiple mashed-potato varieties from three brands.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/619d23d1d2fd62001820acb0?format=jpeg\" alt=\"instant mashed potatoes packets on a wooden table\"\/><figcaption>The instant mashed potato brands.<\/p>\n<p>Erin McDowell\/Business Insider<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I tried potatoes from Big Y, Bell&#039;s, and Idahoan. The flavors included classic butter, roasted garlic, and sour cream and chive.<\/p>\n<p>Since I first tried the products, one of the flavors \u2014 Bell&#039;s sour cream-and-chive flavor \u2014 appears to no longer be available, so my ranking only considers the remaining five options.<\/p>\n<p>For the comparison, I followed the instructions on the packaging for each. Almost every kind of instant mashed potatoes I tried required only a microwave and water.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, I was surprised to find that instant mashed potatoes were a decent alternative to homemade ones.<\/p>\n<p>Idahoan&#039;s classic mashed potatoes and other flavors made slightly more servings than the other brands.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5fb6952250e71a00115562e5?format=jpeg\" alt=\"idahoan classic mashed potatoes packet\"\/><figcaption>Idahoan classic mashed potatoes.<\/p>\n<p>Erin McDowell\/Business Insider<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>A 4-ounce bag of Idahoan instant mashed potatoes costs $1.79 and makes 4 \u00bd servings. Like the Big Y brand mashed potatoes, Idahoan instant potatoes require only a microwave and 2 cups of water.<\/p>\n<p>I really appreciated the ease and not having to take up precious stove space, and I imagine I would appreciate that even more if I were actually cooking these for Thanksgiving.<\/p>\n<p>The potatoes had a good, fluffy consistency.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5fb6953c32f2170011f7006f?format=jpeg\" alt=\"idahoan classic mashed potatoes in a white bowl\"\/><figcaption>Idahoan classic mashed potatoes.<\/p>\n<p>Erin McDowell\/Business Insider<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Despite being made from a powder, they weren&#039;t grainy or thick. <\/p>\n<p>The classic version of Idahoan instant mashed potatoes looked and tasted like homemade mashed potatoes.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5fb6954c50e71a00115562e6?format=jpeg\" alt=\"idahoan classic mashed potatoes in a white bowl with fork\"\/><figcaption>Idahoan classic mashed potatoes.<\/p>\n<p>Erin McDowell\/Business Insider<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>If someone had told me they had come from a packet, I probably wouldn&#039;t have believed them. The butter flavor was prominent, in a good way. My only criticism of the Idahoan classic mashed potatoes was that they were slightly salty for my liking.<\/p>\n<p>I also tried Big Y&#039;s butter mashed potatoes.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5fb6955b50e71a00115562e7?format=jpeg\" alt=\"big y classic mashed potatoes packet\"\/><figcaption>Big Y butter mashed potatoes.<\/p>\n<p>Erin McDowell\/Business Insider<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The store-brand instant mashed potatoes cost $1.79 for a 4-ounce bag, which serves four people.<\/p>\n<p>The Big Y butter mashed potatoes were super light and fluffy.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5fb6956750e71a00115562e8?format=jpeg\" alt=\"big y mashed potatoes in a white bowl\"\/><figcaption>Big Y butter mashed potatoes.<\/p>\n<p>Erin McDowell\/Business Insider<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Giving the bowl a stir, I found the potatoes had a similar consistency to &quot;real&quot; mashed potatoes.<\/p>\n<p>The flavor was satisfying overall.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5fb6957732f2170011f70072?format=jpeg\" alt=\"big y mashed potatoes in a white bowl with fork\"\/><figcaption>Big Y butter mashed potatoes.<\/p>\n<p>Erin McDowell\/Business Insider<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The butter flavor was slightly stronger than that of the Idahoan brand, and it also tasted distinctly creamier. Big Y really came out on top, however, with its consistency \u2014 the potatoes were so light, they practically melted in your mouth.<\/p>\n<p>However, I wondered how such a light mashed potato would hold up against thick gravy on top. You probably couldn&#039;t make mashed-potato volcanoes with this one.<\/p>\n<p>I also tried Idahoan&#039;s sour cream-and-chive flavor.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5fb6958e50e71a00115562e9?format=jpeg\" alt=\"idahoan sour cream mashed potatoes packet\"\/><figcaption>Idahoan sour cream and chive mashed potatoes.<\/p>\n<p>Erin McDowell\/Business Insider<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>A 4-ounce bag cost me $1.79 and contained 4 \u00bd servings.<\/p>\n<p>Idahoan&#039;s sour cream-and-chive mashed potatoes had a light and fluffy texture.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5fb6959d32f2170011f70073?format=jpeg\" alt=\"idahoan sour cream and chive mashed potatoes in a white bowl\"\/><figcaption>Idahoan sour cream and chive mashed potatoes.<\/p>\n<p>Erin McDowell\/Business Insider<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I could also spot specks of chives mixed into the potatoes which gave them an authentic appearance.<\/p>\n<p>The sour cream-and-chive flavor really came through.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5fb695a932f2170011f70074?format=jpeg\" alt=\"idahoan sour cream and chive mashed potatoes in a white bowl with fork\"\/><figcaption>Idahoan sour cream and chive mashed potatoes.<\/p>\n<p>Erin McDowell\/Business Insider<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I was again impressed by both the texture and flavor of Idahoan&#039;s mashed potatoes. Unlike the classic flavor, I didn&#039;t find this flavor too salty at all. Rather, they were creamy and seasoned perfectly.<\/p>\n<p>Bell&#039;s classic mashed potatoes were the most complicated to make.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5fb695c250e71a00115562ea?format=jpeg\" alt=\"bells classic mashed potatoes packet\"\/><figcaption>Bell&#039;s classic mashed potatoes.<\/p>\n<p>Erin McDowell\/Business Insider<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This brand of mashed potatoes required the use of a stove and additional ingredients. To make them, you will need 1 tablespoon of butter, \u00be cup of milk, 1 \u00bd cups of water, and a teaspoon of salt.<\/p>\n<p>Making these instant potatoes felt a little bit more involved, but I thought they came out great.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5fb695cd32f2170011f70075?format=jpeg\" alt=\"bells mashed potatoes in a white bowl\"\/><figcaption>Bell&#039;s classic mashed potatoes.<\/p>\n<p>Erin McDowell\/Business Insider<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The texture was a nice balance between fluffy and thick, and the milk added a wonderful creaminess I didn&#039;t get from the other brands.<\/p>\n<p>These were my favorite classic mashed potatoes.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5fb695da50e71a00115562eb?format=jpeg\" alt=\"bells mashed potatoes in a white bowl with fork\"\/><figcaption>Bell&#039;s classic mashed potatoes.<\/p>\n<p>Erin McDowell\/Business Insider<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I appreciated knowing the amount of real butter used, and I thought these would be a good base for people looking to elevate their instant potatoes. <\/p>\n<p>However, despite tasting better than the other two classic butter instant potato brands, they created a little more mess. Part of the appeal of instant mashed potatoes is saving precious stove space, which is where this brand falls slightly short.<\/p>\n<p>My favorite flavor of instant mashed potatoes was the Idahoan roasted-garlic mashed potatoes.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5fb56760a3dc6100120059a2?format=jpeg\" alt=\"idahoan roasted garlic mashed potatoes packet\"\/><figcaption>Idahoan roasted garlic mashed potatoes.<\/p>\n<p>Erin McDowell\/Business Insider<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Just like the brand&#039;s other flavors, a 4-ounce bag cost me $1.79 and contained 4 \u00bd servings.<\/p>\n<p>Right away after mixing, I could smell the garlic \u2014 I even saw flecks of it in the mashed potatoes.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5fb6964432f2170011f70078?format=jpeg\" alt=\"idahoan roasted garlic mashed potatoes in a white bowl\"\/><figcaption>Idahoan roasted garlic mashed potatoes.<\/p>\n<p>Erin McDowell\/Business Insider<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The potatoes also had a light, fluffy texture while still holding their shape.<\/p>\n<p>These mashed potatoes were buttery and extremely flavorful.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/5fb6965050e71a00115562ef?format=jpeg\" alt=\"idahoan roasted garlic mashed potatoes in a white bowl with fork\"\/><figcaption>Idahoan roasted garlic mashed potatoes.<\/p>\n<p>Erin McDowell\/Business Insider<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Even for someone who can be a little sensitive to garlic, the garlic flavor was strong but not overpowering. I thought this kind would pair well with gravy and other Thanksgiving foods.<\/p>\n<p>Think garlic bread meets mashed potatoes \u2014 what more could you want on the holidays?<\/p>\n<p><em>Editor&#039;s note: A version of this story was first published in November 2022. It was most recently updated in November 2025.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Read the original article on Business Insider<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I tried instant mashed potatoes to determine which one is the best for Thanksgiving. Erin McDowell\/Business Insider I tried instant mashed potatoes from Big Y, Bell&#039;s, and Idahoan in various flavors. Bell&#039;s instant potatoes were delicious but required extra effort. Idahoan nailed it with buttery, flavorful mashed potatoes that were perfectly light and creamy. With [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":38958,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-38957","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-usa"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38957","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38957"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38957\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/38958"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38957"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38957"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38957"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}