February 2

is

National Tater Tot Day

Today’s five things you should know about 

Tater Tots

  1. Tater Tots were first invented in 1953 at the Ore-Ida Labs
  2. Tater Tots literally mean “baby potatoes”; tatter for potato & tots meaning little one
  3. Americans consume over 70 million pounds or Tots per year.
  4. Potatoes are the 4th most important crop in the world after wheat, rice & corn.
  5. Tater tots are the most popular side dish in the American public school system.

On This Day in Food History…

1795 The French government offers a prize of 12,000 francs for a method of preserving food for transport to the French army. It was eventually won by Nicholas Appert who invented a successful method to can food.

1820 Jean Etienne Bore, died. Inventor of the sugar granulating process, founder of the sugar industry in Louisiana.

1869 The removable steel plow blade is invented by James Oliver.

1887 The first Groundhog day is observed in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

1892 William Painter received a patent for the crown-cork bottle cap with a cork seal. It was used up until the 1970s, when the cork liner was replaced with a plastic liner.

1897 Alfred L. Cralle of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, patented an ice cream scooper. His basic design is still used today.

1913 Carl Gustaf Patrik de Laval died. A Swedish scientist and inventor. Among his inventions was the centrifugal cream separator and a vacuum milking machine.