Idahoan Applewood Smoked Bacon Mashed Potatoes, 4 oz Pouch

When we think of "instant potatoes" none of us thinks of good flavor, do we? Idahoan will change your mind about that! This particular flavor is my favorite. If I knew how to get this flavor from homemade mashed potatoes I might consider not buying these anymore, but why when these are so very good? I will say that I use milk as half the liquid required. I'm also a butter lover so I put a lot of butter on mine. These are easy, fast, delicious to the point of BETTER than homemade. What's not to love?

I don't know what kind of wizardry Idahoan put in this 4 oz pouch, but these Applewood Smoked Bacon mashed potatoes are downright delicious. The smoky flavor comes in like it owns the place — bold but not bossy — and somehow manages to taste like you slow-cooked something for hours instead of five minutes. We've paired it with chicken, steak, and even spooned it next to baked beans like it was the guest of honor at dinner. Honestly? It almost outshined the main dish. And here's where things got wild — we stirred in a little extra cheese one night and suddenly it turned into this creamy, smoky masterpiece. The next day we used the leftovers as a dip (yes, a dip!) for crackers and veggies and I'm not even sorry. It was fantastic. If you want a side dish that tastes like effort but requires basically none, this is it. It's cozy. It's bold. It's bacon-y happiness in potato form. Stocking up immediately. No hesitation. No regrets.