Call him nuts – he’s heard it.
Or call him the potato man.
Just don’t call him a potato head.
On second thought, do. He might be flattered.
There’s a man in Pasco named Chris Voight. And Voight’s the executive director for the Potato Commission here in Washington state.
Little-known fact: Washington state is the second-biggest producer of potatoes in the States.
Voight’s on a diet. And a mission.
Says here he woke up one day and said: “I’m tired of getting beaten up. The potato has a pretty poor reputation in the U.S. and it’s time to do something extreme to wake them up to just how great the potato is.”
So he put himself on a diet, not to lose weight but illustrate his point: 60 days of nothing but spuds. Cooked every which way. Sans the sour cream, butter, bacon bits and other pile-on goodies.
He started Oct. 1. Halloween was 30 days away. Will he partake of even a mini-Snickers? Nope. Potatoes all the way.
How ‘bout Thanksgiving? Turkey? Dressing? Cranberries and pumpkin pie?
Nyet. Strictly spuds, sir.
Today begins day 5 of his 60-day venture with daily targets of 20 spuds for nutrition. How’s he been doing? He’ll tell you at his blog:
DAY 1
“ … It must have been a slow news day because I’m amazed at how much media attention my little diet has gotten. But the real news for today was that it was my wife’s birthday!
“So I had 5 baked red potatoes for breakfast, mashed potatoes with a little garlic seasoning for lunch, and while my family had all the fixing at the steakhouse celebrating my wife’s birthday, I had garlic mashed potatoes and an order of steak fries. The all-potato diet wasn’t too bad today, but I did cringe a little when everyone had ice cream for dessert.”
DAY 2
“I’m really struggling to eat enough calories. I had two baked potatoes this morning with a couple shots of Tabasco sauce, a serving of mashed potatoes sprinkled with a few BBQ potato chips for a change in texture, and another serving of mashed potatoes and 5 roasted small red potatoes.
“I didn’t hit the 2,200 calories I was hoping for today. I didn’t realize how filling the potatoes would make me feel … I’m going to have to do a better job at actually eating 20 potatoes a day, otherwise I’m going to fall short on several nutrients.”
DAY 3
“I have to admit, it has finally sunk in that “I’LL BE EATING JUST POTATOES FOR 57 MORE DAYS” …
“So Sunday in church, I took communion, which is the only time I will stray from my diet. It was just a little piece of bread, smaller than a breath mint, and a thimble of grape juice. I noticed I kept the bread in my mouth an extended period of time just enjoying how it felt and the sweetness. I’ve never realized how sweet it was in the past.”
He survived the tempting array of aromas from the after-church potluck. Then he arrived home.
“Home to another cooked potato …” He had chips for the change in texture. He’s averaging only 3 pounds of potatoes a day, short of the 7 pounds he needs for nutrition.
DAY 4
“Sunday was pretty hard, was just craving all sorts of other produce. Today I was able to stay
verboten!
pretty busy, avoiding free time to think about other food. The family had chicken that was slow-cooked in the crockpot, with some of the mashed potatoes I made for my lunch tomorrow. But they got gravy and I got none.”
How far will his love and respect of the potato take him? He’ll let us know.
For now, for Chris, how sweet be thy holy wafer. In five days and counting.
Barefoot Blogger 
Oct 05, 2010 @ 16:23:37
Actually, I think he’s eating pretty good.
Oct 05, 2010 @ 17:34:57
@Raymond – All carbs and no protein make Jack a dull boy. 🙂 The body isn’t designed to survive on a single food, which accounts for the low success rate of the Banana Diet, the Cabbage Diet, the Grapefruit Diet, the Peanut Butter Diet, the Egg Diet and on it goes ……
Oct 05, 2010 @ 18:05:50
I’d need some greens with my spuds!
Oct 06, 2010 @ 10:55:48
@Emjay – His “greens” at this point will consist of green Tabasco or chives. ;D
Oct 05, 2010 @ 18:52:53
I have to admit I’ll be surprised if he crosses the 2-week point. While I admit the potato may have a bad reputation, going strictly on a spud frenzy will be filling but that’s all.
Have to admit that I must try the Tabasco and baked potatoes. Now that I think about it I do remember my 9th grade English teacher (of Eastern European origin) waxed poetics about baking a potato after having injected some vodka in the spud. Good thing I wasn’t as impressionable as I am today. LOL!
Oct 05, 2010 @ 21:08:03
I don’t get his rules. He can have tabasco on his taters, but not gravy? And he can eat chips, but no butter on the spuds? I can think of lots of ways to make them interesting for 60 days, but I’d have to add seasonings & veggies at least.
I also don’t get his purpose. Don’t most people know that potatoes are healthy, so long as you’re not drowning them in butter/s.cream/etc. or deep frying them? Gotta eat those peels!!
Oct 06, 2010 @ 11:07:56
@lexiemom – His rules are spices and seasonings only (and gravy is neither). Do know he’s excluding toppers like sour cream, handfuls of cheese and all those gobs of goodies, but can’t recall whether butter was on that list (aired on the radio) so edited that out. His purpose is to highlight the nutritional value of potatoes, which, as potato commissioner, he feels has taken a beating. Apparently not enough people know. Or perhaps never stop to think about it while stuffing fries and chips down their gullets! 😉
Oct 06, 2010 @ 19:37:26
@Lexiemom – Checked the potato dude’s home page for his rules. He writes: “No toppings, no chili, no sour cream, no cheese, no gravy, just potatoes and maybe some seasonings or herbs and a little oil for some of the cooking.” So no butter.
Oct 06, 2010 @ 10:57:05
@capra – lol. Eastern European … potatoes … injections of vodka … and easy connection to make. 😉
Oct 06, 2010 @ 16:34:45
I wonder if he will lose weight? A potato is VERY filling and I doubt if he will be able to finish his tater meals, however he prepares them.
And lately I’ve bypassed Tabasco in place of Tapatica Sauce, it’s not hot necessarily, but quite tasty.
If he’s not strictly on potatoes, could he bake a loaf of potato bread? It has milk and butter, however, so I don’t know how far this can stretch this very daring diet.
Oct 06, 2010 @ 19:28:24
@aubrey – Though not his intent, he’s certain to lose weight. Seasonings, spices and a little oil comprise his rules and regimen so potato bread’s out. Thanksgiving he may crack if not before …