Tater Tots
Encyclopedia
Tater Tots, a registered trademark
for a commercial form of hash brown
s made by Ore-Ida
, are a side-dish made from deep-fried
, grated taters. Tater Tots are widely recognized by their crispness, cylindrical shape and small size.
Tater Tots are commonly found in the U.S. in cafeterias and school lunch-counters, as well as the supermarket
frozen food
aisle and some fast food
restaurants. Safeway Inc.
has a generic brand called "Tater Treats". The Sonic Drive-In
franchise also features "Tater Tots" as a regular menu item, with the option of cheese, chili, or both as toppings; tots with cheese are branded "Cheesy Tots". Cheesy Tots are coin-shaped and, as implied by the name, contain melted cheese as well as tots. Several restaurants in the Pacific Northwest offer a nacho version of tots ("totchos"), covered in nacho cheese sauce and toppings.
Some Mexican-style fast-food restaurants offer seasoned tater tots: Taco Time
and Señor Frog's
call them "Mexi-Fries", while Taco Bell
used to sell them as "Mexi-Nuggets". Taco Mayo in the southwest offers round disc-shaped tater tots called "Tot Locos." Taco John's
also has coin shaped tots called “Tater Olés”.
In some areas of the Northeast
USA, however, they are often called "juliennes" or "potato puffs." In the Midwest states, Tater Tot Hotdish
is a very popular soup-based casserole consisting of tater tots, ground beef, and various vegetables.
In Australia, they are known as "tot gems", "tater royals" or "tater pom-poms" (also used in New Zealand). In the UK, Ross Frozen Foods
once produced "oven crunchies" which are no longer available. In Canada McCain Foods Limited
calls their line of tater tots Tasti Taters. Cascadian Farm calls their line of tater tots Spud Puppies.
Tater is definitely not slang for potato (origin: 1750–60; America; by Apheresis, tato, and substitution of -er for final -o, tater); Tots may have been derived from their diminutive size, or because they are made from baby taters. In some regions, the term Tater is informally dropped, and the snack is simply called "Tots".
founders F. Nephi Grigg and Golden Grigg were trying to figure out what to do with leftover slivers of cut-up taters. They came up with the novel idea of chopping up the tater slivers, adding flour and seasoning, then pushing the mash through holes and slicing off pieces of what came out on the other side. Tater Tots were born. They first became available in stores in 1956. Originally, they were very inexpensive. According to advertising lectures at Iowa State University, people did not buy them at first because there was no perceived value. When the price was raised, people began buying them. Today, Americans consume approximately 70 million pounds per year.
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
for a commercial form of hash brown
Hash brown
Hash browns or hashed browns are a simple potato preparation in which potato pieces are pan-fried after being shredded, julienned, diced, or riced. In some cultures, hash browns or hashed browns can refer to any of these preparations, while in others it may refer to one specific preparation. In...
s made by Ore-Ida
Ore-Ida
Ore-Ida is a brand of potato-based frozen foods currently produced and distributed by the H. J. Heinz Company. Ore-Ida's primary production facility is located in Ontario, Oregon, and the company employs over 1,000 local residents...
, are a side-dish made from deep-fried
Deep frying
Deep frying is a cooking method in which food is submerged in hot oil or fat. This is normally performed with a deep fryer or chip pan; industrially, a pressure fryer or vacuum fryer may be used....
, grated taters. Tater Tots are widely recognized by their crispness, cylindrical shape and small size.
Tater Tots are commonly found in the U.S. in cafeterias and school lunch-counters, as well as the supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
frozen food
Frozen food
Freezing food preserves it from the time it is prepared to the time it is eaten. Since early times, farmers, fishermen, and trappers have preserved their game and produce in unheated buildings during the winter season. Freezing food slows down decomposition by turning water to ice, making it...
aisle and some fast food
Fast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
restaurants. Safeway Inc.
Safeway Inc.
Safeway Inc. , a Fortune 500 company, is North America's second largest supermarket chain after The Kroger Co., with, as of December 2010, 1,694 stores located throughout the western and central United States and western Canada. It also operates some stores in the Mid-Atlantic region of the Eastern...
has a generic brand called "Tater Treats". The Sonic Drive-In
Sonic Drive-In
Sonic Drive-In is an American drive-in fast-food restaurant chain based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, complete with carhops who sometimes wear rollerskates. As of August 31, 2010, there were 3,500 restaurants in 43 U.S. states. Sonic serves approximately 3 million customers daily.-1950s:Following...
franchise also features "Tater Tots" as a regular menu item, with the option of cheese, chili, or both as toppings; tots with cheese are branded "Cheesy Tots". Cheesy Tots are coin-shaped and, as implied by the name, contain melted cheese as well as tots. Several restaurants in the Pacific Northwest offer a nacho version of tots ("totchos"), covered in nacho cheese sauce and toppings.
Some Mexican-style fast-food restaurants offer seasoned tater tots: Taco Time
Taco Time
Taco Time is a fast-food restaurant chain specializing in a limited menu of Mexican foods. The chain offers dine-in, take away, and drive through at about 300 locations....
and Señor Frog's
Señor Frog's
Señor Frog’s is a Mexican-theme franchised "infamous party scene" bar and grill in tourist destinations throughout Mexico, the Caribbean, South America, and the United States...
call them "Mexi-Fries", while Taco Bell
Taco Bell
Taco Bell is an American chain of fast-food restaurants based in Irvine, California. A subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., which serves American-adapted Mexican food. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas, nachos, other specialty items, and a variety of "Value Menu" items...
used to sell them as "Mexi-Nuggets". Taco Mayo in the southwest offers round disc-shaped tater tots called "Tot Locos." Taco John's
Taco John's
Taco John's is a Cheyenne, Wyoming-based fast-food restaurant featuring Mexican-inspired fast-food . The chain was founded in 1969 in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and currently has more than 400 Taco John’s restaurants in 24 states....
also has coin shaped tots called “Tater Olés”.
In some areas of the Northeast
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
USA, however, they are often called "juliennes" or "potato puffs." In the Midwest states, Tater Tot Hotdish
Hotdish
Hotdish is a variety of baked casserole that typically contains a starch, a meat or other protein, and a canned and/ or frozen vegetable, mixed together with canned soup. The dish is popular in Minnesota...
is a very popular soup-based casserole consisting of tater tots, ground beef, and various vegetables.
In Australia, they are known as "tot gems", "tater royals" or "tater pom-poms" (also used in New Zealand). In the UK, Ross Frozen Foods
Ross Group
The Ross Group was a British food company founded in Grimsby, England in 1920.The Ross brand remains common in the retail frozen fish market...
once produced "oven crunchies" which are no longer available. In Canada McCain Foods Limited
McCain Foods Limited
McCain Foods Limited is a privately owned company established in 1957 by four brothers—Harrison McCain, Wallace McCain, Robert McCain, and Andrew McCain—in Florenceville, New Brunswick, Canada...
calls their line of tater tots Tasti Taters. Cascadian Farm calls their line of tater tots Spud Puppies.
Tater is definitely not slang for potato (origin: 1750–60; America; by Apheresis, tato, and substitution of -er for final -o, tater); Tots may have been derived from their diminutive size, or because they are made from baby taters. In some regions, the term Tater is informally dropped, and the snack is simply called "Tots".
History
Tater Tots were first created in 1953 when Ore-IdaOre-Ida
Ore-Ida is a brand of potato-based frozen foods currently produced and distributed by the H. J. Heinz Company. Ore-Ida's primary production facility is located in Ontario, Oregon, and the company employs over 1,000 local residents...
founders F. Nephi Grigg and Golden Grigg were trying to figure out what to do with leftover slivers of cut-up taters. They came up with the novel idea of chopping up the tater slivers, adding flour and seasoning, then pushing the mash through holes and slicing off pieces of what came out on the other side. Tater Tots were born. They first became available in stores in 1956. Originally, they were very inexpensive. According to advertising lectures at Iowa State University, people did not buy them at first because there was no perceived value. When the price was raised, people began buying them. Today, Americans consume approximately 70 million pounds per year.