What do potatoes, mushrooms, and rice have in common? Besides being delicious (depending on who you talk to, of course) and nutritious, these three food sources share the same appreciation month. That’s right–September is National Potato Month, National Mushroom Month, and National Rice Month. Who knew? And did you know that potatoes are grown in all 50 states? And although often considered a vegetable, a mushroom is neither a plant nor animal. In the world of biology, mushrooms make up their own kingdom–Fungi! When it comes to rice, the average American eats 27 pounds of rice a year. Rice constitutes 20% of the world’s dietary energy supply, edging out wheat at 19%. Food scarcity is a growing concern worldwide so it seems appropriate to take a moment to think about the food we consume and appreciate the nutritional value in unassuming food sources such as potatoes, mushrooms, and rice. Checkout related sources from our collection on our WU Reads Reading Guide.
Potatoes have much more staying power than caviar.
— Mark Helprin