The best part of my job is the fact that I get to travel and that I am constantly learning new things! Last week I was fortunate enough to spend time in Denver, CO at the Potatoes USA Annual Meeting– where I learned more about the marketing and research of US potatoes as a whole!

As I was attending the meetings, I was struck by idea after idea. The true beauty of being surrounded by Potato Industry People constantly is that I am continually challenging myself to find “the best” idea of promoting and marketing Colorado Potatoes (anyone that truly knows me, will find this to be no surprise that I want to be “the best”…). During my week away from my desk, I learned so much about marketing and the need for the industry (as a whole) to leverage the marketing ideas and really push those campaigns. How beautiful is that? A whole industry striving to provide the best product and information to consumers?

I am so excited to share the sound nutrition science that so many scientists have been compiling in preparation for the “What Are You Eating?” campaign. Did you know that a medium sized potato (roughly 5.2 oz [2/3 cup]) contains more potassium than a banana? A potato (with the skin) contains roughly 620 mg of potassium! (Gee!) Another huge contributor to the fact that Potatoes Power Performance is their whopping 26 grams of complex carbohydrates! I think back to my short lived high school athletic days… In preparation for tournament days we would “carb load”, to ensure that we had glycogen in our muscles for the day of volleyball that awaited us. (Glycogen is basically sugar that is stored throughout your muscles and liver to assist in the nervous system functions.) Potatoes also contain many other important nutrients and are basically just the powerhouse of all goodness that we haven’t been getting… As we continue to deliver this message and people continue to trust the scientific proof that Potatoes Power Performance and will ultimately help you be a better “you” in all that you do, I’m excited to join the conversation and continue educating people.

I’m so excited for the opportunities I have had throughout my short career, thus far. I look forward to continuing learning and teaching others… (We learn so much more about the subject and ourselves when we teach others.. and we should never stop learning!) If you’re interested in learning more about the performance benefits of potatoes and get some delicious (and healthy, of course) recipes, visit our website at coloradopotato.org or feel free to contact me (Jess).

One last food for thought…. WHAT ARE YOU EATING? (Pun intended!)

XOXO,

Jess

P.S. The “What Are You Eating?” campaign is not just for athletes… Potatoes Power Performance in all aspects of life; school, work, musically, athletics, etc.

Let us help you perform better.