Recent Walmart Facebook ads featuring dehydrated funeral potatoes are confusing the internet around the country, most of which is not familiar with the traditional Mormon dish.
The ads have generated enough bewildered tweets to get #funeralpotatoes trending on Twitter and have spurred several news outlets to publish explainer pieces about the unusual food.
Like the name suggests, the potatoes are traditionally served at Mormon funeral luncheons because they are easy to make and can even be frozen. The Wall Street Journal reported that recipes for the dish have been published in LDS Relief Society cookbooks since the early 1900s.
The dish consists of diced potatoes baked with cheese and cream, sometimes with onions and a crunchy chip or cornflake topping, and is popular for any get-together, not just funerals as the name suggests.
The funeral potatoes seen in the ad are from Augason Farms, which sells survival foods for emergency storage. The potatoes are dehydrated and made to be reconstituted with hot or boiling water in the case of a power outage, Today reported.
A Facebook algorithm resulted in the ads being viewed outside the area where these potatoes are widely known, which caused the confusion.
Some of those viewing the ad even found the name creepy or disturbing, the Idaho Statesman laughingly reported, and it may not help that Augason Farms called the dish “potatoes to die for.”
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