National Cook a Sweet Potato Day

National Cook a Sweet Potato Day, observed annually on February 22, encourages us to cook and enjoy this versatile root vegetable. Sweet potatoes can be boiled, steamed, fried, or used in dishes such as salads, pies, and soups. They come in several colors, including pale, orange, white, and purple.

Sweet potatoes and yams are often confused, but they are different plants: sweet potatoes are sweet root vegetables, while yams are starchy tubers. Sweet potatoes have been cultivated for thousands of years, with their domestication associated with Central or South America. Archaeological remains found in Peru may date to around 8000 BC, according to one account of the holiday.

The holiday’s official origin is not documented, and researchers have been unable to identify its creator. That leaves the celebration’s purpose refreshingly simple: cook a sweet potato and appreciate how easily it can become a savory side, a comforting soup, a pie, or something entirely new.

How to Observe National Cook a Sweet Potato Day

Celebrate by cooking a sweet potato your favorite way—or trying a new method. Bake one whole, boil or steam it for mashing, roast seasoned pieces, or fry it into wedges. You can also use sweet potatoes in a salad, soup, pie, or other dish, and compare varieties with orange, white, or purple flesh. Remember that a store label calling an orange sweet potato a “yam” does not make it a true yam.

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