Denver nonprofit gives away 80,000 pounds of spuds Monday

Clear some space in the pantry, because Denver is about to have a lot of potatoes. Local nonprofit We Don’t Waste is hosting “Potatopalooza” on Monday, Nov. 2, and giving away 80,000 pounds of fresh potatoes for free. That’s 40 tons, more than enough mashed potatoes for every Thanksgiving table in town.

These potatoes came close to going to waste. Two full 53-foot semi-trucks of perfectly fresh potatoes were turned away over minor cosmetic flaws, which is a fancy way of saying they weren’t pretty enough. We Don’t Waste stepped in and took them. The potatoes are a little lumpy, but they’ll taste exactly the same once they’re mashed, roasted, fried or baked and loaded up with cheese and bacon.

There’s no limit. Bring bags, boxes, wagons or even a pickup truck, and take as many as you can carry. Potatoes keep for weeks in a cool, dark place, so this is a good chance to stock up for Thanksgiving for free while grocery prices are still high. Fair warning: you may be eating hash browns well into December.

Potatopalooza runs from 10 a.m. to noon Monday, Nov. 2, at the We Don’t Waste warehouse, 6090 E. 39th Ave. in Denver. It’s free and open to anyone in the Denver metro area. Grab a few extra bags for your neighbors.