A meal that should be in everyone’s rotation is a baked potato bar! With grocery prices rising, we need meals that pack a punch, and a baked potato bar is perfect! Potatoes are cheap and filling. In addition, by setting up a bar with an assortment of toppings, you’re setting yourself up for the perfect way to use up leftovers or whatever is in your fridge/pantry that needs to be used up.

I also love that you can get even more versatile by using different potatoes. Russet is basic obviously, but red potatoes and Yukon gold are tasty variations for those with pickier or finer palates, and sweet potatoes are an even healthier option that definitely change up the flavor!

When we think of a baked potato, we probably tend to think of just the very basic toppings. But you can actually literally put anything on a potato and it works really well! Here’s a list of just some of the things you can put on a baked potato- and some you might not have thought about before!

• Butter
• Bacon crumbles
• Green onions
• Shredded cheese
• Olives
• Sour cream
• Chili
• Diced peppers
• Halved cherry tomatoes
• Diced roma tomatoes
• Diced avocado
• Chopped red onion
• Caramelized onions
• Pickled beets
• Ketchup
• Pickle relish
• Lettuce
• Fresh herbs
• Cabbage
• Ranch
• Italian dressing
• Ham cubes
• Ground beef
• Pinto, black or kidney beans
• Salsa
• Shredded carrot
• Alfredo sauce
• Marinara sauce
• Parmesan cheese
• Cheese sauce
• Steamed broccoli
• Steamed cauliflower
• Shredded chicken (And you could serve this cooked in whatever sauce you want! BBQ, Buffalo, Tiki Masala, etc).
• Leftover soup
• Chicken salad
• Mac n’ Cheese

And then obviously with sweet potatoes, you could add a few sweeter options:

• Marshmallows
• Marshmallow creme
• Brown sugar
• Cinnamon
• Chopped pecans
• Candied nuts
• Shredded coconut
• Honey
• Caramel sauce
• Chocolate chips

As you can see, there are so many options when it comes to a baked potato bar! Get creative and put those potatoes to work to help you stretch ingredients farther and use up all those things in your fridge/pantry that are nearing their expiration date!