French fries are one of the biggest craves around America. It has such a high rate that in just one year, 1/3 of potatoes, grown in the U.S., are sold to restaurants (all over country or world?) and an additional 7% are sold to McDonald’s. So where did this crave start? And what makes them so popular around the U.S.? Do our students agree with the highest voted French Fries in America?

We sent a poll out on twitter and the people have chosen that In-N-Out is the number one favorite for those who voted. In-N-Out won with a total of 50%, McDonalds coming in second with a total of 42%, Burger King coming in 3rd with 5%, and Wendy’s coming in last with 3%.

Students were also selected to have a blind taste test and were tested to see what their favorite fry was the winner of the french fries was In-N-Out. Hearing this news made us curious as to what actually makes a french fry, a great french fry. Is it the crunch, greasiness, or the saltiness that In-N-Out has come to perfect. Interviewers tells us they enjoy the saltiness and the freshness of In-N-Out fries. But if that is so, what makes Wendy’s percentage so low? We asked FLHS Sophomore Caileen Ryan and she explains that, “Wendy’s has no salt content and it’s tastes old.”

Although, if none of these fries are for you, making them can serve as a much more healthier alternative. According to livestrong.com, the healthiest oil to cook the cut potatoes in are sunflower oil, extra light olive oil, and canola oil, these have the most benefits out of any other oils. These are the healthiest of the oils because of the fact that they have a higher smoke point that decreases the intake of needed calories by absorbing less oil and taking in a lot of flavor.

Overall, the best french fries are the ones you make yourself because of the fact that you know what’s inside them, and how long they have been sitting out, unlike when you get some from a fast food restaurant place that you don’t know how long they have been sitting out or if they are freshly made. Although, if you’re ever in need of a quick meal with french fries, In-N-Out is the number one choice.

How “french” are your fries? Whatever answer you’re thinking, it’s probably not what the actual answer is. French fries actually started in Belgium, Belgium was the first to cut and fry their potatoes. They got the idea, because it was common in Belgium to fry their fish as well. So the question you’re probably getting at is why would we call them “French” fries? Well the French, back in the 1700’s, actually believed that potatoes gave off various diseases like leprosy so the common potatoes were used as hog food. In fact, the French disliked the consumption of potatoes so much that the French Parliament banned cultivating them! Therefore, the high supply of potatoes were eventually used for food supply given to prisoners. Which led to Parmentier, prisoner forced to eat potatoes and from this experience he realized that potatoes were okay to actually consume! So he brought the idea to France. His invention became so popular that Parmentier had famous people such as Benjamin Franklin and King Louis XVI at his home for dinner to eat the popular potato (dish or invention). These famous and very well known people spread word about their experience of eating a cut and fried potato in France, which is why we call them french fries, sorry Belgium, I guess France had the better cut!

These famous french fries that eventually came to The U.S, have given many fast food restaurants popularity, such as McDonalds and In n Out. Many of these restaurants have different ways of making their fries, whether it be curly fries, fat fries, or skinny fries, they still contain the same amount of greasy goodness that people across the world love to consume.