Education

Spudology

  • The potato is a food that Ireland has long been associated with, and it remains an important sector in our agri-food industry today.
  • The potato market is valued at €195 million to the Irish economy.
  • With over 540 potato growers in Ireland, the average annual Irish potato consumption is 85kg per person, compared to an average of just 33kg per person across the globe. However, Irish people’s dependence on the potato has fallen dramatically in recent decades when the figure was as high as 140kg a head.
  • That said, potatoes still hold the top spot as Ireland’s favourite carbohydrate penetrating 96.4% of households.
  • The Super Spud can thrive in worse growing conditions than any other major crop, is faster growing, needing less land and water making it a great sustainable food source.

Dig Your Dinner

  • Finnegan’s believe it is vitally important to discover the story behind your food and to understand where your food comes from. Our aim is to educate future generations where potatoes come from, how they grow and how they form part of a healthy balanced diet. In doing this we hope to build positive lifelong eating habits and support the future of potatoes on the family dinner plate.
  • Finnegan’s offer children a chance to “Dig Their Dinner” during their school tours which are run at selected times throughout the year. Planting and growing your own vegetables are both educational and rewarding with studies showing that most children who engage in growing vegetables actually like eating them too. Children love getting their hands dirty and unearthing potatoes- Finnegan’s very own treasure hunt. We want to cultivate a taste and value for healthy home grown food amongst our future generation, teaching them skills that will last a lifetime.

During Finnegan’s school tour the children will follow the journey of the spud from Finnegan’s field to Finnegan’s fork. Children will be encouraged to get their hands dirty as they “Dig Their Dinner” in the field, watch the journey of the spud on the packhouse tour and finally see how the spud is transformed into Finnegan’s delicious chips which they will then taste for their lunch.

For more information on Finnegan’s school tours email us