Sweet Potatoes

December’s NH Harvest of the Month: sweet potatoes!

Sweet potatoes are estimated to have been domesticated in Peru between 4,000-5,000 years ago, while other research indicates they may have originated in Asia. Today, there are thousands of varieties of sweet potatoes.

Sweet potatoes are members of the morning glory family and are roots, unlike potatoes, which are tubers and part of the nightshade family. Sweet potatoes thrive in warm, temperate climates but can also be grown in cooler climates, like New Hampshire, depending on the variety. Sweet potatoes produce more pounds of food per acre than any other cultivated plant and must be cured for a few weeks after harvesting to increase their sweetness and extend their storage life.

Sweet potato flesh can be white, yellow, orange, or purple, making them good sources of beta-carotene, potassium, and fiber.

This webpage includes a variety of educational materials, activities, recipes, and more about alliums for use at home, in youth or family programming, in the classroom, and in the cafeteria. For more New Hampshire Harvest of the Month resources for December, click here.

Additional resources for sweet potatoes:
“Growing Sweet Potatoes in New Hampshire,” UNH Extension

Lesson Plan for Sweet Potatoes + Potatoes

Developed in partnership with UNH Extension, NH Farm to School, and the UNH Education department, the Harvest Lessons lesson plan and curricular activities can be used by education professionals to incorporate sweet potatoes and potatoes into dynamic, long-lasting learning in the classroom and other education-based settings.

Lesson Plan Supplements
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