Potato Size Guide: How Much a Potato Weighs? – The Average, Large and Medium

When you’re dieting, cooking, or selling potatoes, it can be beneficial to understand their weights based on size and type. If you’re looking to acquire this type of information, you’ve found yourself the ideal post. Before we get into this very comprehensive guide about potato’s and weight, how much does a potato weigh?

The weight of a potato can vary massively depending on its size or type. However, on average, it’s known that a medium potato weighs around 5 to 8oz (140 to 225g), and a large potato weighs between 8 to 12oz (225 to 340g).

Now you understand the average weight between medium and large potatoes, it’s time to unleash a boatload of excellent information about potato’s and their weight.

If you want to know the average size potato weight across all weight measurements, including the different weights of all potato types, I suggest you read the below.

How much does an average sized potato weigh?

Potatoes are pretty much in anybody’s daily diet, as they’re included in an astronomical amount of meals. This is because they’re remarkably cheap, can be baked into unhealthy or healthy snacks, and they’re easy to grow in most climates. This post suggests that each person in the entire world consumes around 110 pounds (49.9kg) of potatoes per year.

This figure suggests that from a global perspective, everyone enjoys potatoes. Due to potatoes being highly involved within our lives, we thought it would be beneficial to mention the “average” weights in multiple types of measurements. By doing this, everyone can gain a better visualization of how much an average-sized potato weighs.

Measurement	Potato Size
Ounces
Grams
Kilograms
Hand size
Pounds
Cups

Note, the above measurement is based on the average small, medium, and large potato size. This doesn’t mean that all potatoes fit into this category because different types of potatoes weigh more than others because of their density. To understand more about this, you should read on.

How heavy is a large potato

As you’re now aware, potatoes are put into three categories (small, medium, and large). But how much does the largest potato weigh in each measurement? Here’s your answer:

• Ounces – 10oz
• Grams – 96.39g
• Kilograms – 0.10kg
• Hand size – A large potato will completely cover your palm
• Pounds – 0.63lbs
• Cups – 1.47

We’ve mentioned various weighing measurements because many countries use a multitude of different measurements depending on their requirements. For instance, in the United States, they tend to use ounces, grams, pounds, dependent on the total weight of something. Nonetheless, now you are knowledgeable on the above, why not indulge in more information by checking out the below.

How many potatoes is 3 pounds

According to Healthline, you should only eat around 2 to 5 pounds (0.9 to 2.9kg) of potatoes each day to maintain a healthy diet. Because of this, it’s beneficial to know how many potatoes three pounds is. By becoming knowledgeable on this, you can quickly determine how many potatoes you should feed yourself or your family to guarantee they’re retaining a healthy balanced diet.

Raw potatoes

• Small – A singular small raw potato weighs around 0.21lbs, meaning three pounds of potato will be 14 small potatoes.
• Medium – As we’re now aware, one medium-sized potato weighs 0.36lbs. From this, we can determine that three pounds of potatoes will be just over eight medium-sized potatoes.
• Large – Lastly, a large potato weighs 0.63lbs. We can suggest that nearly 5 (4.7) large raw potatoes will make up three pounds.

Baked potatoes

For those who aren’t aware, a potato significantly loses weight when it’s baked. Because of this, you’ll want to be aware of the baked potatoes weight to be accurate on your dietary needs. It’s well-known that when a potato is baked in a 375-degree oven, it loses around 21% of its raw weight. Here’s how many small, medium, and large baked potatoes consist of three pounds.

• Small – From the above, we understand that a small potato weighs 0.21lb each, and we know that it loses 21% of this weight when cooked, making it weigh 0.17lb. This means three pounds of potato will be 17 small potatoes.
• Medium – With the same mathematics as the above, we can determine a medium cooked potato weighs 0.28lbs. Because of this, three pounds of potatoes will be almost 11 potatoes (10.7)
• Large – Same as the above, we can clearly see that a large baked potato weighs 0.50lbs. This means that three pounds of potato will be six potatoes.

From the above information, you can quickly determine how many three pounds of potatoes is. This is incredibly beneficial for you and your family when you’re cooking potato dishes, as this ensures you’re not consuming too many potatoes.

How much does an average medium potato weigh?

Within the world of potatoes, there are many different types. These types change in flavor, texture, and density. This is due to them being produced in different climates around the world. Because of this, various countries worldwide will eat a specific kind of potato more than others. Here are the average medium potato weights, depending on what kind of potato it is.

• White – 213g
• Russet – 213g
• Red – 213g
• Sweet – 114g
• Yam – 150g

How much does a potato weigh in lbs

Now you’re aware of how much each potato type weighs in grams. It’s also beneficial to become knowledgeable on the other popular weight measurements. Grams are mainly used in U.K. recipes, and they’re generally excluded from the U.S. ones. Because of this, this is how each potato weighs in Lbs.

Potato Type	Weight (Lbs)
White	0.47lbs
Russet	0.47lbs
Red	0.47lbs
Sweet	0.25lbs
Yam	0.33lbs

When following a recipe, you should follow the correct weights by using a weighing scale. But I understand that you cannot do this every day because it’s hugely time-consuming. Due to this, it’s nice to know the “average” weights between small, medium, and large potatoes depending on their type.

From this, you’re able to quickly identify roughly how much it weighs, making your cooking experience much easier and manageable on a day-to-day basis. If you want to become knowledgeable on more helpful facts about potatoes so you can quickly recognize their weight, I suggest you read the below.

How many potatoes is 2 pounds

Above, we discussed how many potatoes were found in 3 pounds. As we understand what a singular potato weighs, it’s simple to pinpoint precisely how many potatoes consist of 2 pounds. Here’s how many:

Raw potatoes

• Small – The above information clearly indicates that a small potato weighs 0.21lbs, which means that two pounds of potatoes are roughly 9 to 10 (9.5) small potatoes.
• Medium – Again, we understand that a medium raw potato weighs “on average” 0.36lbs. Due to this, 2 pounds of medium-sized potatoes will consist of 5 or 6 (5.5) potatoes.
• Large – Lastly, a large potato weighs an average of 0.63, meaning two pounds of potatoes will be around three large potatoes.

Baked potatoes

It’s commonly known that raw potatoes lose a lot of weight when they’re baked. For diet purposes, you may need to understand this as nutritional requirements come from food that is eaten (aka the baked potato). From the above, we now understand it’s estimated that we lose around 21% of the raw weight when a potato is cooked. Because of this, here’s how much 2 pounds of baked potatoes weigh, depending on their size.

• Small – When small raw potatoes are baked in a 375-degree oven, they’ll weigh 0.17lbs each. This means 2 pounds of potatoes will consist of 11 to 12 (11.7) small baked potatoes.
• Medium – According to the above information, a medium-baked potato weighs 0.28lbs, meaning that 2 pounds of medium potatoes will need to be seven potatoes.
• Large – From our understanding, a large baked potato weighs 0.50lbs. This means that four large baked potatoes will be two pounds.

How much does a sweet potato weigh?

There are various popular strains in the potato world, and a highly trendy potato that many households incorporate into their meals is the sweet potato. Sweet potatoes are full of flavor, can be implemented in many dishes, and are considered somewhat healthier than other types of potato. Because of this, we thought it would be beneficial to add a section within this post about the average weight of sweet potato, depending on its size. Here’s how they measure up.

• Small – A small sweet potato that is around 4” long and 1 3/4” in diameter will weigh approximately 60g or 2.1oz (on average)
• Medium – Whereas a medium sweet potato that is 5” long and 2” in diameter will weigh 114g or 4oz.
• Large – lastly, a large sweet potato which is around 5 3/4” long and 2 1/2” in diameter, will be about 180g or 6.3oz.

How much does a russet potato weigh

Another popular potato choice is the russet. A farmer first cultivated this potato called the Russet Burbank in 1851, and it’s the go-to option for many Americans. The popularity of this potato is immense in the states, and that’s because it’s grown there. Because of this, it allows America to have a local vegetable that doesn’t acquire many or no air miles to distribute nationwide. Here’s how much a russet potato weighs, depending on its size.

• Small – A small russet potato that measures around 1 3/4” to 2 1/4” diameter should weigh around 170g or 6oz.
• Medium – If a russet potato is 2 1/4” to 3 1/4” in diameter (otherwise known as a medium-sized potato), it’ll weigh on average about 213g or 7.5oz.
• Large – Whereas russet potatoes considered large at 3” to 4 1/4” in diameter will weigh 369g or 130oz.

How much does a potato cost

Something else that’s important to know about potatoes and weight is cost. If you’re budgeting either for your family, a community, or workforce, it’s essential to understand how much you should pay for potatoes. From knowing this information, you’re able to budget with a much clearer vision, allowing you to maximize the most out of your money. Here are the average prices of each popular potato.

Note – The below information was calculated with the following equation (average weight of potato ÷ cost of 5lb bag = price per single potato. Average 5lb bag costs were found from this post.

• White – $0.19 to $0.37
• Russet – $0.19 to $0.37
• Red – $0.09 to $0.19
• Sweet – $0.09 to $0.19
• Yam – $0.09 to $0.19

Reminder, the above are averages so take these prices with a pinch of salt. Prices can fluctuate because of various reasons, such as supply and demand and the seller. However, these are excellent estimates, and they’ll most definitely help you if you’re budgeting towards a specific amount of money.

How much does 1 pound of potatoes cost

If you’d prefer to understand how much one pound of potatoes cost, this next section may be highly beneficial for you. If you have a large budget, it can be unnecessary to think about each potato. Because of this, it’s much easier to think in pounds, making the budget much more manageable.

Note – The below prices are based on 5lb bags from this post, meaning the calculation to get these end figures was – (average cost of 5lb bag ÷ 5 = average cost of 1lb of potato).

Potato Type	Costs (USD $) Per lb
White	$0.40 to $0.80
Russet	$0.40 to $0.80
Red	$0.40 to $0.80
Sweet	$0.20 to $0.40
Yam	$0.20 to $0.40

The History of the Potato

After developing some knowledge about potato weights, and prices, we thought it would be great to discuss the history of the potato. You may or may not be aware, this vegetable has been cultivated since the beginning of time. According to many researchers, the potato was first introduced by Inca Indians in Peru between 8,000 and 5,000 B.C.

It goes without saying that this is extremely impressive, considering it’s still highly produced today. Because of this, the history of the potato is rather extensive. If you’d like to find out more about the history of potatoes and the famous side choice, the French fry, consider reading the below:

History of Potatoes and French Fries

As you’re now aware, the vegetable itself dates back to 8,000 and 5,000 B.C. However, only in 1621, the potato was introduced In the United States. This is surprising, as the U.S. is one of the top five potato producers in the entire world.

Nonetheless, when potatoes arrived in America, they were first given to Governor Francis Wyatt of Virginia at Jamestown. After several 100’s of years of growing the traditional potato, someone called Russet Burbank developed the potato we widely know as the Russet potato. Now, the russet potato is one of the most harvested potato types in America.

If we move to more recent times, the potato has also enhanced with technology and space. Yep, you heard that right, space. The potato broke extraordinary records, from being the first-ever vegetable to be grown in space.

The above facts about potatoes are remarkable, but what about the famous French fry? Despite it being called the “French” fry, it doesn’t originate from France. Strangely enough, historians claim that potatoes were being fried in the late-1600s in Belgium. Now, you’ll understand why Belgium natives love fried potato snacks so much.

However, even though the French fry is highly popular in America, it didn’t actually arrive until the 1870s. Since then, the French fry has been an essential side dish from many restaurants and households in America. According to Wikipedia, around 90% of frozen French fries head straight towards the foodservice sector when they’re produced.

Where the potato is grown

It’s remarkable how much history this vegetable has. Now you’re aware of this, you’ll have a rough idea of where potatoes are grown. However, from the below findings, you may be surprised by the outcome. Here’s where potatoes are produced around the world, from the largest distributors to the smallest.

Country	Production (Millions of tons)
China	98.3
India	48.5
Russia	22.5
Ukraine	22.5
United States	20.6
World	368.2

Advantages and Disadvantages of Potatoes

Without a doubt, potatoes have provided fantastic advantages to our lives. But, with advantages, there are always some disadvantages lurking around. To gain a better insight into this, read below:

Advantages	Disadvantages
It’s a cheap food and drink source. Yep, I said it, drink as vodka is actually created from potato.	Carbs are a high-carb source. Although this is great in a moderate amount, too much can lead to obesity and weight gain.
Many people are unaware of this, but the potato is an excellent antioxidant. Because of this, it’s found in many medicines, skin creams, and various other beauty products.	Many studies have been conducted saying that potato isn’t good for your digestive system as people that consume large amounts experience abdominal cramping, diarrhea, and constipation.
Potatoes are packed with minerals like iron, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, and also zinc, making them healthy for your bones.	Including the above, they’re calorie-dense. As a rule of thumb, there’s one calorie for every gram of potato.

How many small potatoes per person

According to Healthline, to maintain a healthy diet, you should only eat around 2 to 5 pounds of potatoes each day. The reason for this range is due to the person size and gender. For example, a woman’s daily recommended calories are much lower than a man’s.

Nonetheless, now we understand you should only eat around 2 to 5 pounds and that a singular small potato weighs 0.21lbs. We can suggest that you can eat between 9 and 23 small potatoes each day.

How many medium potatoes per person

The same rules apply from the above, and that’s it’s recommended only to eat between 2 and 5 pounds of potatoes each day. Because we know a medium potato weighs 0.36lbs, we can roughly estimate that you can eat 5 to 13 medium-sized potatoes each day.

How Many large potatoes per person

Again, because you can only eat between 2 and 5 pounds of potatoes each day, you should only consume the following amount of large potatoes. As large potatoes weigh around 0.63lbs, we can say you’re only allowed to eat between 3 and 8 potatoes daily to maintain a healthy diet.

How Many Potatoes Per Person

To summarize the above information, see the below chart of how many potatoes a person can consume, depending on its size.

Potato Size	Recommend Daily Consumption
Small	9 to 23 (between 2 and 5 pounds)
Medium	5 to 13 (between 2 and 5 pounds)
Large	3 to 8 (between 2 and 5 pounds)

We understand that weighing your food daily isn’t ideal nor fun. Because of this, we’ve provided you with the above information. Now, instead of having to weigh your potatoes, you can count them. Although this doesn’t give you the exact outcome, you’ll be able to gain a rough idea. From this, you can manage a healthy diet much more effortlessly.

How Much Do Yellow Potatoes Weigh?

If you haven’t tried a yellow potato, you’re honestly missing out. They’re large, have tanned-golden skin and yellow fluffy insides. Because of this, they’re superb for roasting, mashing, grilling, and even for salads.

But, how much do yellow potatoes weigh? Well, they’re similarly sized to both red and Russet potatoes. Because of this, we can suggest they weigh the following, depending on their size.

• Small – A small yellow potato that measures to be around 1 3/4” to 2 1/4” diameter should weigh around 170g or 6oz.
• Medium – If a yellow potato is 2 1/4” to 3 1/4” in diameter (otherwise known as a medium-size potato), it’ll weigh on average about 213g or 7.5oz.
• Large – Whereas yellow potatoes, which are considered large at 3” to 4 1/4” in diameter, will weigh 369g or 130oz.

Final Thoughts

Potatoes are a staple in many people’s diets. They can be boiled, baked, mashed and fried. But how much does a potato weigh? This blog post will answer that question with the average size, large size, medium size potatoes. We will also discuss how to measure 2 pounds of potatoes for recipes and other uses to make cooking easier! There is no definitive weight on what constitutes an acceptable serving or measurement when it comes to potatoes because they vary drastically by their type-Russet vs Sweet Potato (a little less dense). However one thing remains true: you cannot go wrong with this versatile vegetable!