• I tried instant mashed potatoes from Big Y, Bell's, and Idahoan in various flavors. • Bell's instant potatoes were delicious but required extra effort. • Idahoan nailed it with buttery, flavorful mashed potatoes that were perfectly light and creamy.

With a mountain of dishes to make for Thanksgiving, sometimes it's necessary to take a shortcut or two.

Despite usually swearing by homemade mashed potatoes, I decided to try out a variety of instant mashed-potato brands and flavors to determine the best option at the grocery store — and to see if any were good enough to earn a spot on my Thanksgiving table.

I tried five options. Here's how they compared, from my least favorite to my favorite.

I tried potatoes from Big Y, Bell's, and Idahoan. The flavors included classic butter, roast

See Full Page