BHM 2024: Why Black People Are So Fussy About Potato Salad

For Black folks, some foods are so entrenched in our culture, they come with their own set of rules. Outside of mac and cheese, no dish better represents this than potato salad. It is one of those foods that only certain people are allowed to bring to the cookout. Seriously, if you haven’t been officially asked or everyone knows it’s your domain, DO NOT BRING IT WITHOUT PERMISSION!

According to The Takeout, Black food historian Adrian Miller explained that Black families’ love of potato salad came from German immigrants who moved to the South in the 1860s and introduced the dish to the Black community. Over time, we made it our own and it became an essential part of our lives. As we’ve previously discussed, potato salad is connected to many of our best memories and traditions. We have an emotional response to it.

Since we don’t play about our potato salad, Black folks are picky about whose we will eat. If you’re ever at a potluck and see a Black person skip the potato salad, that’s a huge red flag that you definitely should not eat that dish. We know the unwritten rules of potato salad, but we’re aware that some of our white friends may not know or understand how important these are.

If you are invited to a Black friend’s house for a get together, it’s extremely important that you know how essential potato salad is to the proceedings. And that you follow the rules.

I don’t care how unique or cool you think it is, do not put raisins, grapes, oranges or any other fruit in the potato salad. No Black person in history has ever said, “You know what this potato salad needs? More raisins.” If we see fruit in the dish, we will pass it up every single time, then clown you later for bringing that nonsense to the party.

If you say you’re bringing potato salad to the party, that’s what you’re supposed to bring. For some reason, white people think potato, macaroni and egg salad are interchangeable. They’re not. If you show up with macaroni salad after committing to potato salad, chances are you might not even be let through the door. If you are, the shade you receive will be at a level you’re not ready for.

Here’s the secret about supermarket potato salad: Some brands are actually pretty good. If you’ve got a lot going on, it’s totally okay to start with one of these high-quality brands and doctor it to your family’s taste. Not everyone has time to start from scratch. However, it is considered very poor manners to just show up at someone’s house with a container of pre-made potato salad. You have to at least put it in a nice bowl or dish.

Texture is essential when it comes to potato salad. There is nothing worse than a wet, liquefied recipe with way too much mayo. If you put that on a table, your guests will not only skip it, they’ll start to rethink everything else you put out because now they’re assuming you truly don’t know what good food is.

If someone brings a delicious potato salad to the party, you eat it, compliment it and keep it moving. Don’t ever say anything approaching the words, “This is so much better than mom’s/aunt’s/grandma’s.” Comparing the cooking of older Black women is basically a declaration of war. If your mother thinks you like your aunt’s potato salad better, you’ve just started World War III and the whole family will suffer. This rule also applies to mac and cheese.

This may seem like a lot of crazy discourse for one dish, but potato salad is worth it. When done right, it is something truly special that offers a connection to our history and culture.

But seriously, don’t break the rules!