Mysterious Mashed Potatoes Keep Appearing in People’s Front Yards in Mississippi

It’s not uncommon for unwanted things to wind up on your doorstep here and there. Phone books, menus, your in-laws, but mashed potatoes? That’s a new one. Unless, of course, you’re from the Belhaven Community in Jackson, Mississippi, where bowls of the squished starch have been popping up across the neighborhood in recent days.

Jordan Lewis first posted about finding a bowl of mashed potatoes on her car earlier this week on Facebook, calling it one of the “top 5” most bizarre things she’d seen since moving to Jackson. She noted in the post that she believed it was a bowl of potato salad at first. In a later interview with KFVS, however, Lewis said she spoke with a neighbor who had also found the mysterious mush in their yard and they confirmed that it was indeed mashed potatoes. Perhaps the strangest part of this whole story is just how not-weird locals seem to think this is. Lewis told KFVS the area is known for doing “quirky things.”

“This neighborhood does a lot of quirky things. We decorate road signs, we put Christmas trees in our potholes, so it’s not surprising at all,” Lewis said. “That’s why I love this neighborhood because they do so many strange things, but it’s definitely one of the weirdest things I’ve seen since living in Jackson.”

Lewis told the outlet that other neighbors have also found mashed potato bowls around their houses. She said one neighbor spotted a rogue bowl on their mailbox, while others also found it on their cars. They remain unsure if the mashed potato caper is pranking them, or simply trying to share the wealth. We don’t know why anyone would eat a bowl of mashed potatoes planted on their porch, or anywhere else for that matter, but if the person is just trying to share we can’t knock them for that. It’s the thought that counts.

“They’ve found it on their mailboxes, on their cars,” she said. “So, we don’t know if someone is just playing a prank or if someone just had a lot of leftovers and decided to share.”

Sebastian Bjernegard, who also lives in the neighborhood, commented on Lewis’ post saying he was “so glad to read this!” He later told the Clarion Ledger that he nearly stepped into a bowl of mashed potatoes on his way out one morning. Nothing will ruin your day like stepping in a bowl of potatoes on your way to work, right? At least three other neighbors also commented on Lewis’ post saying they, too, had been hit by the starchy rascal. In a separate interview with KFVS, Bjernegard said theories have started cropping up about the strange potatoes. Some locals appear to believe the potatoes are poisoned, but not in a murder mystery kind of way.

“Some people were thinking maybe the mashed potatoes were poisoned to kill animals,” he said. “I didn’t taste it. I have a three-second rule so I didn’t touch it but some people were worried.”

Despite the speculation surrounding the potatoes, it appears most of this Mississippi neighborhood isn’t too worried. In fact, they’re looking forward to what comes next if this is just an elaborate prank. We have to admit, we are too.
“I hope they just keep doing stuff like this, I know I wonder what they’ll do next. Like, a [whole] Thanksgiving meal?,” Bjernegard joked with KFVS.

According to all outlets reporting on the matter, neighbors do not feel that the Jackson Police Department needs to get involved. We’re not sure what the law is on leaving potatoes on someone’s doorstep anyway. For now, all we can do is hope no one gives in and decides to dig in. A free snack is hard to pass up, but sometimes it’s just not worth it.