If you asked a room full of students to name their favorite vegetable, chances are you might get some blank stares or possibly hear one answer again and again: “I don’t know!” And if you pressed them further—“Well, what about potatoes?”—you might get a quick correction: “Like French fries? Those aren’t vegetables.”

Students may not think of potatoes as vegetables, but the truth is potatoes quietly do a whole lot of heavy lifting in school meals. They’re nutrient-dense, wildly versatile and budget-friendly, and they are one of the most universally loved vegetables on the tray. Yet even with that built-in popularity, it’s easy to still treat potatoes as a reliable side dish instead of the true centerpiece...