Where do you stand on the chunky vs. smooth mashed potatoes? These past few years instead of normal white puree looking stuff my mom has taken whole red potatoes, put them on a roasting pan, and given each one a loving tap from her kitchen mallet. Stomp the bastards flat, drizzle with olive oil, sea salt, black pepper and rosemary, and bake. They're delicious and it's kinda harder to eat like 4-5 potatoes worth when they're in discrete units.
It depends on my mood. Sometimes I like a very smooth mashed potato (generally with a lot of liquid incorporated, like a very, very thick potato soup) and other times I want something more like barely-smashed potatoes. Most of the time I like them in the middle; smooth parts very smooth and then big ol' chunks of potatoes and skin. My mother has tried that preparation you mentioned, too. It is very good and when you can see the number of things you are eating, you are right, it makes it easier to make a good decision. Honestly though, if I could eat hashbrowns all the time, I would. Heck, even tater tots. I was surprised that they are everywhere in Portland, OR. It's easier to find them in New England now, but still not as easily as in Portland.