Elevate the Humble Jacket Potato

Ah, the humble jacket potato. A food that often splits the nation in two - those who crave it and those who loathe it. Often, when people loathe it, it’s down to the feelings it conjures up: school dinners, soggy skins, undercooked flesh and lukewarm baked beans. A complete insult to a jacket potato if there ever was one.

But we can get them back onside. They just need to experience a proper jacket potato: crispy skin, fluffy centre, butter seeping out of the sides - it’s a match made in potato heaven.

But if you really want to get hearts racing, you need to step it up a notch. The classic tuna mayonnaise, and baked beans and cheese will always have a place but in a time when customers are more adventurous than ever, it’s time to step it up a notch. In fact, a recent survey shows that 42% of people are looking to try ‘new ideas’, and a further 56% are more than ready to get back to their favourite catering outlets. So let’s give them something to get excited about.

A potato is a key element of a person’s diet. It’s rich in fibre and vitamin B, minerals such as potassium, magnesium and iron. It’s also a complex carbohydrate, which means it will take longer to break down, keeping you fuller for longer. Of course, what we put on it can have quite the effect on its health benefits but it’s all about balance, right? And having a good mix of options on our menu ensures we’re catering to the whole jacket-potato-eating audience.

Our friends over at Bannisters farm have got the art of the jacket potato down to a T. Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the side, these inspirational crowd-pleasers take just 5-10 minutes to prep and come out perfectly every time.

These recipes may seem a far cry away from the traditional jacket potato but times have changed and so have people’s tastes, needs and wants. By all means, keep the one loaded with cheese and beans but offer options like these too - you may be surprised just how popular they are.