With carbohydrates increasingly regarded as an important part of a balanced diet, spuds appear resurgent in the UK
Potatoes may be shedding their outdated image in the UK as the less healthy cousin of the vegetable family, if data from HelloFresh is anything to go by.
Potato-based recipes now account for 34 per cent of all meals ordered at the meal delivery company, which believes we are seeing a resurgence in potato consumption across the country.
It puts this down to how differently today’s consumers view carbohydrates, often avoided by dieters in the 2000s. HelloFresh research shows that 79 per cent of consumers now believe carbohydrates are an important part of a balanced diet, with 57 per cent agreeing they were unfairly demonised in the past.
Importantly, potatoes score very highly on the satiety index, HelloFresh revealed, due to their high fibre content. Consumers also cite the product’s versatility and ease of cooking.
“The low-carb craze had its moment,” says Mimi Morley, senior recipe development manager at HelloFresh UK, “but it seems Brits are falling back in love with carbs, and potatoes are leading the charge. People want meals that leave them feeling satisfied, not hungry an hour later, and potatoes have always delivered on that front.”
Fairfields Farm Produce has supplied potatoes to HelloFresh since 2022 and has witnessed considerable growth in demand, with volumes rising by 30 per cent in 2024 and a whopping 108 per cent in 2026.
Richard Glennan, the company’s director for branded sales commented: “The potato has never really gone away, but it’s definitely enjoying a moment. Consumers are rediscovering just how versatile, affordable and satisfying British potatoes can be, whether they’re making comforting family favourites or trying something new.”
