The jacket potato renaissance
The humble spud is enjoying renewed attention, spurred by the cost-of-living crisis and office etiquette

"Ping! It's the noise that is echoing through office canteens around the country," said Hannah Evans in The Times. "The sound of colleagues zapping the latest thrifty lunch craze in the microwave: jacket potatoes."
While the humble carb has admittedly long been a "British culinary staple", office workers have recently caught on to the fact that as well as being an easy dinner option on a chilly winter evening, jacket potatoes also make an excellent low-cost packed lunch option.
Not only are they fast, taking just five minutes in the microwave, they are relatively odour free, making them "one of the least offensive things to eat at your desk". Jacket potatoes are also incredibly "versatile"; when it comes to toppings you can go far beyond the basics, bringing "genuinely delicious accompaniments" that can be "assembled at your desk".
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
As people continue to "grapple with increased living costs", many of us are turning to jacket potatoes in a "bid to save money", said The Telegraph. A recent survey by plant-based cheese company Nurishh found that 88% of respondents had swapped expensive shop-bought sushi and salads for homemade alternatives, and 62% were specifically embracing the baked potato. The most popular fillings reported in the survey were cheese, cheese and beans, and butter, said Josh Barrie in London's Evening Standard. "And to think the British cuisine used to have a reputation for blandness."
In the midst of the cost-of-living crisis, it's hardly surprising that people are swapping "£12 focaccia sandwiches" for the "classic" jacket potato. The starchy vegetable has long been "overdue for a renaissance".
The best varieties of potato for a perfectly "fluffy" interior are Maris Piper and King Edward, said Evans in The Times. Ideally, you want to combine a protein source with "something creamy to bring all the elements together" like sour cream, Greek yoghurt or tahini. And be sure to fill your desk drawer with an "array of hot sauces and spices" to liven things up.
"There's no denying jacket potatoes are one of life's simple pleasures", said Anna Berrill in The Guardian, but if "tuna mayo is as edgy as your fillings get, it's time to broaden your horizons". Poppy O'Toole, "potato queen" and author of "The Actually Delicious Slow Cooker", recommends "frying chopped chorizo in a dry pan until it releases its oil" and mixing it with cream cheese for a "flavour-packed" meal.
In another of her recipes, "Bombay jackets", she advises topping baked potatoes with a spiced filling made from fried red onion, garlic, ginger, chilli, nigella seeds and turmeric, and finishing the dish with a "dod of mango chutney" and "drizzle of mint yoghurt". "Welcome in the jacket potato 2.0".
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Irenie Forshaw is a features writer at The Week, covering arts, culture and travel. She began her career in journalism at Leeds University, where she wrote for the student newspaper, The Gryphon, before working at The Guardian and The New Statesman Group. Irenie then became a senior writer at Elite Traveler, where she oversaw The Experts column.
-
Salt Lake City is coolest in summer not winter
The Week Recommends Hang out in the Maven District and bike your way around town
-
Yes, you can be outside this summer and avoid ticks. These are the tips to know.
The Week Recommends Don't get ticked off
-
Pals and loved ones always on the move? These are the gifts to give the constant travelers in your life.
The Week Recommends The best trip is the one that lives on and on
-
The best TV shows based on movies
The Week Recommends A handful of shows avoid derivative storytelling and craft bold narrative expansions
-
The 2025 James Beard Award winners
Feature Featuring a casually elegant restaurant, recipes nearly lost to war, and more
-
Bellagio: glitz and glamour on the Las Vegas Strip
The Week Recommends Find la dolce vita in the Nevada desert at this luxurious hotel
-
At these 6 gnarly spots, both surfers and onlookers can catch a wave
The Week Recommends Be a (sort of) part of the action
-
The best film prequels of all time
The Week Recommends Balancing new information with what the audience already knows is a perilous tightrope