Spud Sensation, Mold

JACKET potatoes have been a mainstay in the British diet for almost two hundred years.

- MARK WILLIAMS

Smashing spuds really took off in the mid-19th century when more than 10 tons of the stuff were sold each day, mainly to workers in food markets across London.Jacket spuds remained popular in the 20th century, becoming a high-street norm across the country, before slowly waning in popularity. However, the number of businesses registered with the “spud” has soared over the past year, and 94% of all British adults, claim to eat a jacket potato, at least once a week.

Yes, the hype around baked potatoes has gone viral. Thanks in part to folk like the Spud Bros in Preston, who have taken the boring humble potato and made it a global TikTok sensation.

It all seems a bit strange as the simple spud isn’t even that photogenic in reality. However, they are cheap, filling and healthy, unless of course, they are smothered in lavish calorie-dense toppings.