NEWPORT, CA - Fresh Solutions Network® (FSN) offers shoppers a way to prepare healthy steak fries and potato wedges at home with Side Delights®.

A recent article ranked the 23 most popular potato dishes from worst to best. Not surprisingly, the French Fry came in at number one. Historically characterized as unhealthy, French Fries are finally getting recognition as a healthy side dish and a great source of nutrients. Side Delights® offers shoppers nutritious options for preparing the popular potato dish at home with oven-baked or air fryer recipes. For even easier preparation, Side Delights® A Cut Above® fresh-cut potatoes are available in wedges and steak fries options.

While often vilified for its carbohydrate content, the complex carbohydrates in potatoes contain vitamins, minerals, and fiber that help fuel the body and are essential to a healthy diet. Additionally, potatoes are considered an appetite suppressant, and they are rated highest in satiety index studies that reveal the ‘fullness’ levels of foods.

“Potatoes in any form are getting recognition for their nutritional value, satiety, and mealtime flexibility, and with the focus on healthy preparation, and foods that keep you feeling “full”, house-made steak fries and potato wedges are big foodservice trends,” noted Kathleen Triou, president and CEO of Fresh Solutions Network. “Most shoppers can cut a potato into rough wedges, but cutting into perfect fries can be a bit tricky. Side Delights® makes preparation super simple with A Cut Above fresh-cut potatoes. They are fresh, never frozen, and unlike anything else you can buy at the grocery store, they are pre-cut so shoppers can easily prepare healthy French Fries and other fresh-cut potatoes at home.”

Restaurants and recipes have tried replacing potatoes with alternative options for French Fries, which may be less healthy than the original. Tempura Green Beans, for example, promoted frequently as “Healthy French Fries,” have 260 calories in a five-piece serving, 15 grams of fat, and 27 grams of carbohydrates.

Compare that to a 148g/5.3 oz serving of fresh potatoes cut into wedges or fries, are only 110 calories, zero grams of fat, 26 grams of carbohydrates, and five times as much potassium. A serving of potatoes also contains 30% of the daily value of Vitamin C. Delicious recipes such as Fresh Cut Steak Fries or Air Fryer Lemon Dill Fries are quick and nutritious options.

A Harvard Health Publishing article In Defense of French Fries, agreed that the preparation and the portion are the problem, not the potato. When cooked with high levels of fat and salt, high consumption can lead to risk factors, but homemade baked fries using minimal oil are much healthier, adding the final conclusion, “they’re too good to give up… and they go great with a salad.”

A Cut Above potatoes are fresh pre-cut potatoes available in popular cuts including steak fries, wedges, diced and sliced. Side Delights® offers a variety of choices of nutritious, economical products, including bagged and bulk potatoes, potato kits, convenience potatoes, petite potatoes, fresh-cut potatoes, and organic potatoes. For more information on Side Delights® products and its network of farms, visit SideDelights.com, FreshSolutionsNet.com, and GrownWhereItMatters.com.