Side DelightsTaps Nostalgia and “Analog Cooking” Trends to Bring Comfort Classics Back to the Table
September 2, 2026 | 2 min to read
Newport Beach, CA – As younger consumers rediscover hands-on experiences in the kitchen, Fresh Solutions Network® (FSN) is highlighting Side Delights® potatoes as a natural fit for the return to comfort cooking, nostalgic recipes and updated family favorites.
Nostalgia is increasingly influencing what consumers put on the table. According to the 2026 IKEA Cooking & Eating Report, 40% of consumers actively seek foods that remind them of childhood, compared with just 25% who want to try new foods more often.
At the same time, younger shoppers are showing enthusiasm for getting into the kitchen. FMI – The Food Industry Association reports that 51% of Gen Z consumers like or love meal preparation, compared with 46% of consumers overall. When asked how retailers could make meal preparation easier, Gen Z’s top request was better-value food options, cited by 49%.
For retailers, potatoes sit naturally at the intersection of these trends: familiar, versatile, and value-oriented, while providing a foundation for traditional favorites and globally inspired meals.
“Potatoes have always been one of America’s great comfort foods, but today’s younger cooks are finding new ways to make them their own,” said Kathleen Triou, President and CEO of Fresh Solutions Network. “Side Delights gives retailers an opportunity to connect the potato category with shoppers looking for affordable comfort, cooking inspiration and fresh takes on familiar favorites.”
The trend is appearing in movements such as “analog cooking,” “nowstalgia” and “grandmacore,” where younger consumers are embracing traditional recipes and cooking techniques while adding contemporary flavors, global influences, and better-for-you twists.
Side Delights recipes bring those influences to familiar favorites, including Spanish Potato Frittata and Slimmed-Down Scalloped Potatoes.
Interest in hands-on cooking is also renewing enthusiasm for traditional cookware such as cast-iron skillets and Dutch ovens. Side Delights bagged, convenience, and petite potatoes work across these preparation methods, from Easy Potato Breakfast Skillet to simply prepared Dutch oven baked and Dutch oven petite potatoes.
For retailers, the opportunity extends beyond the traditional potato side dish. Side Delights varieties, pack sizes, and convenience options can connect the potato category to some of today’s strongest consumer motivations—comfort, value, cooking inspiration, and nostalgia—while introducing a new generation of shoppers to fresh potatoes.
About Fresh Solutions Network, LLC: Fresh Solutions Network (FSN) is the exclusive supplier of Side Delights® potatoes and onions. FSN is a group of family-owned potato and onion growers and shippers who help fresh potato and onion buyers grow their categories, maximize category investment, and increase sales. FSN delivers category insights, collaborative innovation, and customized assortment. Fresh Solutions Network, LLC partners include: Masser Family of Companies, Inc. (Masser Potato Farms and Keystone Potato Products in Sacramento and Hegins, PA), Fresh Solution Farms (White Pigeon, MI), Michael Family Farms, Inc. (Urbana, OH), Basin Gold Cooperative, Inc. (Pasco, WA), and NoKota Packers, Inc. (Buxton, ND).