NEWPORT BEACH, CA - Fresh Solutions Network® (FSN) provides shoppers with Side Delights® solutions that offer a more cost-effective, time-saving option than the continuing take-out trend.

According to a recent article in Food & Wine Magazine, five years after the pandemic shuttered restaurants, takeout is more than a need or a dining convenience - it is a culture. The article states that approximately 95% of consumers rank speed as “critical” to the experience, with younger generations driving demand for convenience and value. The chief economist at the National Restaurant Association noted on the topic of ordering food to go, “Convenience has become part of the overall lifestyle.” Additional factors influencing the movement include busy lifestyles and increasing disposable incomes.

Side Delights® takes take-out one step further with suggestions that save even more money and give consumers the advantage of using healthy ingredients and avoiding allergens. Re-using or recycling food not only reduces time and cost but also cuts down on food and packaging waste.

“In addition to being expensive, restaurant meals typically contain higher amounts of sodium, fat, and calories than home-cooked meals,” noted Kathleen Triou, president and CEO of Fresh Solutions Network, in a recent press release. “A medium-sized Side Delights® potato has no fat, cholesterol, or sodium and only 110 calories. Plus, potatoes are an antioxidant and a great source of Vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.”

In April, the Wall Street Journal cited a Circana consumer analytics study showing that lunches purchased at restaurants or other establishments dropped 3% in 2024 to $19.5 billion, less than in 2020, the peak of the pandemic work-from-home era. Conversely, the amount of food shoppers purchased from grocery and other stores with the intent to eat at home or bring to work for lunch climbed 1%.

The ‘cook it once, eat it twice’ approach is the perfect solution for professionals who work in offices or at home, as well as for students who bring food to classrooms and campuses. After cooking a meal at home, leftovers can be used right away or frozen for a delicious, healthy lunch without the work of preparing meals twice or the cost of ordering and/or delivering them.

“Potato dishes from dinner make a great second act for lunch, or get creative and turn leftover Russet potatoes into a filling yogurt-based Quick and Healthy Greek Potato Salad or Yellow potatoes into a comforting warm Roasted Potato Garlic Soup with Kale and Sausage,” added Triou. “For students of any age, prepare extra Salt and Pepper Air Fryer Chips and pack them for a snack to bring to school.”

Side Delights® offers a variety 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.