Quarterly Mash-Up: Issue 4: Product Spotlight

Gluten free’s gone mainstream.  A sign of the times, Datassential reports menu penetration of gluten-free items has grown 89 percent in the last four years and continues to increase.¹ Operators are re-imagining the possibilities for gluten-free ingredients, like potatoes.

Potatoes are ideal for gluten-free innovation, pleasing consumers and providing value for operators.  The versatile potato can be spiralized to substitute in place of noodles, used instead of breadcrumbs for coating applications, incorporated as a filler for meatballs and swapped for a flour-based roux as an excellent thickener for soups and sauces.

¹Datassential SNAP. “Gluten Free: the SNAP Food Profile.” April, 2019.

Quarterly Mash-Up: Issue 4: Did you Know

Potatoes are an allergy-friendly option to combine other ingredients, add creamy texture and mix in as a filler – all while remaining cost effective.  For every application from soups to desserts, potatoes are an essential addition to the traditional list of potential fillers, binders and extenders.  They impart a neutral flavor and ideal texture to achieve a smooth, even and moist finished product.  Consider these helpful tips for creating gluten-free applications:

• Potato flour is a great addition to gluten-free bread recipes.
• Dehydrated potato flakes are a great alternative to traditional breadcrumbs for coating – mimicking the texture of panko breadcrumbs– to achieve a golden, crispy outer crust when baking or frying.
• Dehydrated potato flakes also make a great gluten-free filler for crab cakes, burgers and more.
• Many coated fry varieties are made without the addition of gluten, using potato starch in place of modified wheat starch.

Attract droves of Mother’s Day or Graduation brunch goers with on-trend menu items that offer something for everyone in a large party.  Perfect for a New American concept, Potato Grits with Spring Vegetables is a light, seasonal fare.  Adding a potato pancake or waffle to the menu could become a signature dish, like it has at Mel’s Commonwealth Café in Massachusetts.  Check out our Loaded Potato Waffle with a savory twist for inspiration.

This Cinco de Mayo, attract patrons with Mexican-inspired, gluten-free menu items.  Mexican Street Corn Potato Salad is a festive, turnkey application for the lunch or sides menu.  Loaded Potato Tostones seasoned with Adobo and topped with guacamole and carnitas are a must-order appetizer.  Knock it out of the park with this Vegan Al Pastor Potato Taco, provided using gluten-free flour in the tortilla, sure to please plant-based and gluten-free diners alike.