To not realise that McCains baked potatoes are nothing special.

[boredwfh]

So my DD is a fussy eater however decided she wanted a jacket potato this week with cheese and bean. As it was a last minute request but eager to find new meals she likes, I only had some sad looking potatoes that were starting to sprout but managed to make one and she thoroughly enjoyed it. I decided whilst doing the weekly shop online & after reading a recent thread where everyone said McCains frozen baked potatoes were good, to add them to my basket thing they’d be good to have in as a quick meal if my DD asks again. Now I don’t know what I was expecting, maybe that it had been part cooked so it would be faster for me to bake, or maybe it had some special seasoning on the jacket. But AIBU to be bemused that it literally is just potato with vegetable oil on the outside & it still needs cooking for 45-55 mins! So no less effort than me just getting a spud and cooking it myself?! Am I the only one who doesn’t get the point of them?!

it is not just as quick to bake a potato from raw! it takes about 90 minutes just to cook
through never mind crisp! and that’s with a very good oven/air fryer so it’s not that. I’m not sure what you mean about 10 minutes then 10 minutes?

It only takes 90 minutes if you don't have a microwave to start it off in. If you put it in the microwave for 5/10 minutes then the air fryer for a similar amount of time (or oven, but obviously costs more) then it takes about 15 minutes for a nicely cooked, crispy skinned baked potato.

The frozen ones might cook from frozen in 10 minutes in a microwave, but they're still not properly crispy, weird texture and expensive. Like @andnowwhatdowedo the only real advantage is if you want to be able to have a jacket potato in more than 2 weeks time so your fresh potatoes would probably be past their best.

I like them. Always fluffy inside, cooks perfectly in the microwave. Not sure why you’d put them in the oven.

Convenience is you always have some in, whereas not always a decent sized potato that’s not sprouted at home. I buy them as I don’t buy potatoes all that often so handy to have.

Sadly where I live in the NW potatoes from many different shops don't last more than a couple of days. Don't know why.

I have never bought them before in my life, mid fifties but now buy them weekly, so easy and can use up all left over dips and salads in the fridge before a big shop, microwaved potatoes always had a hard spot on them so this is a perfect solution for me.

40? Jeez, how big is your oven?

I love them for lunch. 6 minutes for a perfect jacket with nice skin. I ran out and cooked a normal potato the other day in the microwave and it was horrible in comparison

I like them because they don't go crispy in the microwave. I don't like crispy potatoes.

These products started for people with limited cooking/storage/shopping ability, or disabilities and have just crept into everyday usage. When in a caravan, in the past, it was easier to use the microwave and hob. The same applies to oven chips, I hate the cheap type, it's cheaper to make your own chunky/skin on chips. I don't, which is good because I eat less chips thanks to the cost.

So they’re literally just a potato?

It's only a brand name nothing special.
I buy my loose potatoes at Lidl usually 4 for about £1.20, microwave them for 30 minutes, turning them every 10 minutes and then 10 minutes in hot oven. Crispy and fluffy every time.

I do potatoes in the microwave for about 7 minutes, turning halfway through and then drizzle a bit of olive oil and 5 to 10 minutes in the airfryer, depending on how long I've got.

I do mine on the dual cook setting on my combi microwave, so you get a crisp skin and a fluffy interior.

I posted about how they just seemed dry and powdery and absorbed SO much butter.

The point, I suppose for me, is the same as have a couple of cartons of long life milk. Its miles to a decent shop so they can be handy to have in. Id never choose one though

I think I explained it well enough. Ten minutes in the microwave will give you a thoroughly cooked baked potato, if you don’t mind a thin soggy skin. If you prefer a crispier skin, you can then put it in the oven on a high heat for ten minutes to crisp the skin up. That step is optional.

Couldn’t you just do that with a normal potato though? If the McCains ones are just potatoes coated in oil, I’m not sure what they offer over and above a normal potato coated in olive oil?

Lovely but if Ive just done a 12.5 hour shift more like 13.5 hours I just want to eat and collapse into bed not fanny around for 30 minutes and turn every 10

Anyway the Bannisters ones are nicer

Convenience

That’s what I do, with fresh potatoes. Never bought McCains ones.

Yep this.

I guess my point is how is it more convenient than a normal potato? I’m not being an arse, I’m just genuinely trying to understand! If it is just a potato, how is it more convenient than a normal potato?

Ah ok, sorry I misunderstood!

I think, like the OP, I assumed they’d been pre baked so that you just had to reheat them in the microwave. I’m all for convenience! But if they’re just an uncooked potato, how are they any different to buying a bag of potatoes?

Me too.
But I recently found out that (where I live at least) Aldi frozen baking potatoes are bigger and nicer.

I do generally prefer to just get the potatoes and do it myself, but sometimes my local shops have a very poor selection.