Described is a method for the preparation of dried crunchy potato bodies as consumable upon rehydration, comprising the steps of providing potatoes, cutting the potatoes of step in bodies having a thickness of 3.5 mm or less, heating the potato bodies of step to a temperature of 140° C. or less, blast chilling the heated potato bodies to 10° C. or less, and drying the potato bodies to a dry matter content of at least 90 w/w % at a temperature below 0° C. Also described is a method for the preparation of pickled potato strings, comprising the steps of providing potatoes, cutting the potatoes in strings having a cross-sectional area of 25 mm2 or less, heating the potato strings, blast chilling the heated potato strings and incubating the blast chilled tomato strings in a liquid pickling medium having a pH of between 3 and 4.5 at elevated temperature.
