Air Fryer Recipes that are both quick & nutritious the Whole Family will love - Cathy Richards, RD (2024)

FAQs

Why are people getting rid of air fryers? ›

And because they also use little to no oil compared to other traditional cooking methods, they're also seen as a healthy alternative. But now, shoppers have been ditching their air fryers in favour of a different gadget that's said to be even cheaper - and even healthier - when it comes to preparing meals.

Some say it's too good to be true, that you can't effectively “fry” something with a few tablespoons of oil and hot circulating air. Some say yeah, it works but it takes up too much countertop space for what it's worth.

Air fryer health risks

COPs are linked to an increase in heart disease, cancer and other medical conditions. You may have also heard about polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are carcinogens that are produced as fumes when foods are cooked at a high temperature.

It is safe to cook raw meat in the air fryer if it is fully defrosted, seasoned, and monitored. Some fully cooked foods, including chicken tenders or fries, can be placed frozen in the air fryer. However, with raw meat, it's recommended to thoroughly defrost to allow more even cooking and a tasty final product.

Foil is safe to use in an air fryer so long as you follow three basic rules: never let foil touch the heating element; make sure the foil is weighted so it doesn't blow around the basket; and avoid contact with acidic ingredients, which can cause the foil to leach onto your food.

It's worth noting that air fryers don't actually fry food, which requires submerging food in hot oil. Air fryers use hot air circulation to mimic frying food. There are some downsides to air fryers. They're bulky, can be difficult to clean, and have limited cooking capacity.

A convection oven has the same advantages over an air fryer as a regular oven—size. If you're making multiple dishes or batches of food, a convection oven can help prepare it all at once.

What are the top 10 foods to cook in an air fryer? ›

Though Gordon Ramsay is clearly a fan of using an air fryer to cook steak, at his restaurants, his go-to method involves using a pan instead. Because you can only cook steak one or two at a time in them, an air fryer isn't the best option if you're feeding a crowd.

Sales are still steady, but nothing like the astronomical levels reached last year. And according to a recent report by retailer Currys, microwaves are rising fast on the air fryer's tail, with sales up by 50 per cent since last year.

AIR fryers have been a hot topic in recent years, with a huge rise in sales as people look for healthier and more cost-effective ways to cook food. But now shoppers are searching for an alternative kitchen appliance that's said to be a better (and cheaper) alternative to air fryers: halogen ovens.

Anything that significantly reduces the litres of oil required for deep-fat frying is still an attractive prospect. Although air fryers have been around for more than a decade, Google Trends data shows interest climbed vertiginously in 2020, with little sign of slowing. Sales at John Lewis were up 400% in 2021.

More and more range ovens, wall ovens, and toaster ovens that have convection now come with air-fry settings. Convection, which constantly circulates hot air using one or more fans, is the same technology behind countertop air fryers.