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

FAQs

What 5 foods should you not put in an air fryer? ›

Summary. In conclusion, while air fryers offer certain benefits such as reduced calorie intake and faster cooking times, they are not without their limitations. Size constraints, limited cooking options, and concerns about crispiness are driving some people to look for alternatives.

Air-frying equipment is not known to cause cancer, but the process of air frying does result in the formation of certain compounds, like acrylamide, that are linked to cancer development. Acrylamide is classified as a probable human carcinogen.

Putting a damp basket back into the air fryer can cause damage, such as affecting the time it takes for your air fryer to heat up or damaging the internal components. It is no secret that water and electricity do not go hand-in-hand.

Food in an air fryer must be spaced out in order to actually cook, and since these fryers' baskets aren't all that big, you sometimes have to cook your food in batches. Since each batch can take several minutes to cook, this means that the first few will likely be cold by the time the last few are ready.

Households are shelving their air fryers in favour of another kitchen appliance that is cheaper to run, and just as healthy.

Issue: One of the most common problems with air fryers is the unit not heating up as it should, which results in undercooked or unevenly cooked food. Solution: Ensure that the air fryer is placed on a flat, stable surface. Also, make sure the basket is securely inserted and that the food is not overcrowded.

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.

What not to cook in an air fryer? ›

Fresh greens don't belong in an air fryer because they will fly all over the place. Fresh greens, like spinach or kale, are also something you want to avoid putting in an air fryer, according to Polak. "These greens will literally fly all over the place and cook unevenly," Polak said.

Make homemade sweetcorn and spring onion fritters in the air fryer for easy, energy-efficient cooking. These would be perfect as a veggie lunch, starter or side.

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.

While an air fryer can technically take a burger patty from raw to cooked, the exterior won't brown as quickly as it would on, say, a grill, which means medium-rare (and even medium) burgers are out of the question. You also won't get that irresistible char.

It's great at heating frozen foods, but it's also fantastic for from-scratch foods, like chicken wings, potato chips, donuts, and extra-crisp cookies. Here, we've rounded up 81 air fryer recipes to show just how versatile the appliance can be.

A spokesperson from online butchers, Campbells Prime Meat shares why he doesn't cook bacon in the air fryer. He said: “When using an air fryer, exercise caution as bacon contains high levels of fat, which can lead to smoking or even flames in certain air fryer models.