Air Fryer Cooking: 3 Healthy Eating Tips to Try

As we reach mid-January, the initial enthusiasm for our New Year’s resolutions may be waning. This is the time when staying committed to eating healthily and on a budget can become a challenge.

If you had “eating healthily (and cheaply)” on your resolution list, now is the perfect time to utilize the power of your air fryer to stay on track.

Although an air fryer may not be the first choice for healthy cooking in many people’s minds, it can actually be a great tool. Contrary to its name, air fryers do not fry food. They cook by circulating hot air around the food, similar to a convection oven but faster and more efficiently, saving you time and money in the kitchen.

Try a low-effort dinner

During the dark and cold winter evenings, the motivation to cook a meal from scratch can be low. This is when food delivery apps start to look very appealing. However, tossing ingredients for a quick and healthy dinner into the air fryer and letting it do the work while you relax under a blanket is a much better alternative.

There are numerous healthy and quick air fryer recipes available online that require minimal ingredients and preparation time. Here are four easy air fryer recipes to get you started:

If your go-to meal includes a protein like chicken, fish, or steak with a side of veggies, a dual-drawer air fryer can be the quickest and most convenient way to cook it. The sync function on most dual-drawer models allows you to cook different foods with varied cooking times and methods simultaneously, ensuring everything is ready at the same time.

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Ninja

For more recommendations on dual-drawer air fryers, check out our top picks from the ones we’ve tested.

Make your own snacks

During the winter months, snacks can be a quick energy boost or a distraction. However, processed snacks may not align with your healthy eating goals. Instead, use your air fryer to create your own nutritious snacks.

Most air fryers come with a dehydrate setting that can be used to make jerky from meat or dried fruit, even raisins. If your air fryer doesn’t have a dehydrate setting, you can still achieve similar results by thinly slicing the meat or fruit, arranging it on the crisper plate, and setting the air fryer to a low temperature for a few hours.

Rachel Ogden / Foundry

As you experiment, check on the jerky or fruit periodically to prevent over-drying.

Give leftovers a second life

While batch cooking or using up leftovers for another meal is a good practice, if the food turns out unappetizing, you may be tempted to order in. Reheating leftovers in a microwave can result in soggy food, but using an air fryer can help crisp it up.

You can use baking tins or stoneware pots in the air fryer, or opt for silicone air fryer liners for added convenience. These liners are inexpensive and can be purchased online.

Emma Rowley / Foundry

If you’re considering upgrading your air fryer, take a look at our top recommendations. We also have round-ups for the best Ninja air fryer, the best dual-drawer air fryer, and the best air fryer oven.