Expert Warns People to Never Put These Three Foods in Their Air Fryers: 'This Just Saved Me...'

Airfyers have been all the rage recently. People have committed to the kitchen appliance’s boundless potential that offers faster cooking, minimum oil for deep frying, and highly energy-efficient functioning, per Martlet. With that stated, home content creator Nicole Jaques (@itsnicilejaques) warned about three food items people should simply avoid throwing into an air fryer. “Items to never fry in your air fryer,” she began in the video. 

Air fryers, as the name suggests, are commonly used to cook crispy, fried foods and also bake, grill, or roast items. But Jaques noted that recipes with large amounts of cheese on top are a big no-no for the appliance’s well-being. “The cheese is going to melt before your item is cooked and create a huge gooey mess,” the kitchen specialist said. For the cheese lovers, she advised adding the cheese only two minutes before the item is done cooking in the air fryer. For the second item, Jaques revealed a surprising food item– rice. She noted that the “special insert” is not quite efficient because the rice ends up cooking unevenly. Instead, she recommended using a rice cooker for best results. 

Finally, cake donuts became the third item that is not meant to go into the air fryer. “The sour cream in their dense batter of sugar and flour just is a flop in the air fryer. Don’t try it,” Jaques, who shares kitchen and cooking tips, quipped in the end. The surprising list of items and air fryer tips was acknowledged by dozens of people in the comments. One person (@kimlevesque4) said, “Thanks, I just got my air fryer today, can't wait to try stuff,” while another (@espirit15d) confessed, “I learned about the cheese thing the hard way.” “Thank you, Queen! I’m new, I just got one and I’m so scared to make a big mistake! This just saved me!” marked someone else (@deven_amber). However, some internet users were refuting her cooking tips.

“I cook rice and it is great every time,” noted @joanstewart206. Whereas, @dcdevo stated, “I know it is a fad right now, which will subside. You don't have to try to cook everything in your air fryer.” A fellow TikTok user (@danisquirrel1227) explained, “I just put parchment paper under the cheese stuff. I make sourdough pizzas all the time, and it comes out so yummy.” In another account, Real Simple listed a variety of food items that should not be cooked in an air fryer. Breaded/battered foods, leafy vegetables, shellfish, saucy foods, large meat cuts with bone, popcorn, and hamburgers, among others. Meanwhile, Medical News Today revealed that air fryers are growing increasingly popular because it is perceived as a healthier alternative to deep frying food items like crispy chicken and French fries. 

Air fryers eliminate the need to drench every food item in large quantities of oil for deep frying. They are similar to convection ovens, only smaller, and are time and energy-efficient. These airtight appliances function by circulating hot air around food to create the much-loved crispy texture. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stated that research has shown deep frying results in the accumulation of toxic acrylamide, with risks of causing cancer in animals. However, a 2020 study found that air frying produced lower amounts of acrylamide and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in comparison to deep-fried foods.

You can follow @itsnicolejaques on TikTok for more cooking tips.