An air fryer can change your life and your entire perception of snacks. Air fryers use a fraction of the oil you would use for regular frying, making your snack healthier. They are also swift and convenient to use. With this piece of equipment, you can enjoy delicious and healthy air fryer snacks without the guilt and calories of deep-frying!
An air fryer is a small convection oven you can place on your countertop. It’s designed to dep fry food without submerging the food in oil. A small fan helps circulate hot air around the food resulting in the food turning crispy and being cooked. You can easily prepare main course meals and delicious snacks in an air fryer in a small amount of time. Delicious snacking options such as chicken wings and French fries can be prepared in an air fryer within minutes.
Let’s look at some healthy air fryer snacks that are tasty and nutritious, and you can easily prepare them at home.
Mozzarella Sticks
You can easily prepare delicious mozzarella sticks in the air fryer. These cheesy sticks coated in cornflakes, egg, and bread crumbs will taste great with any homemade dipping sauce. Double layer your mozzarella sticks in this coating and place them in the freezer for a short period. This will enable the coating to stay intact in the air fryer. Make sure to buy low-fat mozzarella sticks to keep the calorie count low. Also, coat the air fryer basket with non-stick spray, so the bars stick to the basket. If you don’t want to eat the sticks right away, you can also store these sticks in the freezer in a Ziplock bag. Whenever needed, turn your air fryer to 360 degrees F and cook the sticks for 8 to 10 minutes. This is a great healthy snack that, with some pre-planning, can be prepared in a matter of minutes!
Chicken Tenders
Chicken tenders are also a great snack to prepare in the air fryer. This delicious snack is easy to make and easy to carry. You can dip the chicken in the prepared batter and store it in the freezer; you can always pop them in the air fryer and have your snack ready in minutes. To prepare the chicken tenders batter, you will need bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, chives, butter, sour cream, cheese crackers, butter, and chicken. Mix all the ingredients and whisk in the sour cream and butter. Dip your chicken pieces in some butter and coat them in the mixture. Place your coated chicken pieces in the air fryer for 7-8 minutes until they are fully golden brown.
Chicken Wings
You can easily prepare juicy buffalo chicken wings in the air fryer in minutes. Not only are the wings fully cooked and juicy but also crispy on the outside. Top your wings with homemade buffalo sauce, and you have your perfect snack! Before placing the wings in the air fryer, observe the size. If the wings are chopped into smaller portions, you don’t need to cook them for a long time. If the wings are larger, cook them in the air fryer for longer. Also, make sure not to stack the chicken wings in the basket. You want to place them individually, with some room in between for air to circulate. Season your wings right before you place them in the air fryer basket. Also, use non-stick spray, and it helps the seasoning to stick. Don’t skip on the buffalo dip when serving the chicken wings. You can easily prepare a low-fat buffalo dip with just a hand full of ingredients.
Cauliflower Bites
Cauliflower bites with buffalo sauce are an excellent plant-based variation to the traditional chicken wings. This combination tastes amazing, but it is also incredibly healthy and easy to prepare. You can prepare the batter to coat the cauliflower using flour and spices. Garlic powder and spices are basic spices to use. You can add spices of your choice in addition to these. This will form into a paste-like mixture you can coat your cauliflower into. Place the cauliflower in the air fryer and leave space between for air to circulate.
Air Fried Okra
Okra can have a bad reputation at times for being slimy and unappealing. This may be true when Okra is stewed. But when this vegetable is pickled or fried, you have a completely different experience. Air fried Okra is light, crispy, and delicious. Okra is also full of rich nutrients and antioxidants that can help you fight inflammation. You can coat your Okra in a batter and place it in the air fryer. You can also coat it in Indian spices and air-fry it for a simple yet delicious snack.
Cinnamon Apple Chips
Apples are full of fiber and polyphenols, thus becoming an excellent snacking option. Cinnamon apple chips are a delicious and creative snack that is also one of the best healthy air fryer snacks. To prepare cinnamon apple snacks, you have to thinly slice the apple and coat them with salt and cinnamon. Place them in the air fryer, and it’s prepared within 10 minutes.
Our Final Thoughts
If you lead a busy lifestyle and are always on the go, healthy air fryer snacks are a great option. You can easily prepare air-fried food with a slight oil coating to make snacks light, healthy, and low in calories. You can prepare meat-based snacks or plant-based ones. These snacks are a great option for kids, as they are so quick and easy to make. If you need snacks to carry with you when out, you can always pre-plan the snack and prepare the batter beforehand. Then all you have to do is pop the snack in the air fryer and your snack box.