10 Air Fryer Hacks Every Parent Should Know

If you're a busy parent and own an air fryer, you may be eager to discover more ways you can use this handy appliance to save time in the kitchen. Since you consistently need to get your kids to school, playdates, and evening activities on time, finding more strategic ways to utilize your air fryer helps you whip up delicious family meals in less time and without the mess. Whether you need time-saving hacks, specific recipes, or tips for reducing kitchen clean-up, there are plenty of different ways to take advantage of the many benefits your air fryer offers.

Unlike a standard oven, an air fryer is a countertop appliance that cooks food via hot, circulating air. Since it utilizes a convection-style heating system, air fryers tend to cook food faster than ovens. In addition to cook time, air fryers also preheat faster.

Given the fact that many families own one of these time-saving gadgets, knowing which air fryer tips to follow makes a big difference when you have a busy schedule and hungry kids. Fortunately, we've rounded up 10 of the best tried-and-true air fryer hacks you can start using today.

If you're looking to save time using your air fryer, but want to continue making your favorite recipes, use a slightly lower temperature (around 25 degrees Fahrenheit) and follow a shorter cook time (about 20% to 25%) than the directions state for cooking in your oven. However, not every pan-fried or oven-based recipe should be made in an air fryer. Moisture-sensitive dishes like rice or battered, sauce-covered proteins are best prepared in an oven or over a stove as instructed.

If you don't have a plan for dinner tonight and need to whip up something fast, simply turn on your air fryer and line your fryer basket with frozen prepared meals like burritos, pierogies, and meatballs. Since your air fryer preheats in minutes, you can easily cook your favorite oven-ready entrees or convenient proteins and sides straight from your freezer. Not to mention, the hot circulating air gives the outer layer of these foods a crunchier, more satisfying bite.

Thanks to your air fryer's heating mechanism, you can bring all sorts of leftovers back to life for a better taste and texture. Since many children dislike soggy leftovers, the fast-moving air in your air fryer has the ability to crisp up all sorts of foods that usually turn rubbery in your microwave or dry up in your oven. Fortunately, your air fryer can rejuvenate leftover meals, including your kids' half-eaten pizza, fries, wings, and burgers.

To make your kids hearty breakfasts that include protein-packed staples like eggs, bacon, and cheese, you can easily combine multiple ingredients in your air fryer for a quick breakfast without using multiple pans. For example, make a layered breakfast taco by placing a tortilla in your fryer basket, layering it with cheese, cooked bacon crumbles, and a raw egg in the center. Then cook everything together at 360 degrees Fahrenheit for roughly five minutes. Or, make a slight variation with holed-out sliced bread, raw eggs, and deli turkey or ham.

Believe it or not, you can use your air fryer to make homemade variations of packaged snacks your kids will love. For example, instead of waiting 60 minutes for a batch of Chex Mix to roast in your oven, make a smaller batch and air fry the mixture at 300 degrees Fahrenheit, between 10 and 15 minutes, shaking the basket intermittently. You can also make a sweeter snack like apple chips at the same time and temperature.

Your air fryer is a great appliance for cooking single-serve items on a whim. For example, prepare a batch of pancake batter and use it over the next day or two. Then, whenever your kids request pancake bites, fill a few silicone liners with batter for a home-baked breakfast in minutes. Alternatively, to surprise your kids with dessert on any random night, prepare homemade cookie dough balls and cook them straight from your freezer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you're consistently stuck with homemade leftovers like stove-top macaroni and cheese or a half batch of mashed potatoes, you can easily turn these favored sides into new, satisfying snacks for the whole family. Simply freeze pre-formed balls of chilled, leftover mac and cheese or mashed potatoes, roll them in raw egg and panko breadcrumbs, and then, bake them in your air fryer for up to 15 minutes between 350 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Better yet, spray them with a small amount of cooking oil for an extra crunchy bite.

To individualize your kids' lunches, an air fryer can prepare a variety of toasted sandwiches with less hands-on effort than a stove-top skillet. Preheat your air fryer and make a grilled cheese in approximately six minutes or make pizza toast with sliced bread, marinara sauce, and shredded cheese. Just be sure to secure loose toppings that don't stick to the sauce easily with toothpicks so they stay in place. You can also add a little warmth and additional texture to quesadillas made with peanut butter, bananas, and honey.

Especially when you're facing a busy week ahead, use your air fryer on Sunday to prepare a variety of simple foods to streamline mealtime. For example, while you bake some muffins in your oven, "hard-boil" a batch of eggs in your air fryer. All you need to do is place whole eggs in your fryer basket and cook them at 275 degrees Fahrenheit for roughly 15 minutes before transferring them to a cold water bath.

To clean your kitchen faster after mealtime, place reusable or disposable liners in your air fryer before cooking. This keeps food from sticking to the basket and catches oil before it drips into the base of your unit. While parchment liners are a solid option that can withstand temperatures up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, you can also buy silicone liners and wash them after each use. Just keep these drawbacks in mind: your food may turn out less crisp, and you should never place a paper liner inside your air fryer while it's preheating.