5 Air Fryer Foods Registered Dietitians Recommend for Healthy Eating
If your New Year's resolution is to eat healthier, these expert-recommended air fryer recipes are a great (and delicious) place to start.
An air fryer is one of our favorite kitchen appliances for cooking quick, easy meals, but this device can also support your healthy eating journey. As Melissa Jaeger, head of nutrition at nutrition tracking app MyFitnessPal, explains, "Air fryer cooking delivers the crispy texture we know and love from fried foods but with far less oil and fat than traditional deep frying."
To help you find the healthiest air fryer foods, we reached out to registered dietitians for their expert recipes.
1. Salmon
Topped with lemon and herbs, salmon can make for a tasty air fryer meal.
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"In my opinion, salmon is hands-down the best healthy air fryer food," says Jessica McAllister, a military and tactical performance registered dietitian. "It's packed with high-quality protein, heart-healthy omega-3 fats and valuable micronutrients like vitamin D, B12 and selenium." Because it's a lean protein, salmon can promote muscle repair and energy, while its omega-3s reduce inflammation and support brain and heart health.
McAllister also likes salmon for meal-prepping lunches and dinners because it reheats well. To change things up, you can pair the protein with different spices or sauces for each meal. Yvette Hill, lifestyle medicine dietitian-nutritionist, endorses garlic powder, thyme, pepper and a squeeze of lemon.
However, McAllister warns that you should monitor the cook time of your salmon when it's in the air fryer. Her recipe of choice:
- Brush salmon fillets lightly with olive oil or add a simple spice blend for flavor.
- Cook at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 7 to 10 minutes, depending on thickness. Don't overcrowd the basket so the air can circulate.
"Keeping the skin on the salmon can be another way to consume more healthy fat," Hill adds. "The skin of the salmon contains a high amount of omega-3 fatty acids." It will also make the salmon extra crispy.
To reheat your salmon, set the air fryer to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
2. Veggie chips
Get creative and try a variety of vegetables when air-frying your veggie chips.
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Registered dietitian Amy Chow of BC Dietitians recommends making veggie chips in the air fryer because they're easy and quick to make, can be added to a meal or eaten as a snack and are crispy and flavorful enough for adults and kids to enjoy. She suggests sliced sweet potatoes, carrots, zucchini or kale as chips, or cauliflower or broccoli florets.