Air Fryer Cooking: Packaged Meals, Any Good?

Air fryers are a convenient and versatile appliance that can cook a variety of foods, including packaged meals. They use hot air circulation to create a crispy texture similar to frying, making them a great option for heating up convenience foods. However, you may need to make a few adjustments to the cooking time and temperature, as air fryers cook faster than ovens. It's important to refer to the packaging instructions as a starting point and then adjust based on your air fryer's performance and personal taste preferences. Some brands even provide air fryer-specific instructions, saving you the guesswork. With a little experimentation, you can create culinary magic with your packaged meals in an air fryer.

Air fryers are versatile appliances that can cook a variety of foods, including ready meals

Ready meals can be cooked in an air fryer, but you might need to make a few adjustments. Some ready meal brands provide air fryer-specific instructions on the packaging, but if not, you can follow the standard cooking instructions as a starting point. As air fryers cook faster than ovens, you might want to reduce the cooking time and temperature. Each ready meal may have different ingredients and cooking instructions, so it's a good idea to refer to the packaging for recommended cooking times and temperatures, and then adjust based on your experience and preferences.

When cooking a ready meal in an air fryer, always remove any plastic overwrap and put the food in an air fryer-safe container before beginning the recipe. If the ready meal is safe for the oven, it should be safe in the air fryer. However, some experimentation might be needed to find the perfect cooking times and methods for your favourite ready meals.

For example, one person shared their experience of cooking a pre-packaged container of mashed potatoes in their air fryer. They removed the labels and plastic packaging and placed the food, still in its aluminium container, in the air fryer. They cooked it for 5 minutes at 400 degrees, but the top was pretty burned. They suggested that next time, they would cook it for 8 minutes at 350 degrees with some tinfoil on top.

Always refer to the packaging instructions as a starting point and adjust based on your experience and preferences

Yes, you can cook packaged meals in an air fryer. Air fryers are versatile appliances that can cook a variety of foods, including ready meals. They use hot air circulation to create a crispy texture similar to frying, making them a great option for heating up convenience foods.

Remember that while air fryers are convenient and versatile, some experimentation might be needed to find the perfect cooking times and methods for your favourite ready meals. Air fryers cook faster than ovens, so you might need to slightly reduce the cooking time and temperature. If it's safe for the oven, it should be safe for the air fryer.

Before you start, remove any plastic overwrap and put the food in a parchment-lined air fryer-safe container.

Some brands provide air fryer-specific instructions right on the packaging

Yes, you can cook packaged meals in an air fryer, but you might need to make some adjustments. Some brands provide air fryer-specific instructions right on the packaging, which can save you some guesswork. If not, you can always refer to the standard package instructions for the ready meal as a starting point and adjust the cooking time and temperature based on your air fryer's performance and your personal taste preferences. Air fryers cook faster than ovens, so you might want to slightly reduce the cooking time and temperature. Each ready meal may have different ingredients and cooking instructions, so it's a good idea to refer to the packaging for recommended cooking times and temperatures.

Before cooking a packaged meal in your air fryer, always check the package of the food you're using to be sure. Remove any plastic overwrap and put the food in a parchment-lined air fryer-safe container before beginning the recipe. If the packaged meal is safe for the oven, it should be safe in the air fryer. However, some experimentation might be needed to find the perfect cooking times and methods for your favourite ready meals.

Remove any plastic overwrap and put the food in a parchment-lined air fryer-safe container before beginning the recipe

Yes, you can cook a packaged meal in an air fryer. However, you will need to make some adjustments to the cooking time and temperature, as air fryers cook faster than ovens. It is important to refer to the packaging instructions as a starting point and then adjust based on your air fryer's performance and your personal taste preferences. Some brands may even provide air fryer-specific instructions.

Before cooking, remove any plastic overwrap and put the food in a parchment-lined air fryer-safe container. If the packaged meal is safe for the oven, it should be safe in the air fryer. However, it is always a good idea to check the packaging of the food you are using to be sure.

For example, one person shared their experience of cooking a frozen meal in an air fryer. They put it in for about 5 minutes at 400 degrees, but the top was pretty burned. They suggested that next time, they would cook it for 8 minutes at 350 degrees with some tinfoil on top.

Air fryers cook faster than ovens, so you might need to reduce the cooking time and temperature

Yes, you can cook packaged meals in an air fryer. Air fryers are versatile appliances that can cook a variety of foods, including ready meals. They use hot air circulation to create a crispy texture similar to frying, making them a great option for heating up convenience foods.

It's a good idea to refer to the packaging for recommended cooking times and temperatures, and then adjust based on your air fryer's performance and your personal taste preferences. For example, if you're cooking a frozen meal, you might want to thaw it first and then cook it for a shorter amount of time at a lower temperature to avoid burning.

Remember to remove any plastic overwrap and put the food in a parchment-lined air fryer-safe container before beginning the recipe. If it's safe for the oven, it should be safe in the air fryer.

Frequently asked questions