Yes, you can put a glass baking dish in an air fryer, provided it is explicitly labeled as oven-safe. Because an air fryer is essentially a miniature convection oven, any heat-resistant glassware—such as tempered glass or borosilicate glass—is safe to use.
Avoid these 5 foods in your air fryer:
Air frying is highly suitable for diabetics as it uses hot circulating air to crisp food, requiring up to 80% less oil than deep-frying. This significantly reduces calories and fat, helping you manage weight and protect heart health.
Plastic and heat are a disastrous combination. Putting any kind of plastic – such as storage containers, lids, or wraps – into an air fryer will cause it to melt, creating a sticky mess that's difficult to clean. Worse, it may release harmful chemicals into your food or the air.
While air fryers are incredibly versatile, you should avoid cooking foods with wet batters, loose dry seasonings, or excessive sauces, as these will splatter and burn. Likewise, avoid overly lightweight ingredients (like leafy greens), raw grains, large roasts, and large amounts of bare melting cheese.
People are getting rid of air fryers due to a mix of kitchen clutter, appliance redundancy, and safety concerns. Because air fryers are essentially mini convection ovens, many users realize they can achieve the exact same results using a standard oven, toaster oven, or emerging gadgets like halogen ovens.
Yes, you can use parchment paper in an air fryer to make cleanup easy. However, because air fryers use high-velocity fans, you must use it safely:
The air fryer 20/20 rule is a, roughly, 20-25% reduction in both cooking temperature and time when converting standard oven recipes. Specifically, it means reducing the temperature by 20–25°F (or 15−20∘𝐶) and reducing the cooking time by 20% to avoid overcooking and burning food due to rapid air circulation.
While air fryers are incredibly versatile, they are essentially miniature, high-powered convection ovens. Because they circulate air at high speeds, you should avoid cooking foods with wet batters, excess liquids, or loose, lightweight ingredients.
Yes, you can put tin foil (aluminum foil) in an air fryer, but you must follow a few basic safety rules to prevent fire hazards and ensure your food cooks properly.
The #1 absolute worst foods for your blood sugar are sugar-sweetened beverages (sodas, sweetened iced teas, fruit punches, and energy drinks).
Air fryers may be better for you than deep fryers, but they're only as healthy as the food you put inside. They won't magically remove the saturated fat from bacon or the trans fats from a bag of processed chicken wings. To reap the benefits, reach for better-for-you options like vegetables and lean proteins.
Yes, diabetics can eat air-fried french fries, as the air-frying method is much healthier than deep-frying. However, because potatoes are starchy and high in carbohydrates, they can still cause blood sugar spikes and must be eaten in careful moderation.
Cooking bacon in an air fryer is often discouraged because the rendering fat pools at the bottom, creating intense smoke and sometimes even grease fires. It is difficult to cook large batches evenly, and flying bacon strips can splatter onto the heating element.
The "Rule of 25" is a golden rule of thumb for converting traditional oven recipes to your air fryer. Because air fryers are essentially high-powered convection ovens, they cook food faster and at higher heat.
"You run the risk of drying your chicken out before the inside is even safe to eat." While air fryers are capable of creating some impressively crispy skin, the lack of oil interacting with the meat as it cooks leaves it drier and lacking the signature fried chicken juiciness.
5 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using an Air Fryer
Yes, you can absolutely cook frozen food in an air fryer, and it generally yields much crispier results than a microwave or conventional oven. No thawing is required.
Yes, cooking steak in an air fryer is a great, mess-free option that yields a tender, juicy interior. While it won't produce the heavy, edge-to-edge crust of a cast-iron pan, it is incredibly fast, easy, and requires minimal cleanup.
This is because the air fryer's concentrated heat can cause the outside to brown before the inside is fully cooked. For example, if your oven recipe calls for 400°F, try 375°F or even 350°F in the air fryer for crispy results.
Air frying and baking are nutritionally very similar because both use circulating dry heat to cook food. However, air frying is generally considered slightly healthier because its rapid airflow requires significantly less oil to achieve a crispy texture, which reduces total fat and calorie intake.
An air fryer only has one heating element on top. A convection oven, which is also an air fryer of sorts, has one on top and one on the bottom. I do find that flipping can make the underside more well done, or crispy. A full basket of fries needs a few flips.
You can line your air fryer basket with perforated parchment paper liners, silicone air fryer pots, or aluminum foil. Always place food on top of the liner immediately after preheating so the weight holds it down, and never use a liner without food on it to prevent fire hazards.
Yes, you can absolutely air fry taco shells! The air fryer is perfect for quickly warming store-bought hard shells, making crispy homemade shells from soft tortillas, or frying up stuffed tacos.
Parchment paper for air fryers is a nonstick cooking paper that handles high heat well, which is why many people use it to stop food from sticking. Most parchment papers are safe up to 420–450°F (216–232°C), and most air fryers cook at 400°F (204°C) or below, so the temperature is usually not a problem.