Experts have discovered a new way of cooking vegetables that’s not only delicious but saves money too
Cooking dinner can mean an array of approaches to prepare your favourite veggies, with every household harbouring their own go-to methods. However, Which? experts have uncovered not just a cheaper way to whip up a delicious plate of vegetables but one that could boost your health too.
They’ve declared the air fryer as a stellar choice for creating both roasted and baked veggies, so you might want to think twice before firing up the oven next time you’re in the mood for a roast dinner, reports the Mirror. The highlight here is the health kick: Using hot-air technology, an air fryer cooks food without necessarily needing oil, or at least much less of it.
This means your veggies can come out crispy without being soaked in oil, making them ‘significantly’ healthier compared to traditional frying methods. These gadgets aren’t just one-trick ponies; depending on the model, they’re “extraordinarily versatile” and can even handle baking cakes if you’d rather sidestep using an oven.
Which? points out the appliance’s proficiency with a multitude of vegetables, from Brussels sprouts to beetroot and green beans. In terms of cost-effectiveness, when Which? pitted a baked potato made in an air fryer against one cooked in a conventional built-in electric oven, the air fryer proved to be more economical costing a mere 9p in energy, saving 15p compared to the oven.
Although air fryers bring many benefits to the table, Which? also highlighted a couple of potential downsides to this must-have kitchen gadget. The experts pointed out some limitations of air fryers, including their size, which may not be sufficient for cooking for a large number of people.
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They noted that air-fried food “tends to taste baked or roasted” rather than having the traditional fried flavour. They also offered a top tip for those looking to cook frozen vegetables in an air fryer, explaining that there’s no need to add oil as the moisture will ensure the veg crisps up perfectly.
However, when it comes to fresh vegetables, they warned that these could end up slightly more burnt than nicely browned if no oil is used. Therefore, they recommend adding a tablespoon of oil to achieve the best results when air frying fresh veg.
For more information on Which’s research, visit here.
