When we moved house, my biggest requirement was a garage, not because we ever park our car in the garage, but like many, we love a garage for an extra freezer or two! I love to have a good supply of freezer food that we can grab and then cook in the air fryer. Frozen air fryer food often has the reputation of just being frozen mozzarella sticks, frozen chips and turkey burgers, but there is much more to frozen food in the air fryer and its perfect for busy families on weeknights.
1 – Air fryer frozen corn on the cob
This is the kids favourite and it makes mealtimes even easier. The mini corn on the cobs like they sell at the supermarkets take just 15 minutes to cook from frozen. With most of us having fussy kids, the one vegetable they all want to eat is corn on the cob. Add some cute corn on the cob holders and the kids are happy.
2 – Take a portion of frozen peas and add butter
This is brilliant for a very quick veggie option for dinner. Just like the corn on the cob, frozen peas air fry brilliantly. Pour frozen peas (you can also do 50/50 with frozen sweetcorn) into a ramekin, and add a teaspoon of butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. A 5 minute air fry at 180c/360f later, will create delicious buttery peas.
3 – Chopped frozen garlic is your kitchen hero
We all want to get the prep over and done with and get on with cooking dinner. Frozen chopped garlic is the kitchen hero and the answer. You can get little bags of it and then add it to what you are cooking. It saves a lot of time and you can also do the same with frozen ginger too.
4 – air fryer frozen stir fry bags
Think of those bags of all in one mixes. It can be just the vegetables, or it can be the ones with some meat included. Frozen stir fry, or similar cook really fast in the air fryer and taste great too. Supermarkets will often have a special offer for these and you can bulk up on your favourites, then choose a delicious side that you like to cook it with.
5 – Meal prep and freeze your own veggie bags
Instead of using a stir fry mix from the supermarket (which is not always budget-friendly), another option is to freeze your own.
What we will do is wait for a special deal at the supermarket for vegetables and then season them and oil them ready for the air fryer, store in freezer bags, label them for the freezer and save for later.
This is also fantastic for avoiding food waste and you can do this when you have too many vegetables in, and you are not going to get them all used on time.
6 – Meal prep your own chicken
Supermarkets often rotate the same special offer. When we lived in Portugal this was chicken legs. Each 6th week when they were on a special deal, we would bulk buy and then freeze in packs of four for our family size.
You can do the same and then cook chicken legs from frozen in the air fryer, even better pair it with the veggie bag above for a healthy chicken dinner in the air fryer.
7 – Take those slow cooker freezer meals to the air fryer
Have you ever seen those trendy slow cooker videos where they show you how to prep 20 slow cooker meals for the freezer? Those same style of meals can be prepped in freezer bags, defrosted when ready and cooked together in the air fryer basket. They are delicious and make air frying a lot more simple.
Sam Milner has been air frying for almost 12 years and is the co-author of the Sunday Times bestseller, The Complete Air Fryer: 140 super-easy, everyday recipes and techniques (£20 White Lion Publishing).
