20 Easy Air Fryer Recipes For Kids
Air fryers are fantastic kitchen appliances. Since their rise in popularity, you will likely find one in most households. If you’re on the fence about whether or not to purchase one, there are several reasons to invest.
As your kids grow, teaching them independence and responsibility is a crucial part of their development. This includes learning how to prepare food for themselves. If you have older kids or teenagers in your house, you know that they claim to always be hungry. These 20 easy air fryer recipes are perfect to teach them the beginnings of how to cook! Plus, we will give you some air fryer recommendations as well as some extra information on the benefits and safety!
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What are the Benefits of Using an Air Fryer?
An air fryer has many benefits. The most obvious are:
- They save time. Cooking in an air fryer is much faster than in the oven. Preheating even takes less time, too!
- They are easy. Many foods that can also be prepared on a stovetop, can be prepared in an air fryer. This cuts down on the actual work of it all. There’s no need to stand by and wait.
- It’s healthier. Finding healthier cooking methods is beneficial to the whole family. Deep frying in oil is one of the most unhealthy ways to make food. Many of those dishes can be made in an air fryer instead.
How to Use an Air Fryer Safely
These are some helpful tips to ensure that your teen is being safe when using the air fryer on their own.
- Use minimal oil.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket.
- Clean the basket after every use.
- Unplug the air fryer when not in use.
- Make sure there is room around the air fryer.
- Place on a heat-resistant surface or countertop.
- Use oven mitts when removing the basket.
- Check any beef or poultry with a thermometer.
Related: 11 Easy Lunch Ideas Middle Schoolers Can Make Themselves
Kid-Friendly Air Fryer Recipes
Below are our favorite kid-friendly air fryer recipes. They are all foods that most kids like to eat! We broke them down into the easiest recipes, healthy, and a couple of sweet treats too!
Easy Air Fryer Recipes for Kids
Chicken nuggets are a staple food for a lot of kids. Instead of picking up McDonald’s, you should try making them yourself in the air fryer! They are so easy to prepare and they don’t take long to cook. If you are concerned about your child or teen working with raw chicken, you can have them chopped, breaded, and refrigerated ahead of time. Then, they just have to drop them in the basket and they’re ready to air fry!
Another tasty food that gets nice and crispy in the air fryer is french fries. Whether you try this recipe or make it from frozen, it’s such a quick and easy food for your kids to make on their own. It’s one of my top picks for picky eaters.
You can never go wrong with pizza! This recipe allows your kids free rein when it comes to toppings. The pizza crust is already prepared which saves so much time. Just top with pizza sauce, cheese, and toppings of their choice. These air fryer pizzas are so tasty!
Breakfast is huge in our house! Did you know that you can make French toast in the air fryer? It is similar to making it on the stovetop, except you don’t have to watch it. This recipe has a delicious and easy batter that your child can make with simple ingredients.
5. Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings
We love air-fried chicken wings! This recipe is perfect because you can use your favorite BBQ sauce (or skip it if you choose). Season up the chicken wings, drop them in the air fryer basket, and in a few short minutes you will have crispy and juicy wings to enjoy. It’s one of my favorites for kids to make.
Gone are the days of baking pizza rolls in the oven! They get a beautiful golden brown color from the air fryer. This recipe gives you easy instructions to follow to get the best result. The best part is that they are ready to eat fast.
Bacon is a greasy food, but it can be a bit tricky to cook in the air fryer. However, it gets super crispy and delicious! Make sure that your child is well educated on air fryer safety before they make bacon.
This simple recipe for an air fryer grilled cheese sandwich is perfect any time. Pair it with soup or eat it alone, you can’t go wrong! My kids are big cheese lovers so they enjoy an ooey gooey grilled cheese as often as I allow. The air fryer makes the bread extra crispy, too. I promise you will never make it any other way.
This is a fantastic recipe for homemade burger patties. They can be prepped ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator or the freezer. This makes dinner extra convenient - especially if your kiddo fends for themselves!
Another super easy food to cook in the air fryer is hotdogs. They are super quick and get some nice color, which you can’t get from boiling them on the stovetop. I love how the flavor reminds me of grilled hotdogs.
Instead of classic pizza, why not build it on a bagel? Your teen can choose their favorite toppings, make them on a bagel, and then cook them fast in the air fryer. It’s so easy and they can make it different every time. It’s perfect if you have multiple kids who don’t always agree on what to eat.
This is a basic recipe for gooey cheese quesadillas. You can add precooked shredded chicken, beef, pork, steak, etc, or keep it simple with just cheese! Pair with your favorite dips (or even add some veggies) for a balanced dinner or lunch.
Similar to quesadillas, taquitos are just rolled up. They make a great snack in a pinch, especially for hungry kids after a long day at school. It’s a great idea for them to make something tasty to eat before it’s time for dinner.
Frozen meatballs are great in the air fryer. Heat them in the air fryer first, then assemble the subs for best results. All you have to provide your teen with is a good jarred marinara sauce, rolls, and shredded mozzarella cheese. It’s so easy!
Healthy Air Fryer Recipes for Kids
15. Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
Instead of regular french fries, try sweet potato fries for a healthier option. They cook well in the air fryer and pair with various dips. Your kiddo can make them as a snack or a dinner side dish if they are cooking for themselves.
16. Crispy Air Fryer Parmesan Zucchini
Did you know that zucchini is delicious when coated in parmesan? The cheese gets extra crunchy in the air fryer, turning the sliced zucchini into chips. It’s the perfect healthy snack paired with ranch dressing for dipping. This is a family favorite in my house!
Chicken breast in the air fryer is so easy as long as your teen knows how to properly cook chicken. I like to use a thermometer to check for doneness since undercooked chicken is very dangerous. This recipe calls for simple seasoning, too.
18. Air Fryer Fish
Another healthy and yummy protein is fish. It is easy to cook in the fryer and you can cook pretty much any kind that your child likes. As long as they know how to use an air fryer, cooking fish is a breeze. We love this recipe for tilapia. It’s a mild-flavored white fish that takes on seasoning very well.
Air Fryer Dessert Recipes
19. Air Fryer Donuts
You can use refrigerated biscuit dough and make tasty donuts. They take almost no effort to prepare and are ready fast, too. This recipe calls for a cinnamon sugar coating that takes these donuts to the next level.
Did you know that you can make s’mores in the air fryer? It toasts the marshmallows to a perfect golden brown and melts the chocolate just enough to stick to the graham crackers. Your teen won’t have to wait until the summer to enjoy this treat.
What Cannot Be Cooked in an Air Fryer?
Some foods should not be cooked in an air fryer. It can be dangerous or it won’t cook properly. Here are some examples:
- Wet Battered Foods
- Cheese
- Rice
- Whole Chickens and Roasts
- Pasta
- Popcorn
- Hard Boiled Eggs
- Sauces
- Fresh Greens
Best Air Fryers for Families
Here are our top picks for the best air fryers for families with different needs. If you are in the market for a brand-new air fryer, take a look at our favorites to find one that suits your family best!
Lature Air Fryer: Best on a Budget
We love this air fryer because it’s affordable and gets the job done. It is a decent size so it will fit in most spaces. It can only air fry but for under $50, it works great for many budgets!
Buy on Amazon for $39.99
Cosori Small Air Fryer Oven: Best for Limited Space
At just over 2qt, this small air fryer oven is perfect for a small kitchen. It is great for small families and limited counter space.
Buy on Amazon for $49.99
Ninja Air Fryer: Best All-In-One
This is one of my favorite air fryers. I love it when appliances have more than one function. Most of the time, you end up with a great value - especially if you don’t already own a deep fryer or instant pot.
Buy on Amazon for $89.95
Ninja Foodi XL Dual Zone Air Fryer: Best Large Capacity
Need a large capacity air fryer? This one has two air fryer baskets so you can make large quantities or two types of food at once. It’s great for large families and if you love get-togethers.
Buy on Amazon for $199.95
Air fryers are a fantastic kitchen appliance that many households use daily. It can cook so many different types of food both fast and easy. It’s perfect for families and for older kids to learn how to use it to make food for themselves. We hope you find a recipe that your children will want to learn to make and love!
