Why air fryers are so good for baking with the kids these holidays

Fast, fun and safe cooking for all the family

Air fryers have transformed the way a lot of Aussies cook everything from crunchy snacks to family dinners. A couple of key aspects also make these handy kitchen appliances safe and fun for the kids to get creative in the kitchen.

Supervised kids can enjoy cooking using air fryers which are quick to heat up and do not use lots of hot oil

Why air fryers are great for kids

Unlike traditional deep frying, air fryers offer a safer cooking environment for young chefs—as long as they still have adult supervision. With no hot oil to splash, easy-to-use controls and less time needed to heat up and cook (perfect for impatient young cooks), they're good for weeknights when the whole family wants to get involved with making dinner and also provide a great option for an activity to fill those long summer school holidays.

While many models have child-safe features, you should still teach the kids how to safely handle the air fryer basket and how to use tongs or spatulas when removing hot items.

Besides safety, there's another good reason air fryers are great for cooking with kids: they’re like mini ovens, and kids love mini things. They just do. Coles supermarket realised this with its hugely successful Little Shop mini grocery collectibles a few years back, and those Korean mini food videos on YouTube can keep the little ones entranced for hours.

Supervised kids can enjoy cooking festive treats using air fryers

Festive treats and holiday fun

Air fryers really come into their own during holiday season. Kids love making things like gingerbread men, crunchy cinnamon-dusted churros, or air fryer apple and spice fritters that give the house a festive air—literally.

Traditional Christmas finger foods like golden brown pastry-wrapped cocktail sausages work well in the air fryer too—perfect for little hands to help prepare. One of the simplest things they can make is crispy air fryer pastry stars dusted with icing sugar. These look great and, if you buy frozen pastry sheets, require minimal effort on your part—Merry Christmas!

Kid-friendly air fryer recipes

Besides the festive baking, kids will be more than happy to get involved with making air fryer chicken nuggets. Healthier than the usual fast food or frozen versions, they’ll enjoy coating chicken breast pieces in crumbs (gluten-free if needed) and watching them transform into crispy air fryer delights. Chicken tenders are another winner winner chicken dinner, especially when crusted with parmesan for extra flavour.

Do you want fries with that? Of course you do. Air fryer sweet potato chips, french fries or tater tots are simple recipes that kids can help prepare. Our tip? They peel, you slice. The air fryer basket makes it easy to shake and flip the chips for even cooking, giving you a perfectly crunchy bite every time.

Veggies can also become more appealing to picky eaters when introduced to the air fryer. Crispy zucchini rounds or green beans can convert even the staunchest little vegetable opponent in your home. As side dishes, these crunchy treats often disappear before the main course.

Family-friendly air fryers

Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer BOV860BSS

4.5 from 1925 reviews

Supervised kids can enjoy baking pizzas at home using air fryers

Creative cooking for little chefs

Want to really spark their imagination? Try making air fryer pizza using mini bases or split bagels topped with mozzarella. Pizza rolls are another crowd-pleaser that little hands can get involved in. For taco night, soft tortillas can be shaped, lightly brushed with oil and air fried for the perfect crunch.

Meatballs come out perfectly browned and the kids enjoy rolling them into shape (though whether that shape could be described as a ball is sometimes doubtful).

On weekends, French toast sticks turn breakfast into something special, while air fryer fish fingers and creative toastie combinations make for easy lunches and air fryer donuts will put big smiles on their little dials.

Tips for success

Start with simple recipes and gradually move to more complex air fryer meals
Let kids help measure ingredients and set the cooking time
When buying an air fryer, choose it according to your family size and its safety features
Keep a step-stool handy so little ones can safely be at air fryer level
Try to convince the kids that clean-up is part of the fun. Good luck with this part.

From simple sides like air fryer French fries to creative dinner ideas and desserts, air fryers can be used to turn almost any family favourite into a kid-friendly recipe. And as well as turning a household chore into fun family time, cooking with the kids is great for building their confidence in the kitchen and getting them to try new foods.

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If you need some more help choosing the best air fryer for your household, call our friendly team 24/7 on 1300 000 500 or message us via the chat icon at the bottom of your screen.

Oli Kitchingman

Oli is Appliances Online's editor and blogger, with almost two decades of lifestyle-related writing and editing to his name. With a mission to help you buy better and live smarter, his brand loyalty will forever belong to the appliance manufacturer that develops a self-emptying dishwasher.