15 Air Fryer Foods to Avoid (and Why You Should Skip Them)
Air fryers have revolutionized home cooking, offering a quick, low-oil alternative to deep frying. But while they excel at crispy fries, chicken wings, and roasted veggies, not every food thrives in their high-heat, rapid-air environment. Using the wrong ingredients can lead to soggy results, dangerous splatters, or even ruined meals. To help you avoid common pitfalls, we’ve identified 15 foods that don’t belong in your air fryer—and explained exactly why.
Why Some Foods Struggle in Air Fryers: The Science Simplified
Before diving into specifics, it’s helpful to understand how air fryers work. They circulate superheated air (often 350–400°F) around food, creating a crispy exterior by evaporating surface moisture. This makes them ideal for foods that benefit from dry heat. However, foods with high water content, delicate structures, or risk of splattering can disrupt this process. Issues like steaming instead of crisping, uneven cooking, or safety hazards (think exploding grapes) often stem from mismatched food properties and the air fryer’s mechanics.
1. High-Water Produce: Watermelons, Cucumbers, and More
Why avoid them: Fruits and vegetables with high water content (think watermelon, cucumber, lettuce, or citrus segments) turn mushy and steam instead of crisping in an air fryer. The hot air can’t evaporate enough moisture quickly, leaving you with soft, bland results—nothing like the crispy texture air fryers are known for.
What happens: For example, watermelon will release so much steam it becomes warm and juicy but loses all crunch. Cucumbers turn limp and watery.
Better alternatives: Stick to air-frying veggies with lower water content, like zucchini, bell peppers, or broccoli. For crisp fruit, try dehydrating them in a dedicated dehydrator instead.
2. Whole Eggs in Their Shells
Why avoid them: Boiling eggs is easy, but air-frying them whole in their shells is a disaster waiting to happen. As the egg heats, pressure builds inside the shell. Without a way to escape, the egg can explode, coating your air fryer basket in sticky, hard-to-clean yolk and white.
Real-world risk: Even if the shell doesn’t shatter, the egg may expand and crack, leaking everywhere.
Safer swaps: Hard-boil eggs on the stovetop or use an egg cooker. If you crave a crispy egg texture, fry them in a pan or bake shelled eggs in a muffin tin at 350°F for 10–12 minutes.
3. Frozen French Fries (Pre-Fried Varieties)
Why avoid them: Most frozen fries are already par-cooked or pre-fried to ensure they crisp up in oil. Air-frying them adds unnecessary heat, which can overdry the exterior, making them brittle or burnt. Worse, some brands contain added oils that smoke excessively at high temps.
What you’ll get: Instead of golden, fluffy fries, you’ll likely have dry, overcooked sticks with a bitter aftertaste.
Pro tip: Opt for freshpotato fries cut at home, or choose frozen “oven-baked” fries labeled for air fryers. These are often less processed and designed to crisp without overcooking.
4. Large Chunks of Meat (Like Whole Chicken or Thick Pork Chops)
Why avoid them: Air fryers cook quickly, but large, dense cuts of meat (a whole chicken, bone-in pork shoulder, or 2-inch-thick steaks) rarely cook evenly. The exterior burns before the interior reaches a safe internal temperature (165°F for poultry, 145°F for pork).
The danger: Undercooked meat poses foodborne illness risks, while overcooked edges turn tough and dry.
Workarounds: Cut meat into smaller pieces (e.g., chicken thighs or pork tenderloin medallions) or use a meat thermometer to monitor doneness. For whole chickens, consider a convection oven instead.
5. Cheese That Melts Too Easily (Like Mozzarella or Brie)
Why avoid them: Shredded mozzarella, fresh brie, or string cheese melts rapidly in an air fryer’s high heat. Instead of forming a golden, bubbly topping, it turns into a greasy, dripping mess that coats the basket and burns.
Example: Air-frying a mozzarella stick might sound fun, but the cheese oozes out, burns, and leaves a hard, unpleasant residue.
Better uses: Melt cheese in a skillet, oven, or microwave. For crispy cheese snacks, try halloumi or paneer—these have higher melting points and hold their shape better.
6. Raw Doughs (Pizza, Bread, or Cookie Dough)
Why avoid them: Raw dough needs controlled, moist heat to rise properly. Air fryers blast dry, hot air, which can cause the dough to cook on the outside before it has time to rise. The result? A dense, gummy interior and a burnt exterior.
Take pizza dough: Air-frying raw dough leads to a hard, crunch shell with raw, undercooked center.
Fix it: Par-bake dough in the oven first (until it starts to set), then finish in the air fryer for crispness. Or use pre-made pizza bases.
7. Popcorn Kernels
Why avoid them: Air fryers aren’t designed to pop popcorn. The kernels need consistent, even heat to burst, but air fryers circulate air too rapidly, causing some kernels to burn while others remain unpopped. Plus, unpopped kernels can bounce around and scratch the nonstick coating.
What you’ll get: A basket of half-popped, burnt, and uncooked kernels—not a single fluffy puff.
Better tools: Use a popcorn maker, stovetop pot, or microwave popcorn.
8. Delicate Seafood (Like Sushi or Oysters)
Why avoid them: Sushi (think raw fish on rice) or fresh oysters cook too quickly in an air fryer. The high heat dries out the fish, making it tough and rubbery, while rice becomes hard. Oysters, which are delicate, can also explode from internal steam.
Safety note: Raw seafood in an air fryer may not reach safe temperatures quickly enough, increasing the risk of foodborne illness.
Safer prep: Cook seafood in a pan, bake it, or enjoy raw sushi as intended—no air frying needed.
9. Fried Doughnuts or Beignets
Why avoid them: These pastries are already deep-fried, meaning they’re saturated with oil. Air-frying them adds more heat, which makes the exterior even greasier and the interior dense. The result? A heavy, unpleasant doughnut that tastes nothing like the light, airy original.
What to do instead: Reheat day-old doughnuts in the microwave (wrapped in a damp paper towel) or oven to restore softness—skip the air fryer.
10. Whole Berries (Strawberries, Blueberries, Raspberries)
Why avoid them: Berries have thin skins and high water content. Air-frying them causes the skins to split, releasing juice that steams the berries instead of crisping them. You’ll end up with mushy, warm berries that lack their natural firmness.
Bonus issue: The sugary juice can caramelize and burn, sticking to the basket.
Enjoy them raw: Berries are best eaten fresh or baked into desserts like crumbles, where controlled heat preserves their texture.
11. Marshmallows
Why avoid them: Marshmallows melt and puff up when heated, but air fryers’ intense airflow causes them to expand too quickly. They’ll either burn on the outside before softening inside or collapse into a sticky, gooey mess.
Example: Trying to make s’mores in an air fryer often results in charred marshmallow edges and unmelted chocolate.
Workaround: Use a campfire, microwave, or toaster oven for s’mores. For melted marshmallows, spread them on graham crackers and broil in the oven for 30 seconds.
12. Leafy Greens (Spinach, Kale, Arugula)
Why avoid them: Spinach and other leafy greens wilt dramatically in an air fryer. The hot air dehydrates them instantly, turning them into a dry, crispy pile—more like hay than edible greens.
What you might try: Some recipes suggest air-frying kale for chips, but even that requires tossing with oil and salt to prevent burning. Regular spinach? It’s a no-go.
Best method: Sauté leafy greens in a pan with garlic and olive oil, or steam them for a tender texture.
13. Grapes (Whole or Halved)
Why avoid them: Grapes are a popular air fryer hack gone wrong. When heated, their high water content and skin create steam pressure. Small grapes can explode, while larger ones may split, releasing sticky juice that burns and coats the basket.
Viral trend reality: Many users report cleaning burnt grape residue for days after attempting this.
Skip it: Enjoy grapes fresh, frozen, or baked into desserts instead.
14. Nut Butters or Jam
Why avoid them: Nut butters (peanut, almond) and jams have high fat and sugar content. Air-frying them causes the fats to separate and burn, while sugars caramelize into a hard, bitter crust. The result is an inedible, burnt paste.
What you’re trying to do: Some might attempt to warm nut butter for drizzling, but a microwave or stovetop is safer.
Stick to spreading: Nut butters and jams taste best unheated or gently warmed in a double boiler.
15. Dried Beans (Unsoaked)
Why avoid them: Dried beans contain lectins and phytic acid, which require soaking and boiling to neutralize. Air-frying unsoaked beans doesn’t break down these compounds, making them hard to digest and potentially toxic. Plus, beans take hours to soften—air fryers can’t penetrate their dense structure enough to cook them through.
Safety first: Always soak beans overnight and boil them for at least 10 minutes before consuming.
Final Tips: When in Doubt, Test Small
This list covers the most problematic foods, but air fryer performance can vary by model. If you’re tempted to try something not on this list, start with a small batch. Watch closely for signs of steaming, burning, or uneven cooking. And remember: air fryers shine with crispy, dry-heat-friendly foods—think chicken wings, roasted veggies, and homemade fries.
By avoiding these 15 foods, you’ll save time, prevent messes, and ensure your air fryer delivers the delicious results it’s known for. Happy cooking!