Christmas Gift Guide 2016: Gift Ideas for Cooks & Foodies

Cosori Air Fryer

The air fryer pictured above (nevermind the little Matchbox truck… I have three grandbabies, all boys, so there are little cars, trucks, and dinosaurs everywhere… and I thank God for it daily!) is the latest picture of proof that… well… sometimes I’m wrong.

You see, when air fryers (Amazon link) first became a “thing,” I never thought I’d ever want one, yet alone use one. When it comes to some things, I can be very, very, very old school – this is never more true than in the kitchen. Now, mind you, I still think a cook should stay sharp with all forms and techniques of cooking – that is to say, he/she should regularly make omelets, saute’, make gravy, broil, poach eggs, etc… not only does repetitively using a cooking technique keep your skills sharp, doing so allows you to develop the absolute best way of making something. Relying solely on one small kitchen appliance (at the expense of other styles of cooking) doesn’t serve one well. I know a family member who became SO dependent on her microwave once that she had to go out and buy a new pan to boil water in when her microwave decided it no longer wanted to work for a living.

I didn’t ask if she remembered how to turn the stove on again – I was afraid of the answer.

However, the other end of the spectrum is also very true and can also make you an even better (and more creative) cook: Having a variety of fun kitchen appliances encourages you to cook different meals and experiment with different foods and styles of cooking… both of which make your kitchen a much more delicious place to be.

So, if we’re numbering the reasons you need an Air Fryer, I’d put Creativity at the top of the list. The ones that follow it, however, are just as important.

1. Creativity. New appliances and gadgets encourage creativity and can, by their very nature, shake you out of the all too common kitchen rut! There are so many wonderful air fryer cookbooks (Amazon link) and even magazines on the newsstand that provide even more channels for creativity and fun.
2. Crispiness. While I love, love, love experimenting with different techniques and recipes for the air fryer, want to know the one thing I love it for the most? The one thing I’d fight someone for if they came to steal our air fryer? Hold onto your seats, this is a very high brow, food blogger food…. tater tots! Hear me out, fellow foodies, the air fryer will make you fall in love with tater tots all over again. It gives them a crispiness that the oven simply cannot muster. If you want just a little crispiness, you pull them out sooner… if you want a lot more crispiness, you leave them in a little longer. Personally, I think a perfect tater tot is a little crispy on the outside and soft inside. The air fryer gives you that restaurant quality tot you never knew you missed until you make it yourself. Air fryers are also IDEAL for fries, chicken strips, onion rings, and just about anything else you can think of!
3. Coronary Health! Obviously, anytime you can replace fried foods with “air fried” foods, your heart and arteries will thank you for it. Fried foods are horrific for your heart’s health – something I (as a southerner) am pained to admit, but it’s true. When you air fry the food, it is just as delicious and SO much healthier.
4. Convenience. Remember the three grandbabies I mentioned earlier? I have a lot of blessings in life (wonderful husband, three beautiful daughters, three beloved sons-in-law, three perfect grandbabies, precious cats…) and one I never take for granted is the BLESSING of watching my grandbabies while their parents are at work during the week. The boys are all under 4, so this is a blessing that keeps MiMi hopping! Needless to say, meal prep and quicker meals are big on my list. The air fryer cuts cooking time in half for many foods – allowing me to fix quick meals for the little guys and quick suppers for me and my big guy! It’s also an excellent way to cook frozen foods such as fries, fish sticks, and chicken strips. They go into the air fryer frozen and come out, minutes later perfectly delicious – often even better than when cooked in the oven. Quicker, always as good/often better, and no preheating is necessary.
5. Cooler in the Kitchen. In summer, I lose track of the number of times I plan meals around what will keep from “heating up the kitchen.” The air fryer allows the tater tots or crinkle cut fries to accompany the cookout!

I’m not going to list the following “bonus” with the ones above, and not just because it doesn’t start with a C… although I am absolutely anal enough to be bothered by that. Anytime we (any age) can learn something new and take on a new challenge, we do absolute wonders for our brains. The brain loves a challenge and, frankly, most of us don’t offer our brain nearly enough challenging opportunities. When I have a new kitchen gadget or appliance (or a new toy to put together for my little buddies) that I have successfully put together or learned how to use, I can literally feel my brain buzz with excitement. It’s kind of a rush, if we’re being honest.

I love that learning new things like this makes my brain set up and take notice. In the same way we all need to be more mindful of our heart’s health, we absolutely need to be more mindful of our brain’s health.

I just realized, I could have used “Cognitive Benefits” in the list and still kept with the C theme. Sigh.

The air fryer will make an excellent addition to your family, if you don’t already have one. It would also make an excellent gift idea for anyone on your Christmas list (or gifts for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Anniversaries, birthdays, graduates…). It is an extremely thoughtful gift idea and one the recipient will cherish and think of you each time they use it.

If you’re lucky, they may even make you some tater tots.

While our brand is the Cosori Air Fryer, I’m linking you to a newer model. This one has the coveted Amazon Choice label and something I generally find just as lovely – a $20 off coupon!