National Air Frying Frenzy: Four in 10 People Have Built Viral Trend into Their Cooking Routine

LONDON, UK – 16^th November 2022 – A new study reveals the extent viral cooking hacks and recipes on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Facebook influence the nation’s cooking habits. The research, commissioned by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., reveals almost six in 10 people (58%) have tried a cooking hack or recipe they have seen on social media, with more than one in 10 (11%) feeling inspired ‘more than once a day’ by the cooking or baking content they see online.

When it comes to viral food trends the nation have built into their cooking routine, air frying came out top, with four in 10 UK adults (42%) now using air frying as a healthier option to deep fry food. Chips (39%), chicken (38%) and potatoes (33%) are the most popular foods to air fry, followed by less obvious foods such as salmon (19%), meatballs (19%) and steak (18%). Whilst sweet treats, such as cookies (25%) and donuts (16%), are also popular to cook in an air fryer.

In terms of gender, more women (45%) then men (38%) air fry their food, with the 18 to 24-year-olds age group air frying the most (62%). Regionally, those living in London have built air frying into their cooking routine (59%) more than anywhere else, followed by residents in the North West (49%) and North East (48%) of England.

To give the nation some air frying inspiration, Samsung’s teamed up with Jenny Tschiesche, author of Sunday Times Bestseller‘Air Fryer Cookbook’ – which features 101 delicious, tried-and-tested recipes to help you get the most out of your air-fryer – to share her top five air frying hacks:

1. If you would like to cook something but only have oven cooking instructions, fear not. You can reduce the cooking time and the temperature as follows:
   1. Reduce the temperature by 20º
   2. Reduce the cooking length by 20%.

2. You can air fry in baking sheets and trays. Not everything is best cooked straight on the air fryer rack. Foods that lend themselves best to being cooked in a baking sheet or tray include flapjacks, gratin dishes and anything with a sauce.
3. Space out your food. The most efficient and effective air frying happens when there is space between food items so that hot air can circulate all around it and cook the food evenly.

4. Invest in a digital food thermometer. This one tool will give you confidence when air frying. Air frying is a new way of cooking for many and knowing that your food is cooked to a safe temperature is reassuring. Here’s a useful table to help:

5. Buy a pair of tongs for turning food such as kebabs, burgers, croquettes, nuggets, and breaded fish for even cooking. Those with silicone tips will be the easiest to clean.

Other viral trends the nation are looking to build into their cooking routines include meal prepping (30%), meat free meals (26%) and ‘mindful cooking’ (20%), which involves tuning into the sights, sounds, smells, and textures of the culinary task at hand. Whilst some of the nation’s top cooking hacks and trends include creating butter boards (17%), using a ricer or food mill to grind potatoes (23%) and roasting a whole garlic (20%).

When it comes to the reasons why people use viral cooking hacks and make recipes they see online, creating more affordable meals (53%), simplifying the cooking experience (44%) and wanting to save time in the kitchen (43%) ranked top. Whilst others said they do so to streamline the cooking process (40%), create healthier meals (39%) and impress friends and family (23%).

Dan Harvie, VP, Head of Home Appliances, Samsung Electronics (UK) Ltd., said: “We know the impact cooking hacks and recipes found on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Facebook have on our customers cooking routines, which is why we continually innovate and introduce new features to meet changing lifestyle needs, such as air frying.

“Earlier this year, we launched the 5 and 6 series cooking appliances, including multiple ovens which come with an air frying function built in, helping to promote healthy eating. Simply place food on the tray and use the Air Fry mode to cook food using a little oil and without a deep fryer. Plus, with SmartThings Cooking, you can get personalised recipes and a weekly meal plan that promote healthy eating, ensuring you always stay on track.”

Air Fry mode on the 5 and 6 series ovens by Samsung

Discover the full range of Samsung ovens and cooking appliances on https://www.samsung.com/uk/cooking-appliances/all-cooking-appliances.

: