A new product has landed in Iceland and it's been hailed a teatime game-changer.
I noticed the product shared on Instagram with the bold claim the fries were cooked to perfection in just five minutes. No wonder people said it would make a real difference when it came to mealtimes.
The next day I picked up a bag from the Iceland Food Warehouse in Speke and tried them that same night. I wasn't expecting to have my world changed by a bag of frozen fries but was interested to find out if they could be a quick and handy option.
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The impressive claim on the front of the pack, which is Ninja approved, is only true if you follow the 200g portion size. You can't expect to fry the whole bag in rapid time but you do get a decent serving (which can easily be doubled up if your air fryer has multiple drawers).
I rarely use the oven since getting an air fryer, unless what we are cooking is too big to fit into the drawers, so having a speedy choice on hand is going to make a real difference. I measured out the portion to make sure it was a fair test.
I didn't realise there is another similar product launched by McCain with slightly chunkier crinkle cut chips that take eight minutes. Fries are a usual go-to side dish in our house and pair well with most meals - or just as a quick snack.
The verdict:
The chips went in to cook for five minutes with a generous shake half-way through. Some were a little undercooked for my liking so I did put them back in for another minute - but that's likely down to the fact our air fryer isn't a Ninja so the temperatures and timings might need to be a bit longer.
It's usually the case with air frying it is a trial and error process to begin with. But, after getting the hang of things, you know the staple items off by heart and that'll be the case with these fries. I'd definitely prefer them undercooked than burnt to a crisp with no salvaging.
The fries were very good quality, as you'd expect from a brand like McCain's, but they were by no means cheap at £3.75 for a 750g bag. At the time of writing, they are included in a 2 for £6 offer.
Iceland do have bigger, own-brand packs of fries at a cost that's much kinder to your bank balance but they don't have the same quick cooking claims.
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