Family-Friendly Fall Air Fryer Meals on a Budget

Eating seasonally allows you to experience fruits and vegetables at their nutritional best, while rotating in foods not available year round and connecting with nature’s rhythms.

These cheesy baked squash casseroles are easy and quick to make for any dinner party, creating the perfect rustically charming or stately English manor aesthetic. Pair them with unique stag’s head napkin rings and subtle silver candle holders for the best effect.

Crisp Roasted Veggies

If you have ever roasted vegetables and desired crispier results, the solution is easy and inexpensive: Just sprinkle some cornstarch (that box in your pantry!) when prepping them for roasting. Lifehacker recommends adding 1 tablespoon per pound of veggies as a layer on an baking sheet before proceeding as usual with roasting.

Avoid overcrowding your baking sheet as this will prevent veggies from steaming instead of roasting and will lose their crunchiness. This simple strategy works wonders with cauliflower, potatoes, carrots or sweet potatoes – and will save time when roasting multiple types!

Once the vegetables have cooled, you can also freeze them in airtight containers or zipper-top bags for easy meal prep. Root vegetables tend to hold their crunch longer when frozen; just be aware that when reheating they may take slightly longer to prepare than usual.

Reheating in an air fryer requires preheating your basket to 360 degrees before spraying your vegetables with oil (you may skip this step if they already look oily). After that, let them sit for around 5-8 minutes or until sizzling begins; make sure that you stir or shake your basket frequently during this process so they reheat evenly.

Reheating roasted veggies is best done either in the oven or stovetop, however this may not always be feasible due to time restrictions and busy lives. If reheating them is unavoidable, use a medium temperature oven with parchment or foil liners as these will keep the veggies from sticking while also remaining delicious and nutritional. It will certainly be worth your while!

Apple-Cider Glazed Chicken

Sweet, tangy and satisfying – this weeknight chicken dinner features sweet-tangy flavors of an apple cider glaze! Enjoy it alongside roasted root veggies and brussels sprouts tossed with bone-in skin-on chicken thighs to get just the right combination of juiciness and flavor without breaking the bank – not forgetting crispiness fans can find satisfaction from their meat too!

Start this easy sheet pan meal off right by roasting root vegetables & Brussels sprouts in the oven while you prepare an apple-cider glazed chicken dish.

Mix all of the chicken rub ingredients in a bowl, and generously coat each piece of chicken with it. Reserve some glaze (1-2 Tbsp).

Whisk the apple cider, honey, red pepper flakes and mustard together in a separate small bowl until combined. Pour all but 2-3 Tbsp of this glaze over your vegetables and toss until evenly covered. Transfer vegetables to the edge of your baking sheet so there is enough room in the center for chicken.

Once veggies and potatoes have been prepared, combine remaining glaze with chicken pieces and sprinkle each one with some additional salt. Place all on sheet pan, pour remaining glaze on it, and bake again until chicken has become browned while vegetables have reached tenderness (around 30 minutes).

Before taking out of the oven, use an instant-read thermometer to check its center. Once it has reached 165 degrees F, your chicken is done! Let it rest a while before digging in!

Your apple-cider glazed chicken pairs well with an apple-forward white wine like Zind-Humbrecht Riesling to highlight its flavors in both the pan sauce and crisp apples in your slaw!

Reheat these maple and apple cider glazed chicken thighs easily in either the oven or a hot skillet to achieve crispy golden-brown crusts on each of your chicken thighs.

Maple Salmon

Sweet and savory maple mustard glaze gives tender salmon fillets the best of both worlds, complementing perfectly with earthy-flavored roasted Brussels sprouts for an earthy flair that balances out its sweetness. Furthermore, this dish provides protein as well as essential vitamins A, C and K!

This meal comes together quickly and effortlessly, in just 14 minutes! Plus it’s versatile; perfect for rice, quinoa or any other grains as well as with roasted vegetables or salad. Furthermore, when using organic ingredients and wild-caught salmon (farmed varieties can contain lower levels of nutrients).

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Pat the salmon dry before seasoning both sides with salt and pepper. Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl; stir well, then set aside.

Spread salmon fillets skin-side down on a piece of foil. Spread some of the sauce mix onto each salmon fillet and pat lightly to cover all areas of it. Next, sprinkle zesty seasoning mix over it all, gently pressing into place to adhere properly. Finally, drizzle the rest of the sauce mix onto each salmon fillet before tucking the sides to form an attractive little “package.”

Bake salmon fillets at 375 degrees for 14-15 minutes, depending on their thickness. When done properly, the salmon should have an orange or pink hue and flake easily with a fork; to be certain it has reached doneness use a digital meat thermometer; when ready it should reach between 125-130 degrees.

This meal can be enjoyed immediately upon cooking, though its true excellence lies in being reheated later on. For any leftovers, allow them to cool before wrapping in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn and store either immediately in your fridge for up to three days, or freeze as directed above.

Pumpkin-Spice Donut Bites

pumpkin-spiced donut holes are the perfect autumn-inspired sweet treat! Baked instead of fried, these oven-baked snacks offer all of your favorite fall flavors in bite-size form. Constructed using healthy ingredients like egg whites and pumpkin puree for fluffiness and flavor; finished off with dairy free glaze or frosting so all can enjoy.

These healthy donut holes are quick and simple to make! Simply mix box cake mix with pureed pumpkin, add eggs and baking powder, then form into donut holes using molds made of paper towels. A touch of cinnamon makes these delightful treat irresistibly cute; finish it off by topping them off with chopped toasted pecans or walnuts for extra flair!

Healthy Pumpkin Donut Holes pair perfectly with warm beverages like cocoa, chai tea or pumpkin spice lattes to capture autumn vibes. Or serve them alongside busy mornings on the go as a quick pick-me-up – add fun skewers of donut holes on sticks for a festive touch, or roll them in mini cupcake wrappers to add even more variety! They keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for two days at most; or can even be frozen up to two months ahead and reheated when heated back into its moist texture and fresh taste!