In the air fryer…..
Good Question
The air fryer is much more efficient than a traditional oven. You may want to cook your ready meals in the air fryer, but wonder if it is safe.
Oven Ready
Any oven-ready meal designed (it’s the packaging that matters) to be cooked in a conventional oven can be cooked in an air fryer. You may find you can reduce the temperature by 10°C (50°F) and shorten the cooking time by 10 minutes every hour. (knock off 5 minutes for a 30-minute cook). But you can easily interrupt the air fryer cooking to check the cook’s progress.
Microwave meals
Do not cook a microwave meal in the air fryer unless you can follow the instructions for a conventional oven.
Some microwave meals (due to the packaging) can be cooked in either the microwave or the conventional/fan oven by adjusting the times.
This is good news for the air fryer as this can follow the conventional/fan oven guidelines to cook safely, but you may also be able to reduce time/temperature too.
BUT
Do not cook a microwave-only meal in the air fryer – BUT – the restrictions on the cooking are usually, if not always, due to the packaging. Nothing stops you from taking the ready meal from the microwave, only packaging and putting it in an oven-safe pot, dish or container.
Only then can you then cook the ready meal in the air fryer?
Cooking microwave-only meals from frozen will probably require a lidded or foil-covered cooking dish to ensure the food cooks more evenly. Be sure to mix the sauce part way through cooking and ensure it is piping hot throughout the meal before serving.
Exceptions
Some things won’t work, like microwave popcorn, unless you can follow the conventional/fan oven instructions.