| February 23, 2026 |
NatNews |
ISSUE 206 |
AIR FRYERS—SAVING TIME AND THE ENVIRONMENT
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Every once in a while, a device comes along that revolutionizes the lives of a number of people throughout the world. Enter the air fryer. Dutch engineer Fred van der Weij invented the air fryer in 2006, and the popular kitchen appliance was introduced to the public in 2010. Since then, it has become a common way for individuals and families to enjoy meals without having to dedicate as much time in the kitchen as they might with the use of a traditional oven. According to a recent NatNews survey, 50 percent of respondents said they cook with the use of an air fryer quite often, 25 percent said they do sometimes, 17 percent said they never do so, and 8 percent indicated that they don’t cook at all. One of those frequent users is Dallas-area resident David Recker, who said he and his fiancée, Olivia, have had an air fryer since Christmas and use it two to three times per week. He said they appreciate the efficiency it provides them. “I would say we use the ‘roast’ feature more often than ‘air fry,’ and it saves a lot of time, especially considering the time to preheat a traditional oven,” he said. “We always have to google the cooking times for things, but you literally just pop them in and hit a button. Cleanup is also super easy—we bought silicone baskets that are dishwasher-safe that we just pull out afterward, rinse off, and wash.” And for those who don’t have the time or desire to use an oven or don’t love the quality of leftovers fresh out of the microwave, the air fryer is a more suitable option. “I use it to cook things occasionally, but I mostly use it to reheat things,” Southern California resident Hannah Chapman said. “It’s way better than the microwave. It’s more efficient in terms of time and cleanup (if you have the little liners).” And it’s that efficiency that many individuals truly appreciate. Tara Janke, a resident of Hawaii’s Big Island, said she is more of a crock pot gal but uses an air fryer a couple of times a month, as she believes that it is best for allowing her to be more productive in other areas of her life by saving time in the kitchen. |
“You can cook food a lot more quickly than you can in an oven,” she said. “You can also cook frozen meat, which really saves a lot of time, especially in a pinch for dinner. If you like crispy meat and veggies, the air fryer is also a great tool for that.” To add to the time-saving capabilities air fryers provide, owners of the kitchen appliance can find benefit from the fact that they also result in cleaner air quality than when using other common cooking appliances. A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom discovered that air fryers emit 10 to 100 times fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs) than traditional deep-fat frying methods. Some individuals, including Chapman, also notice an increase in quality to their meals when using the air fryer. “The food tastes way better and crispy,” she said. Janke, on the other hand, said she does not believe that the food is much different. However, the advantages the device does offer are worth the use of it from time to time. “Honestly, I don’t see any added benefit to quality and taste by using an air fryer,” she said. “It’s all about time and ease for me.” Like Janke, Recker said he thinks the overall food quality and taste are rather comparable to those of traditional ovens, but he has noticed that the use of the air fryer has changed his and Olivia’s vegetable intake. “Neither of us is particularly fond of raw vegetables, and the air fryer makes it much simpler to season and roast a variety of vegetables, so we eat them more frequently,” he said. “We’ve also been using it more versus takeout, so our weekly food costs have gone down.” |
DID YOU KNOW?
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There are currently 88 constellations officially recognized by the International Astronomical Union. |
PERHAPS A RESURGENCE OF NOSTALGIC COMPUTER GAMES IS IN ORDER
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If you were not born in a year with a 2 in front of it (we’re looking at you, millennials, Gen Xers, and baby boomers), you might remember playing games on the computer at school and perhaps even at home that carried educational value and also potentially caused you some lasting trauma (hello, diphtheria on the Oregon Trail). Other such nostalgic computer-based entertainment included Number Crunchers, Minesweeper, Age of Empires, The Sims, and (fitting for the Winter Olympics that recently concluded) SkiFree. Many of these games were already loaded onto school computers for students to play during free time or before the learning day began, or they could be installed onto home computers for kids to enjoy outside of the classroom setting. Dallas resident Jenny Schultz said she enjoyed playing Oregon Trail at school and Amazon Trail while she was at home. “I loved both of these games because they were not difficult and were a nice way to turn off my brain from more complicated tasks,” she said. She was not alone in finding fun in such games on the computer, which often looked like those found in this Instagram post. Dallas resident Nathaniel Medrano said when he was a young kid, he typically arrived early to school to secure a spot in the computer lab to play games before the first bell rang to begin the school day. He preferred engaging in three specific games: Oregon Trail, Sim City, and Sim Ant. “Oregon Trail was fun because no matter how many times you’d try, something would always go wrong, and it kept you wanting to come back in hopes that you’d finally make it through the game,” he said. “Needless to say, I never did, but I’ll never forget the true history of the Oregon Trail and its many dangers. It’s funny how it taught you, even though you didn’t realize you were being taught. Sim City and Sim Ant were both simulation games that involved building cities and colonies. I’ve always been addicted to that style of game because it allows you to be creative and problem solve.” In his teen years, however, Medrano said he became more drawn to first-person shooter (FPS) games and role-playing games (RPG) when he sat down in front of the screen. “I liked FPS for the fast-paced competitive nation of it and RPG for the storyline and character development,” he said. There were also several games that stemmed from movies and television shows. Dane Sebring—who lives in Washington, D.C., and was one of the founding members of the infamous Broken Crayons media group in Coppell, Texas—found that playing certain video games helped him further establish bonds he had formed with his peers. “I’m sure, like with most of your readers, Goldeneye is probably the most memorable,” he said. “There was definitely something special about staying up all night playing split-screen 007 with your friends.” In fact, Sebring is such a fan of a game that shaped his younger years that he believes its relevance is not lost. |
“Despite the aging graphics, I think this game would still be wildly popular with today’s youth,” he said. “No internet is required, and no bluetooth is needed.” Like Sebring, Schultz also believes that the younger generations would find enjoyment in the games she enjoyed when she was growing up. “Oregon Trail is so nostalgic, and Amazon Trail is fun because it included puzzles and side quests,” she said. However, there are certainly different generational preferences, especially as technology and society continue to evolve. Medrano said he does not believe that kids and teenagers in today’s world would enjoy playing the games he did when he was in their stages of life. “I think today’s youth wants faster-paced games, and sadly, those were not fast-paced,” he said. “Case in point is how popular games like Fortnite are with young kids.” Medrano doesn’t necessarily think that is a negative reality, though. In fact, he said he thinks games today are more beneficial for the younger generations than the computer games he used to play. “Gaming technology has advanced so much that, simply by playing, you can learn many valuable skills, such as problem solving, critical thinking, reaction speeds, motor functions, social skills (with online games), exercise, creativity, imagination, etc.,” he said. While mastery of such competencies can prove to be beneficial in a variety of areas of life, Sebring said he believes that there is a particular aspect of games today that provide a disadvantage compared to computer games of yore. “The issue with video games now is that most of them can’t function without internet access,” he said. “They use that connection against you to force mandatory updates or sell downloadable content.” Schultz also believes that past computer games top current ones overall, though her reason has more to do with resilience and creating room for a peaceful and calming environment. “I think the games I played are more beneficial because they are less stimulating and allow for relaxing fun,” she said. “Even if you get attacked by a bear, you just start over.”
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