French Fries Recipe

Researchers have found that more than 20% of toddlers consume fried potatoes or French fries every day. Salty and savoury, they are surely easy for little mouths and hands to handle. Moreover, most children go through their picky eating phase when they struggle to gain weight and need to be exposed to different flavours, textures or shapes. Whether spiral, thinner or wider in shape seasoned with garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, fresh or dried herbs, crunchy French fries accompanied by any tasty dip will surely be your child’s favourite snack during playtime. French Fries for babies and toddlers are the oh-so indulgent comfort food that’s certainly hard to resist for the entire family.

Cooking Time 

Cooking Method 

Gas Stove

Type of Meal 

Vegetarian

Suitable For 

Any baby above 11 months of age

Meal Schedule 

Evening snack

Recipe Type 

Side Dish

How to Make French Fries?

Do you want to make homemade french fries for babies that do not take too many ingredients but are hygienic and healthier compared to restaurants and outside vendors? Here is the easiest and most stylish French Fries recipe for toddlers that will make your little one ask more!

Ingredients

Instructions

Mothers who want to learn how to make French fries at home can note down the easy step by step directions given below. This crazily delicious snack dish can be prepared without much hassle and loved by the entire family.

1. Peel the potatoes and cut them lengthwise in an even shape.
2. Wash and drain the potatoes to soak them in a bowl of iced water for 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Drain out the water in a colander and rinse them under running water.
4. Pat the potato sticks dry with a paper towel or clean kitchen towel.
5. Now heat refined oil in a deep bottomed pan to about 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the oil is hot, deep fry the potatoes in batches for about five minutes. Stir often for uniform cooking. They should just get a crust from outside without any colour change.
6. Lift the fries out of the oil using a fry basket or slotted spoon.
7. Drain them on a baking sheet or clean paper towel. Press some paper towels from top to absorb the excess oil. Let the potatoes cool down at room temperature.
8. Increase the flame to medium-high or high to about 180-185 degrees Celsius
9. Now fry the potatoes until crisp and golden.
10. Place them on a paper tissue and season them with salt and pepper or any other seasoning while the fries are draining and still hot.
11. Gently shake and toss the bowl and serve them hot with any dip or sauce.

Recipe Tips

This simple French Fries recipe is an easy guideline for mothers who want to make this tastiest snack for their baby to bring an instant smile on their faces.

• Remember to soak the potatoes in cold water so that they can get crispier as you fry them evenly.
• Rinsing the potatoes in water helps them to remove the starch that causes the potatoes to stick together during frying.
• You can refrigerate them in a hot and humid climate for about 30-45 minutes.
• Use only clean filtered water for washing and soaking the potatoes.
• It is advisable to wash your hands before cutting the potatoes. Utensils used for cooking serving the food must be cleaned well.
• Potatoes can be soaked in salt water for some time before frying to make them crispier.

Nutrition Information (Per 100 Grams)

Below is the data recorded for 100 grams raw potatoes (1) and 100 grams potatoes, french fried in vegetable oil (2). 

Health Benefits

Listed here are the health benefits of a homemade French fries baby food recipe.

• French fries have the same nutrition as eating potatoes.
• Considered as the undisputed champion of the vegetable world, potatoes are rich in nutrients and make a delicious treat for any child.
• As potatoes contain fibre, they help to reduce constipation in children.
• Being energy-packed, potatoes have more potassium than a banana
• The carbohydrate content in potatoes helps your child for optimal physical and mental performance throughout the day.
• Being a part of the mixed-meal, it produces lower blood glucose and insulin levels in children as per the new research by the Alliance for Potato Research and education.

Buying Guide

• Buy organic potatoes from a reputed store.
• Check the expiry date of the refined oil and other ingredients used for seasoning before buying them.

FAQs

1. What are the alternative methods of making French Fries at home?

If you don’t want to fry the potatoes in oil due to the exposure of too much oil, you can make French Fries at home by simply baking them or air frying them. Baking and air frying requires very less amount of oil, making french fries healthier.

2. What kind of potatoes should I use to make the best French Fries?

You can use any kind of potatoes available to make French Fries. But if you want a restaurant style look for your fries, then you can use Russel Potatoes (mostly available in the USA) or any kind of long potatoes to get elongated French Fries.

3. What type of oil should I use for frying?

According to Cleveland Clinic, palm oil, sunflower oil, light or refined olive oil, almond oil, hazelnut oil, and avocado oil are best used for searing, browning, and deep frying, as they have a high smoking point. Canola oil, peanut oil, light virgin olive oil, and grapeseed oil are best used for baking, stir-frying, and oven cooking, as they have a medium smoking point (3). British Heart Foundation states that any refined oil that is not termed as ‘virgin’ or ‘non-virgin’ are better for roasting and frying purposes, as it is lower in cost and has milder flavour (4). 

Kids of all ages love eating French fries. You can tempt them to obey any instruction by making the perfect snack that they would savour at any time of the day or accompanied by a meal. So instead of buying packaged fries from the fast-food store, cook your French fries at home and gift your child a healthy snack.

References/Resources:

1. Potatoes, flesh and skin, raw; USDA; https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170026/nutrients

2. Fast foods, potato, french fried in vegetable oil; USDA; https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170698/nutrients

3. Choosing and Using Cooking Oils: What To Use and When; Cleveland Clinic; https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-choose-and-use-healthy-cooking-oils

4. Which is the healthiest fat for cooking?; British Heart Foundation; https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/nutrition/ask-the-expert/comparing-cooking-fats

Also Read:

Cheesy Potato Recipe
Mashed Sweet Potato Recipe
How to Make Baked Potato Recipe
How to Make Potato Sabji for Babies & Toddlers