The whole of the Netherlands believes it: food from the air fryer is healthier. No oil, no deep fryer, so no guilt. There’s just one problem. It’s not true. Turn over a box of air fryer croquettes and read the label. What it says there is the exact opposite of the story on the front.
Fact 1: Air fryer snacks are already fried. At the factory.
That “fat-free” crust doesn’t form in your air fryer. Air fryer snacks are pre-fried once or twice at the factory; otherwise, they’ll never turn out crispy and golden brown at home. The label on the Mora Oven & Air Fryer Beef Croquettes simply states: “pre-fried.” So your air fryer is just reheating a fried product. The frying hasn’t gone away—it’s just been moved. From your pan to their factory.
Fact 2: The fat is already in it
Since an air fryer doesn’t add any fat on its own, everything that makes the snack creamy and crispy has to be added beforehand—extra fats in the filling and extra fat in the coating. The ingredient list for the Mora air fryer croquette includes vegetable oils (palm, canola, sunflower) and butterfat, incorporated into the product. And on that same package: “not suitable for deep-frying.” This croquette can’t even go in the deep fryer—it’s already full.
Fact 3: More Sugar Than You Think
That rich texture and color have to come from somewhere. Take a look at the ingredient list for the air fryer croquette: glucose syrup, sugar, dextrose, and invert sugar syrup. Four sources of sugar in one savory snack.
The figures side by side
All values are per 100 grams, uncooked, taken directly from the label:
| SNX croquette | Mora Oven & Air Fryer Beef Croquette | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 174 kcal | 264 kcal |
| Bold | 6,8 g | 15 g |
| of which saturated | 2,9 g | 5.1 g |
| Sugars | 0,9 g | 1.6 g |
| Fiber | 6.0 g | 1.7 g |
| Protein | 8,7 g | 7.2 g |
| Beef | 25% | 16% |
Read that again. The “healthy” air fryer croquette contains more than twice as much fat, one and a half times as many calories, and nearly twice as much sugar as our regular deep-fried croquette. And that’s before cooking. After cooking, the difference doesn’t get any smaller: an SNX snack comes out of the deep fryer at 192 kcal per 100 grams cooked, while an air fryer snack is around 250 kcal.
And then there's the taste
Be honest. Has anyone ever cheered over a snack from the air fryer? A drier crust, less creamy filling—and all that in exchange for a health benefit that doesn’t exist. You sacrifice flavor and get more fat and sugar in return. That’s the worst deal in your kitchen.
Why We Deliberately Choose to Fry Our Food
At SNX, healthier doesn’t start with the appliance—it starts with the recipe. Our croquette and bitterbal: 25% beef, 100% Dutch beef, supplemented with legumes and vegetables. First and foremost, delicious: a crispy coating, tender shredded meat, developed by Lekker500 chefs. And it turns out it’s also the better choice: Nutri-Score B, the highest in its category, with significantly more fiber and protein and less fat, salt, and calories. Deep-fried quickly at high heat, just as it should be. The deep fryer has never been the problem. It’s the product that goes into it—that’s the problem. Read also: How can you make fried snacks healthier?
Taste the difference for yourself
Shipping box containing 18 croquettes, delivered frozen to your home via PostNL. Free shipping on orders of €75 or more.
Frequently Asked Questions
For snacks specially developed for air fryers, usually not. These are pre-fried at the factory and contain added fat and sugar. A well-known air fryer beef croquette contains 264 kcal and 15 g of fat per 100 g (unprepared), compared to 174 kcal and 6.8 g of fat for the SNX croquette from the fry shop.
Yes. Air fryer snacks are pre-fried at the factory; otherwise, they won't turn out crispy at home. The air fryer simply reheats a product that has already been fried.
Sugar adds creaminess and a golden brown color that would otherwise come from deep-frying. The ingredient list for a well-known air fryer croquette includes four sources of sugar: glucose syrup, sugar, dextrose, and invert sugar syrup.
When freshly fried, an SNX snack contains 192 kcal per 100 grams. Croquettes and bitterballen have a Nutri-Score of B, the highest in the category.
In the online store at snxfood.com. Bitterballen sold in boxes of 54 (54×30g), delivered frozen.
Don't fall for it anymore
The myth is comforting, the label is honest. Choose the snack that wins on both counts: taste and nutritional value.
Choose the snack that wins on both counts
Shipping box containing 54 bitterballen (54 × 30 g), Nutri-Score B, delivered frozen.
