A Nutritionist's Take: What's Healthier Than Fries and Why?

October 7, 2025 •

5 min read

Deep-fried foods have been consistently linked to increased risks of heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. If you're looking for a healthier alternative to this classic side, you might be asking: what's healthier than fries? The good news is, there are many flavorful and nutritious options available.

Quick Summary

This article explores nutritious alternatives to deep-fried french fries, highlighting healthier cooking methods like baking and air-frying, and offering delicious, whole-food vegetable substitutes.

Key Points

Embrace Healthier Cooking Methods: Choose baking, roasting, or air-frying over deep-frying to drastically reduce unhealthy fats and calories in your food.
Swap Potatoes for Other Vegetables: Utilize sweet potatoes, zucchini, carrots, and Brussels sprouts as flavorful and more nutrient-dense alternatives to traditional potato fries.
Prioritize Nutrient-Rich Snacks: Opt for baked kale chips or roasted chickpeas for a crunchy, protein- and fiber-rich snack instead of fatty, deep-fried options.
Don't Overlook Raw Options: For a quick and easy side, raw vegetable crudités with a healthy dip like hummus are an excellent, nutrient-dense choice.
Boost Flavor with Seasonings and Dips: Enhance the taste of healthier alternatives with spices like smoked paprika and garlic powder, or serve them with a low-fat dip to make them more satisfying.
Ensure Even Cooking: Cut vegetables uniformly and avoid overcrowding the pan when baking or air-frying to achieve a perfect, crispy texture.

Why Are Traditional Deep-Fried Fries So Unhealthy?

While delicious, deep-fried french fries absorb a large amount of oil during the cooking process, significantly increasing their fat and calorie content. This cooking method also creates potentially harmful compounds, such as acrylamide, which forms when starchy foods are cooked at high temperatures. Regularly consuming deep-fried foods can contribute to weight gain, high cholesterol, and inflammation, paving the way for more serious health issues over time. The key to finding a healthier swap isn't just about changing the ingredient but often about changing the cooking method and embracing whole foods with higher nutritional value.

Healthier Cooking Methods: Your First Step

Before exploring new ingredients, consider a change in how you prepare your food. By opting for healthier cooking methods, you can dramatically reduce the fat and calorie content of your favorite crispy sides without sacrificing flavor.

Air-Frying: This method circulates hot air around the food, using only a fraction of the oil needed for deep-frying. An air fryer can achieve a crispy texture similar to deep-fried foods but with significantly less fat and fewer calories. This makes it a perfect tool for creating healthier versions of classic snacks like fries and even chicken strips.
Baking and Roasting: Cooking vegetables in the oven is a simple and effective way to create a crispy texture with minimal oil. Roasting encourages caramelization and brings out the natural sweetness of many vegetables. Unlike frying, this method preserves more of the food's natural nutrients, like vitamins and minerals. For best results, use a high temperature (around 400-425°F) and spread vegetables in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Sautéing and Grilling: For some vegetables, a quick sauté in a pan with a small amount of healthy oil, like olive oil, is a great alternative. Grilling is another fantastic option, allowing excess fat to drip away while imparting a delicious smoky flavor.

Top Healthier Alternatives to Fries

Here is a list of delicious and nutritious substitutes for your next craving:

Sweet Potato Fries: A classic alternative, sweet potato fries are packed with fiber and vitamins A and C. When baked or air-fried, they offer a satisfying sweetness and a soft-yet-crispy texture. Season with cinnamon for a sweeter profile or smoked paprika and chili powder for a savory kick.
Baked Zucchini or Carrot Fries: Zucchini is a low-carb, high-nutrient vegetable that can be sliced into sticks, breaded, and baked until crispy. Carrot fries offer a naturally sweet flavor and are rich in beta-carotene.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts or Broccoli: Roasted Brussels sprouts turn out crispy and caramelized, a perfect side dish or snack. Similarly, roasting broccoli florets with olive oil, salt, and pepper creates a flavorful and nutrient-dense side.
Kale Chips: For a very light and crispy snack, toss kale leaves with a little olive oil and salt and bake until crunchy. This is an incredibly simple, low-calorie, and high-nutrient alternative.
Roasted Chickpeas: A protein- and fiber-packed snack, roasted chickpeas can be seasoned with various spices for a crunchy, satisfying treat.
Fresh Vegetable Crudités with Hummus: For an effortless and raw option, serve fresh vegetables like cucumber, bell peppers, and carrot sticks with a side of hummus. This offers a healthy crunch without any cooking.

Comparison: Deep-Fried Fries vs. Healthy Alternatives


Feature	Deep-Fried Fries (Restaurant Style)	Baked Sweet Potato Fries (Homemade)	Air-Fried Veggie Fries (Homemade)
Cooking Method	Submerged in large amounts of hot oil	Baked in oven with minimal oil	Cooked with circulating hot air and minimal oil
Calories	High, due to absorbed oil and frying process	Significantly lower	Lower (70-80% less than deep-fried)
Fat Content	High in saturated and trans fats	Lowers total fat intake substantially	Minimal fat, mostly from small amount of added oil
Nutrient Density	Lower, many nutrients lost during frying	High (e.g., Vitamin A, C, fiber)	High (e.g., depends on vegetable, fiber)
Potential Harmful Compounds	Increased risk of acrylamide formation	Lower risk of acrylamide formation	Lower risk of acrylamide formation than deep-frying
Taste & Texture	Crispy exterior, soft interior, greasy	Crispy exterior, sweet and soft interior	Crispy and golden, less greasy

How to Make Healthier Fries Taste Great

Making the switch doesn't mean sacrificing flavor. Here are some tips to make your healthier alternatives delicious and satisfying:

Cut for Crispiness: Ensure your vegetables are cut into even, uniform pieces. For oven- or air-fried fries, don't overcrowd the pan. This allows for proper air circulation, resulting in a crispier texture.
Season Generously: Don't rely on just salt. Experiment with spices like smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and rosemary. Nutritional yeast can also add a cheesy, savory flavor without the dairy.
Create Healthy Dips: Pair your veggie fries with homemade dips like Greek yogurt-based ranch, herby chimichurri sauce, or a simple avocado mash. This adds flavor and can increase your protein intake.
Embrace the Natural Flavor: Healthy sides don't need to mimic their deep-fried counterparts exactly. Learn to appreciate the unique flavors that roasting brings out in different vegetables. For example, the caramelization of roasted carrots or sweet potatoes adds a natural sweetness that fried potatoes lack.

A Simple Step Towards a Healthier Diet

Choosing a side dish may seem like a small decision, but it’s one that can have a positive cumulative impact on your overall health. By swapping deep-fried fries for baked, air-fried, or roasted vegetable alternatives, you significantly reduce your intake of unhealthy fats and excess calories. You also increase your consumption of essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber, contributing to better weight management and a lower risk of chronic disease. While the texture may not be exactly the same, the flavor and health benefits of these substitutes are a rewarding trade-off. Start with one simple swap, like baking sweet potato wedges instead of buying frozen fries, and enjoy the delicious journey toward a healthier lifestyle. The American Heart Association offers more guidance on integrating healthy snacking into your diet.

Conclusion

Choosing what's healthier than fries is about making conscious, nutritious choices that don't compromise on taste. By embracing alternative cooking methods like air-frying and baking, and incorporating a variety of nutrient-dense vegetables into your meals, you can enjoy crispy, flavorful sides that support your health goals. From sweet potato wedges to kale chips and roasted chickpeas, the options are plentiful and delicious. Making this simple switch is an easy and effective way to reduce fat and calories in your diet, proving that healthier eating can be both satisfying and enjoyable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Air-fried foods are generally healthier than deep-fried, but for certain dishes, baking can be the healthiest method as it requires very little to no added oil. Air-frying uses very little oil, making it a very healthy cooking method, often healthier than pan-frying.

To get crispy baked vegetables, cut them into uniform pieces, toss them in a small amount of oil, and arrange them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Baking at a high temperature (around 425°F) and flipping them halfway through helps achieve a golden-brown crispiness.

When cooked healthily (baked or air-fried), sweet potato fries are a better option. They are naturally richer in vitamins A and C and offer more fiber than deep-fried regular fries.

Store-bought oven fries are often a better choice than deep-fried restaurant fries, but they can still be high in sodium and may contain additives. Making your own at home from scratch with fresh potatoes is the healthiest option.

Roasted chickpeas are an excellent option for a salty, crunchy snack. They are rich in protein and fiber, helping you feel full, and can be seasoned with various spices to your liking.

Yes, using healthier oils in minimal amounts is important. Olive oil is often recommended for its health benefits. When air-frying or baking, tossing with a small amount of oil is usually sufficient.

Yes, you can make fried chicken healthier by air-frying or baking it instead of deep-frying. Using a crispy breading like panko and cooking on a wire rack can help achieve a similar crunchy texture with less oil.