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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To wonder what's so bad about chips?

94 replies

Dancergirl · 28/03/2014 11:02

Well oven chips specifically. I buy the Mccain ones - two ingredients - potatoes and sunflower oil. So why do people think they're so bad?

OP posts:
WildThong · 28/03/2014 12:14

I make chips once a week. I just don't like the oven ones so bought an Actifry and it makes a big pile of lovely chips with one spoon of oil. Best of both worlds!

BeCool · 28/03/2014 12:14

Finney fats all have the same calories per gram. It's just butter tastes better.

Re oils for home frying rapeseed, and peanut are better options than sunflower/vegetable oils.

Tulip I've tried cooking with coconut oil but sadly I hate it. It taints EVERYTHING with it's taste (and I like coconut).

BeCool · 28/03/2014 12:15

"But I don't really have the personality to be an absolutist about it and Home Fries are v tasty"

Me too!

diddl · 28/03/2014 12:16

"I always put extra oil on my oven chips, otherwise they don't taste like chips IMO "

Ooh, only just seen that.

BeCool · 28/03/2014 12:19

WildThong sounds like a great solution and whilst I don't want to piss on your chips do you know about the major issues with Teflon (used in Actifry) & health?

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/3697324.stm

moosemama · 28/03/2014 12:22

I come down somewhere in the middle of ComposHat and BeCool.

Yes, the processing of fats is an issue, but at the same time I am of the opinion that as long as they are an occasional part of your intake, rather than a staple they're not a huge problem.

As with so many foods it's all about balance. It's not that you can't/shouldn't have them, just don't eat them all the time.

(... and McCain chips are gluten free which makes them a nice treat for my ds1, who can't even have chip shop chips unless it's the right night of the week and we travel to get them.)

StoorieHoose · 28/03/2014 12:23

I am in love with my Actifry - fabulous wee thing and produces lovely lovely chips

Blueberrybaby · 28/03/2014 12:23

I don't buy oven chips as I don't think they taste very good. I will order chips if I'm out for a meal, having fish and chips or if I'm having a McDonalds. I just prefer to eat them out where someone else does the deep frying for me and then I get proper chips rather than oven ones which are a poor substitution IMO.

anklebitersmum · 28/03/2014 12:28

There's nothing wrong with oven chips but they're not as good as great big chips cut from potatoes and then fried in LAAAAARD or beef dripping if we're feeling flush

mmmmmmmm Grin

BeCool · 28/03/2014 12:34

I've only brought oven chips once when they were on offer. They were horrid - I don't see the attraction at all.

How hard is it to chop up some spuds, coat them in a bit of oil and put them in the oven? Much much nicer and takes just a few minutes. You can leave the skins on the spuds if you are feeling lazy.

moosemama · 28/03/2014 12:40

I will admit to not really liking the taste or texture of them myself. There's nothing like a real home-fried chip made from fresh potatoes, but I am slightly paranoid about kitchen fires so haven't actually made any since I was a teenager. Blush

Do potatoes drizzled with oil and put in the oven taste the same or are they more akin to roast potatoes?

Burren · 28/03/2014 12:41

I'm the only person in the world who likes her chips on the soggy side... And slightly cold...

thegreatgatsby101 · 28/03/2014 12:49

Compos - agree so much I think I love you a little bit.

eightandthreequarters · 28/03/2014 12:51

My favourite chips are the ones that are left in the baking tray after you've served out absolutely equal portions to avoid all arguments at the dinner table. Except for these few extra, which are mine and which no one else will notice went missing....

Also looking for some chocolate sauce now that it has been mentioned as a dip. Intrigued.

Sallystyle · 28/03/2014 12:51

I hate oven chips.

I like them done in the acti fry though.

BeCool · 28/03/2014 12:52

oh they are MUCH nicer that the commercial oven chips. Different creature really. No gluten involved either!

I haven't deep fried chips at home since .......... perhaps ever (my Mum used to though). But the oven cooked versions taste great - and I am lazy and leave the skin on. Give them a couple of stirs while they cook - if you do it roughly and break the edge of the chip a little it makes it crispy and yummy.

I will make them tonight for sure after this thread (will use rape seed oil) - I have some Maris pipers ready to go.

RawCoconutMacaroon · 28/03/2014 13:01

We always have McCain oven chip or rustic wedge in the freezer "for emergencies" (our teens are quite prone to chip emergencies).

We buy them because of their "clean" ingredient list. They have no gluten or nasty additives.

For myself and DH, we tend to have parsnip or sweet potato chips, oven cooked in coconut oil or butter and herbs.

The problem with industrial veg oil (which is not veg oil, it's seed oil) is the chemical processing it undergoes, and the high temps it's processed at. They also have high levels of Omega 6 (NOT good, it's highly inflammatory). It's omega 3 we need more of, and a lot less omega 6.

The best fats/oils for cooking are coconut, butter and lard (but they need to be cold pressed and minimally processed), followed by extra virgin olive oil and Avocado oil.

As for frozen veg - if it's just frozen veg ie peas, carrots or whatever, study after study has shown higher vitamin content in frozen veg than in veg that have been sitting around for weeks! As soon as they are picked, the vitamin content starts to drop, but freezing stops that. Nothing wrong with frozen ingredients like veg, fish, meat ... Plenty wrong with frozen processed products tho! Read ingredients always.

Quinteszilla · 28/03/2014 13:03

Angry I need a chippy tea now!

Quinteszilla · 28/03/2014 13:04

800 calories. Oh boy.

everlong · 28/03/2014 13:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

moosemama · 28/03/2014 13:11

Thank you BeCool, I know what we'll be having for tea tonight. Grin

We have butter rather than any of the spreads and use rice bran oil or coconut oil for high temp cooking (depending on what's being cooked). Extra virgin for salad dressings etc.

YNK · 28/03/2014 13:12

Oven chips and frozen chips, to me, dont have a proper potato consistency. They seem to be more porous and less dense that home made chips, so absorb more of the oil than home made.

I love thick cut potatoes cooked with the skin in high temperature crisp n dry solid oil.
I dont use a deep fat fryer as I don't think you can get the temperature as high as an old fashioned chip pan.

I also like home made oven wedges made with olive oil and sprinkled with paprika!

unlucky83 · 28/03/2014 13:13

My DD1 hates oven chips! Refuses to eat them - even coated in ketchup!
I make homemade oven chips - like becool said upthread - don't even peel the potatoes, chop them, chuck them in a tray in the oven with some oil...only problem is they take longer than bought oven chips - but you can speed it up a bit by heating the tray up first on a gas ring before chucking them in the oven..
My mum still makes real chips - has a chip pan - yum. But I'm nervous of it -I did buy a second hand mini electric fryer, no instructions and still not sure if you close the lid or not...it is a bit rubbish...
I love chippie chips...and Macdonalds and Burger king and KFC
And I'm on a diet Sad

Dancergirl · 28/03/2014 13:24

Interesting about the oils, you learn something new every day.

rawcoconut what sort of coconut oil do you use for cooking? I've never used it. Does it make the food taste, ermm coconutty??

I put olive oil on my roast potatoes, not extra virgin, just normal. Is that ok?

OP posts:
OnlyTheWelshCanCwtch · 28/03/2014 14:17

Theres nothing wrong with chips
They have to be deep fried though, oven chips are rank

Nothing is bad as long as its in moderation

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