You can, believe it or not, have loaded fries every single day — feel full, actually get your nutrients in, and eat something that feels borderline illegal.
Don’t believe me? Fine. You’ve really annoyed me now, but I’m still going to tell you.
First things first: get yourself down to Lidl (or Aldi, if you must — but I’m a Lidl guy through and through) and grab the following:
- Potatoes
- Pork mince (high in protein, low in cost — an elite combo)
- Grated cheese (calcium, protein, happiness — all in one bag)
- Spring onions (we’re getting our greens in, relax)
- Any sauce of your choice
This little haul shouldn’t set you back more than a tenner — and that’s for about ten meals, assuming you’ve got roughly two kilograms of potatoes. Cheap, filling, and not half as bad for you as you’d think.
Now, I won’t waste your time with my silly little bracket quips (I’m self-aware, okay?) or my probably irritating style of writing — so let’s get cooking.
Step 1: The Fries
Use a sharp knife (responsibly, please) and cut your potatoes into fry shapes.
Quick caveat — I’m assuming you have at least a basic grasp of cooking. If not, don’t worry, this is still idiot-proof.
Whack those into the air fryer, season generously with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic granules (or literally whatever you’ve got).
Cook at 200°C for 20 minutes until they’re golden and crispy — air fryer = minimal oil, maximum health!.
Step 2: The Mince
Get a pan lightly oiled and pop it on medium heat. Throw in your mince — however much your budget (or appetite) allows.
Season with whatever’s nearby and let it cook for around 10 minutes until browned and smelling like a Trent Kebabs does when you’re slaughtered.
Step 3: The Upgrade
Chop up some spring onions — no messing about in this article, this isn’t an all-day brunch review.
Now throw in a handful of cheese and stir it through. What you’ll get is a melty, cheesy mince topping that’s high in protein, full of flavour, and honestly… kinda good for you.
Step 4: The Payoff
Once your fries are done, pile them up and spoon that cheesy mince right on top.
Finish with spring onions and a drizzle of your chosen sauce — BBQ, sriracha, mayo, whatever you’ve got.
And there you have it: healthy loaded fries. Carbs, protein, fats, micronutrients — the full gang. It’s balanced, cheap, and tastes way too good to feel this wholesome.
Final Thoughts
It’s not a cheat meal. It’s not junk. It’s just clever cooking.
Ten minutes of effort, one air fryer, and you’ve got a meal that hits the same dopamine receptors as a takeaway, minus the guilt and the price tag.
So yeah — you can have loaded fries every day. And your body might actually thank you for it.
