Target's 13 Best Snacks To Cook In Your Air Fryer, According To Customers

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It's probably not surprising that the best Target snacks for the air fryer come from the store's frozen aisle. But not every snack option turns out well. To save you the trial and error, we skipped the worst offenders as well as anything that isn't highly rated by customers or doesn't include air fryer directions on the package.

If you love a snack that's crispy on the outside but soft on the inside, then this list is for you. Some of these snacks may be familiar to you, as they're classics that we've been making in our ovens or microwaves for years. However, others may be new options or brands you haven't tried before. Since you can make everything here in the air fryer, you won't end up with a soggy microwaved version or have to wait for your oven to preheat before you can get snacking. Next time you're at Target looking for an air fryer snack, you'll want to reference this list.

No matter what other frozen snacks companies develop, Totino's Pizza Rolls will remain a classic favorite for all ages. While using a microwave, oven, or toaster oven is possible here, the air fryer produces the crispest version of this snack. While all the flavors Target offers are highly rated, Totino's Combination Pizza Rolls come out on top, offering sausage, cheese, pepperoni, and pizza sauce.

Totino's Pizza Rolls have been an after-school, midnight, and anytime snack since 1968. The company was known as Jeno's Pizza Rolls until 1985, when Pillsbury bought the company and rebranded it as Totino's Pizza Rolls. According to the Michigan Daily, they account for over 26% of all frozen snack sales in the U.S. So, we're betting you've already tried them at some point.

Plenty of reviewers say they eat these for meals instead of just for snacks, always keeping a bag in the freezer in case the craving hits. Basically, they taste like pizza, but they're bite-sized and in a more quick and convenient format than a full-sized pizza. Unfortunately, some customers have complained about the company skimping on filling recently.

Those interested in a healthier alternative to Totino's Pizza Rolls might want to try Dr. Praeger's Pizza Stars. If you've only tried Dr. Praeger's veggie burgers, you've been missing out on its snack foods. Sure, you could make them in the microwave in mere seconds, but they come out crisp from the air fryer in only about 5 minutes, which is half the time you'd have to cook them in the oven (after it preheats).

We love the ingredient list, which includes familiar non-GMO items like mozzarella cheese, cauliflower, zucchini, and navy beans, with pizza sauce. Meanwhile, the batter for the crust is gluten-free.

Reviewers say that their kids love these, and their rating is actually higher than Totino's Pizza Rolls. So, eating a healthier pizza-inspired snack doesn't mean that you have to sacrifice flavor for sure. Customers also say they don't really detect the veggies in a way that would be a turn-off. We've seen a few reviews mention them being mushy, which is why you definitely want to use the air fryer rather than the microwave to get them as crisp as possible. We've also seen suggestions of having a nice marinara sauce to dip these in for optimum enjoyment.

Hot Pockets are another frozen snack with which you're probably familiar. It came out in 1983 and featured a crisping sleeve that allowed you to slightly crisp them in the microwave. There are lots of Hot Pockets flavors, but the one with the highest rating at Target is the hickory ham & cheddar Hot Pockets flavor with a croissant crust. Customers say that this one doesn't come with a crisping sleeve. However, this means you can get a crisper sandwich in the air fryer instead of the microwave.

Hot Pockets is jumping on the protein trend by listing its protein amount on the front of the box: nine grams. At over a quarter pound per sandwich and 290 calories, it's a pretty hefty "snack" – one that can tide you over until a fairly late meal time if need be.

Reviewers like the flavorful filling and how flaky the crust is while still being soft. It's a favorite that many fans have had for years, continuing to buy it and often liking it above the other available flavors. While some people wish there were more than four in a pack for the price point, it still comes out to less than $1.50 per croissant sandwich, which isn't bad at all when you think about the cost of ordinary fast food sandwiches these days.

Taquitos is another classic frozen snack we've been eating for decades. Their small size makes them more snacky than a burrito, but filling enough to hold you over until dinner time. If the standard brand you've been buying isn't Delimex, you might want to give it a try since Delimex beef corn taquitos have the highest taquito rating at Target.

Although the Delimex brand now belongs to Kraft-Heinz, the brand started in 1984 as a way to showcase Mexican street food. While Delimax taquitos are sold by the box, the brand is still passionate about helping Mexican street vendors in California connect with customers. While you could make these in the microwave in a few seconds, they only take 6 to 7 minutes in the air fryer if you're craving something crunchy. It's nearly double that time in the oven. A serving is five beef-filled corn taquitos. You get 20 taquitos in a box, and each has 12 grams of protein and 72 calories to provide fuel to get you through.

Customers like the crunch, well-balanced flavor, and how fast they are to make in the air fryer. They say that dipping them in sour cream, salsa, chili sauce, or even marinara makes the snacking experience even better. This is also a fun and quick snack to make as an appetizer for parties.

No matter the format, pizza-flavored items are popular snack foods, which is why you're probably not surprised to see classic Bagel Bites on our list. The most highly-rated flavor at Target seems to be cheese and pepperoni Bagel Bites, which have stood the test of time as a favorite snack food.

Bagel Bites got its start around 1982 when two guys who played tennis together were trying to dream up a business idea and hit upon the idea of making pizza-flavored appetizers out of then-newly-popular mini bagels. You can microwave them in a crisping tray, but they're really better in the air fryer with a texture both chewy and crispy. Making them in the air fryer also cuts off about 5 minutes of time over making them in the oven or toaster oven.

Customers like that they're like mini pizzas, so you don't have to worry about biting into these and accidentally burning your tongue with sauce as hot as the sun, like with pizza rolls. They're just as good for an after-school snack now as they were in the '80s, and today's kids still love them. Plus, they're predictably good, with the perfect ratio of sauce, cheese, and cubed pieces of pepperoni in every Bagel Bite.

Corn dogs rank high as a frozen snack food at Target, but it's only vegan MorningStar Farms corn dogs that come with air fryer instructions on the box. The others are either not nearly rated as high or come with deep fryer instructions with oil instead of air fryer instructions. Even reviewers who are not vegetarians and vegans like them. While you can make them in the microwave in a minute, you get a more satisfyingly browned and crisped exterior in the air fryer.

Reviewers find the flavor really close to real meat-based hotdogs, and the ingredient list is probably a little more appetizing than the pieces parts hotdogs tend to be made from anyway. It contains ingredients like pea protein and vegetable juices and extracts, as well as onion powder and garlic powder, along with a yellow cornmeal batter.

Reviewers who aren't usually big fans of corn dogs or who aren't vegetarians or vegans even like them. Some like them better than meat-based and even mention feeding them to kids who can't tell they don't have any meat. Customers seem to like them just fine plain, but you can always add your favorite corn dog condiments like ketchup or mustard if you'd like.

All the Bibigo brand frozen snacks at Target have fairly high ratings, but the highest rated one that can be warmed and crisped in your air fryer is Bibigo bulgogi chicken & vegetable crispy dumpling bites. If you haven't tried making dumplings in the air fryer yet, we think you're going to be pleasantly surprised at how well they crisp on the outside without having to cook them in an oiled pan. This one actually only has air fryer, microwave, and toaster oven directions, with the air fryer version only taking 6 minutes to cook.

Bibigo makes Korean cuisine and has been doing so since 1953. In case you're not familiar with this flavor already, bulgogi is usually Korean BBQ beef with lots of delicious, strong flavors like sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, and onions. However, the filling of this version is made with chicken and also contains cabbage and glass noodles. There's also a soy sauce-based sauce included to satisfy your craving for something a little sweet and spicy. Some reviewers wish they could buy the sauce by the bottle.

Reviewers like both the flavor of the filling and the crispness of the outside of the dumpling after air frying, though some don't think it really tastes like bulgogi. Interestingly, a serving is the whole bag, but a whole bag is 520 calories, which makes it a good snack to share.

If you're looking for a frozen air-fryer-friendly snack at Target that's outside what you ordinarily get, you might want to consider Sukhi's Indian chicken tikka masala samosas as a snack to put on repeat. There are heating instructions for the oven or toaster oven, but they're ready in half the time when using the air fryer.

Samosas are the only Sukhi's frozen snack that Target offers. However, rather than being filled with traditional samosa vegetable ingredients, these samosas are filled with chicken in a tikka masala sauce made with all sorts of yummy Indian spices. It also comes with a spicy cilantro chutney. The serving size is about three samosas, and there are three servings per package.

Reviewers especially seem to like making these samosas in the air fryer since the outside crisps nicely. They also appreciate the flavor of the tikka masala filling. The snack is slightly sweet, but those flavor notes come from the caramelized onions and tomatoes rather than sugar. It's also said to be spicy, but most customers believe it isn't too hot.

There are several varieties of Tyson Any'tizers in the frozen food section at Target, but Tyson Any'tizer crispy chicken fries have the best reviews of all of them. So, you might as well start with these. The meat is pre-cooked, and the only heating instructions are for an air fryer to get them to the perfect texture. Just pop them in the air fryer like you would French fries, and heat them for about 9 minutes.

While they're not tenderloins, they're made with all-white-meat chicken, which makes them better choices than some nuggets. Some reviewers find them better than Burger King's chicken fries, since you know these are going to be crispy straight out of the air fryer. Plus, they're flavorful. While some reviewers who have been getting them for a while have found them to have been getting smaller over time with a slightly different breading, they still seem to like them.

While plenty of kids are fans of Tyson's chicken fries, if you're looking for an airy fryer snack at Target specifically for kids, you're going to want to home in on the Tyson dino nuggets. Of course, you certainly don't have to be a kid to eat nuggets shaped like dinosaurs. Once again, for a Tyson product, the only heating instructions are for the air fryer, where it only takes 7 minutes before they're at the perfect crispness level.

These all-natural white-meat nuggets are even higher rated than any of the Tyson Any'tizers. Reviewers like the seasoning and the fact that they're moist and juicy inside while perfectly crispy outside. In comparison to other nugget brands, customers feel like the ingredient list looks better. It basically just contains chicken, spices, and breading ingredients like wheat and corn flour, and vegetable oil. So, you can feel fairly good about eating these nuggets, which seem to be of fairly consistent quality. Pair them with ketchup or your favorite dipping sauce, and you have quite a tasty snack or part of a meal.

Alexia sweet potato fries are definitely a frozen snack at Target that you don't want to skip. None of the highest-rated potato-based French Fries at Target include air fryer instructions on the package, but these do. And they only take about 15 minutes to make in the air fryer, which reviewers say is the best way to get maximum crispness from them.

The ingredient list reveals a bit of sugar and a few spices like mustard, turmeric, and paprika that make these fries extra tasty. They also have some oils, flours, and starches to help them crisp up better in the air fryer.

These are a favorite sweet potato fry for many reviewers, many of whom find them fairly addictive. Not only do they like the flavor, but they also like how crispy the air fryer makes them while retaining a soft interior. Unfortunately, there are a few recent reviews from long-time fans that suggest a recipe change that some customers don't like as much.

You really can't go wrong with Ore-Ida Mini Tater Tots. Chances are, if you're buying tater tots, this is your go-to brand, but these get an incredibly high rating from Target reviewers. They stay fluffy inside but get perfectly crisp outside in the air fryer. If you haven't managed to try tots in the air fryer yet, these are the ones you'll want to get you started because we don't think you'll be disappointed.

The fact that they're smaller than regular tots means that they're both perfect for snacking and will get done in the air fryer faster than regular-sized tots. They're perfect for simply popping in your mouth, but customers have lots of favorite ways of consuming them, like with seasoned salt, topped with shredded cheese and chili, or just with ketchup for dipping. Granted, they're already salted and seasoned. So, you don't necessarily need to add anything at all to enjoy them.

Yet another highly-rated potato-based snack at Target that you can cook in the air fryer is Arby's seasoned curly fries. Baking these in the oven takes 18 to 26 minutes, depending on your oven and how many you're cooking, but you can make a snack-sized portion in the air fryer in only 12 to 14 minutes.

Reviewers say they're well-seasoned and report that these taste closer to what you get in the restaurant if you use the air fryer rather than if you bake them in the oven. It gets a better crispness level that way. Granted, you don't get the branded sauces when you make them at home unless you've stashed some away for such an occasion. Some customers complain that there's just not enough in the bag. However, a full 22-ounce bag is only a little over $5, whereas you'd spend about the same amount for only two small orders of curly fries at the restaurant.

All the snacks we included in our list are ones that we found in the frozen appetizers and snacks, frozen potatoes, or frozen foods kids section of the Target website. The first thing that we did was to identify the highest-rated snacks in these categories. Not only did we consider how many stars they received, but we also wanted to ensure that they have a high percentage of 4- and 5-star ratings. So, everything on our list has a 4.6-star rating or higher and has 89% or more 4- and 5-star reviews.

The items also all have over 150 ratings, with many classics having thousands of them. The next thing we did when we had that list was to make sure that the package had air fryer instructions. Quite a few did not, which knocked them right off the list, although they had good ratings. Once we had this list, we looked at products that had multiple flavors and chose the flavor with the highest rating or highest percentage of 4- and 5-star reviews.