Review: Ore-Ida Waffle Fries

Do you want a little bit of pizzazz in your French fries? Try Ore-Ida Waffle Fries. Ore-Ida Waffle Fries offer the great Ore-Ida French Fry flavor you love in a tantalizing, texture-rich shape that'll make your taste buds happy and get kids raving. Ore-Ida Waffle Fries resemble the waffle fries at the Chick-Fil-A restaurants which are found across the United States.

Preparation

Ore-Ida Waffle Fries are easy to make in a conventional oven or deep fryer. I will state from personal experience that I have had to cook Ore-Ida Waffle Fries a tad longer than the packaging states because, I imagine, my oven must actually have a lower temperature than the thermometer states. Be sure you keep this in mind when cooking your Ore-Ida Waffle Fries; they may take longer or bake in a shorter amount of time than mentioned on the packaging. Remove the waffle fries from your oven after the fries appear golden brown and thoroughly cooked.

Conventional Oven

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. After your oven has attained the right temperature, place your Ore-Ida Waffle Fries in a single layer on a baking sheet and then place the baking sheet into your oven. Let your waffle fries bake for 18 to 25 minutes (if you're cooking a whole, 22-ounce package). Remove the waffle fries from your oven after they have cooked thoroughly and achieve that delicious-looking golden to golden-brown color!

Deep Fryer

Preheat the oil in the deep fryer to 400 degrees, making sure the oil does NOT come up more than half-way to the top of the deep fryer. Fill the frying basket with your Ore-Ida Waffle Fries, but be sure you don't fill the basket up more than half-way. After placing the waffle fries into the basket, begin cooking the waffle fries for about 2 to 4 minutes, until they attain a nice golden to golden brown color. Be sure you drain the oil off on a paper towel before serving.

Seasoning

I like my Ore-Ida Waffle Fries plain - just as they come out of the oven. However, many people like seasoned French fries. If you like seasoned fries, dash on your favorite flavors after you have finished cooking your Ore-Ida Waffle Fries. One of my favorite seasoning ideas that I like when I do eat seasoned French fries is paprika.

Flavor

Basing my Ore-Ida Waffle Fries taste test on plain, unseasoned fries, let me say that these French fries are very good. The waffle fry does bring a little more flavor (I think) than regular, stick-like French fries because I can put more fry into my mouth in one bite. Waffle fries are also great for scooping up more of sauce - if you enjoy dipping your French fries into sauce, like ketchup or barbecue sauce.

Ore-Ida Waffle Fries are nice and crunchy, but one of the most noticeable things about the flavor of these fries is how delicious they taste - they don't at all taste processed. They also don't leave a bitter, greasy flavor in my mouth, unlike some French fry products. However, I also bake mine in a conventional oven, so there's really no oil involved in my waffle fries. I assume the aftertaste and overall flavor would be quite different if I deep-fried mine.

Nutrition

Ore-Ida Waffle Fries really don't look so bad on paper when you consider the health aspects. Sure, Ore-Ida Waffle Fries may have some fats and carbohydrates, but they sure are good. And you'll be glad to know that Ore-Idea Waffle Fries have a bit of dietary fiber, no cholesterol, and no trans fat! Let's look at the Ore-Ida Waffle Fries nutritional panel as seen on the side of the package; numbers are for a 3-ounce, 8-piece serving:

Calories 160
Calories from Fat 60
Total Fat 6 grams
Saturated Fat 1.5 grams
Trans Fat 0 grams
Cholesterol 0 mg
Sodium 390 milligrams
Potassium 310 milligrams
Total Carbohydrates 22 grams
Dietary Fiber 2 grams
Sugars under 1 gram
Protein 2 grams
VitaminA 0%
Vitamin C 6%
Calcium 0%
Iron 4%

Resources

Personal and first-hand knowledge and experience
Ore-Ida Waffle Fries package