You Could Be Sabotaging Your Crispy French Fries Before You Get Home

The crispy, salty exterior of a perfectly cooked French fry is honestly the only reason this bite-sized snack is so popular. That's because as soon as fries enter soggy territory, something about eating them just feels gross. But if you've ever picked up fast food fries from the drive-thru or called in a food delivery service, then you've probably experienced the dreaded soggy fries. The best way to fix this problem is to prevent condensation by letting steam escape.

Hot foods release steam, and when that steam is confined to a small space, it has nowhere to go. It turns back into moisture as it cools, which ultimately makes the entire environment humid. So, when your French fries are in a small fast-food bag, and they omit steam, that steam winds up being the death of the crispy fries. The best solution here is to make sure the bag is breathable so the steam can escape. And if worst comes to worst, you can always reheat them.

If you're ordering French fries through a meal delivery service, you don't have much control over whether they're soggy or crispy when they arrive. However, before you pull away at the drive-thru, do yourself a favor and open up the paper bag. Remove the fries, and pop them into your cup holder, where that steam will have plenty of room to roam.

The only caveats are that you're almost guaranteed to eat them all on the way home, and if you have a long car ride, they might be cold by the time you get to your destination. If either is true for you, just open the paper bag and keep the fries inside the bag. Some steam will escape, but the bag will help keep most of the heat in.

If you're in a bind because you got those fries delivered and they're soggy, you can reheat the fries in your oven for the best results, or in a pan or air fryer for quicker heating. Just avoid microwaving them at all costs.