Re: Chips.

I say there's nothing wrong with deep-fried foods now and then if you use good oils instead of oils high in saturated or trans fats.

Re: Chips.

I agree, Linda, and I do love chips - but - how do you dispose of the oil afterward?

Mother had a chip pan that was always full of dripping - heaven knows how many times it was heated and reheated - she never ever emptied it - just kept adding more when the level was low enough. The chips tasted fabulous and none of us died - well, not from food poisoning anyway !!

Re: Chips.

Normally I wait until it's completely cooled, then empty the oil into a large ziplock bag and just toss it. I usually only use oil twice, maybe 3 times max, before I pitch it out. I've always used canola, but now they're saying canola should be avoided because it's genetically modified and can actually be dangerous to your health. However, I've used canola oil for years and I'm not dead yet, so...

They say the best oil to use is coconut. Unrefined, of course. Refined oils are the ones that are considered to be dangerous. But coconut oil is super expensive and the saturated fat content - though they say it's 'healthy' saturated fat, if there is such a thing - scares me. I know they're saying these days that saturated fat doesn't have the impact on health they once thought, but still... even though I'm more relaxed about eating fats than I used to be, I'm still fat-phobic and I just can't seem to shake it completely. So I reach for the oils that are mostly monounsaturated.

Although in the south pacific, where a huge portion of their diet is made up of coconut and coconut oils, they're some of the healthiest people in the world with low rates of heart disease.