Potato strips are immersed in difluorodichloromethane at minus 21.6 F. for 11 seconds prior to being leached in water at 125 F. for 20 minutes in order to effect maximum crispness and rigidity in the final product. Said strips are then par-fried and subsequently immersed with agitation in oil-free difluorodichloromethane at minus 21.6 F. for 1 to 2 minutes, thereby freezing concomitantly with oil extraction. The nutritive properties of the fried potato strips are improved by the removal of excess oil by said extaction.