Healthy Eating Out

Contrary to popular belief, dieting and eating healthily needn’t necessarily mean that you need to stop eating out. It also doesn’t always mean that you need to stop eating fast food and takeaways.

Because, believe it or not, not all fast food is bad for you. And we’re not just talking about ordering a salad at McDonald’s, either.

Which is why here at Bodychef we’ve put together a few ideas for eating healthily when dining out or ordering a takeaway.

Chinese Food

While it’s true that many dishes bought at the Chinese takeaway are filled with salt and fat, this isn’t always the case. Stir fries, soups, and boiled rice dishes are often far healthier and more nutritious. Some particularly healthy examples include:
– Chicken or vegetable soup
– Szechuan chicken or shrimp
– Stir-fried vegetables
– Chicken or shrimp with garlic sauce

TIP: With Chinese, Indian, and Thai foods, try to steer clear of fried snacks and sides. Depending on the cuisine, these could include spring rolls, prawn crackers, samosas, onion bhajis, poppadoms, or satay meats, amongst others. Instead, go for extra boiled rice or vegetables to compensate. 

 

Indian Food

Like Chinese food, Indian dishes are often thought to be extremely high in both fat and calories. And with certain dishes, such as korma and tikka masala, this is often the case.

However, most Indian restaurants and takeaways also offer a range of far healthier options. Some of these include:

– Vegetable-based curries, such as rogan josh and saag
– Daal
– Tandoori chicken
– Boiled rice
– Aloo gobi (a potato and cauliflower dish)

 

Italian Food

Pizzas, pasta with creamy sauces, lasagne—a lot of Italian food is, admittedly, fat-filled, salty, and calorific. In other words, the sort of food that goes straight to your hips.

But it’s not all bad. In fact, many Italian foods can actually contribute towards maintaining a healthy diet. Some examples include:
– Mozzarella and tomato salad
– Spaghetti Arrabiata
– Spaghetti with meatballs

TIP: If you do order pizza, try to cut down on the size and hold the fatty toppings. And remember: don’t stuff yourself. Leftovers can make a great addition to lunch or mid-afternoon snack the next day. Also, where possible, try to substitute heavy, cream-based sauces for lighter, tomato-based ones.

 

Thai Food

Light, fragrant, and delicious, many Thai dishes are the perfect accompaniment to a healthy diet. To make sure you’re getting something that’s healthy and nutritious, try to stick to stir-fries, boiled rice, and other light dishes, while avoiding creamy sauces and fried meats. Some of the healthiest Thai dishes include:

– Tom yam kung (a clear, spicy, sour soup)
– Yum talay (a type of seafood salad)
– Moo pad king (pork fried with ginger)

 

French Food

France is renowned throughout the world for its superb cuisine. Whether it’s beef bourguignon, duck à l’orange, or even crepes, everybody has a favourite French dish. Unfortunately, many of these favourites can be extremely high in fat, butter, and salt. But that’s not to say that all French dishes are bad for you. For some healthy alternatives, try:

– Mussels
– Grilled goats’ cheese salad
– Grilled Dover sole
– Chicken chasseur

 

And finally… drink

When ordering a takeaway or dining out, it’s often all too easy to opt for a large soft drink, a beer, a latte, or something else filled with sugar and calories. For this reason, try to go for something a little healthier. Fruit juice, low-calorie soft drinks, smoothies, and even a nice chilled glass of flavoured water are all good alternatives.

So there you have it—a few great ways of enjoying the odd takeaway and staying healthy at the same time.

Still, if you do go overboard, remember that it’s not the end of the world. Have a look at our ‘easy ways to burn some extra calories’  article for a few exercise tips to help you shed those fast-food calories.

 

 

Get some balance back into your life by choosing a Bodychef Home Delivery diet.