Takeout Best Bets

I believe taking a realistic approach to nutrition means incorporating the occasional take out. Let’s face it, cooking every single night is not sustainable- we all need a break. I also love takeout as an opportunity to try new foods/cuisine and support local businesses. While meals prepared outside of the home are traditionally more indulgent, there are choices you can make in every scenario to feel like you’re still on track with your health goals. I wanted to share my tips and best bets for every type of cuisine.

PIZZA

The secret is in the portions. To be mindful of portion without feeling hungry, I recommend pairing with a salad or other veggie dish. The salad will help to fill your plate and your stomach, so you’re not relying on pizza alone to achieve this. If your local pizza joint doesn’t have appealing salads, consider keeping a pre-made salad kit on hand for pizza night. In terms of the pizza itself, I recommend opting for thin crust and opting for a choice containing a source of protein- chicken, shrimp or another non-processed meat would be ideal.

MEXICAN

Keeping it simple is ideal- tacos, fajitas and other grilled items that allow for customization are my top picks. Optimal protein choices include fish, shrimp, chicken or beans. I recommend limiting anything fried or served with a heavy sauce or cheese. Sub guacamole in place of sour cream to improve the fat profile (mainly unsaturated vs. saturated fat) and look to salsas and pickled veggies to boost flavor. Portions also tend to be on the higher side. Plan to split a dish or go into the meal planning on enjoying the second half for lunch or dinner the next day. When possible, skip the sides (rice & beans) that accompany entrees to be mindful of total carbohydrate portion.

JAPANESE/SUSHI

Rice portion tends to be the major factor to be mindful of when enjoying Japanese food. The amount of rice in rolls is deceiving, so I recommend looking at these as a side instead of the main feature. Sashimi or poke (without the rice) are fabulous ways to build protein into your meal. Look to traditional sides such as edamame, seaweed salad or miso soup for nutrient rich, less energy dense items. When choosing rolls, limit “crunchy” or fried rolls and skip mayo-based drizzles.

CHINESE

While the majority of westernized Chinese takeout tends to be high in fat and salt, traditional dishes can be an excellent choice. I recommend choosing steamed or sautéed vs. fried options and selecting dishes that feature vegetables such as chop suey, moo goo gai pan and beef and broccoli. Many Chinese vegetables (bok choy and gai lan for example) are rich in vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. Hot and sour soup and egg drop soup are high in protein and can support fullness with low energy density. Similar to most takeout, be mindful of your total carbohydrate portion. I like to aim to keep the total starch portion (noodles & rice) to less than 1 cup and instead look to veggies and proteins to fill the plate.

THAI & VIETNAMESE

Both Thai & Vietnamese cuisine present the opportunity to make vegetables the feature of the meal. Additionally, many dishes can be modified to replace part of the starch portion with a crunchy vegetable. For example, I recommend substituting half the rice noodles in traditional Vietnamese soup (pho) with bean sprouts to reduce the overall energy density of the meal without changing the overall portion. Salad or fresh rolls can also be a way to pack a ton of veggies into your meal without feeling like you have to order a salad itself. Many traditional dishes do a wonderful job of flavoring plant-based protein such as tofu- if you are typically hesitant to try preparing these alternate protein sources, consider building them in when enjoying takeout. Similar to pho, I recommend being mindful of your portion of starch in other Vietnamese offerings such as banh mi sandwiches (consider enjoying half and pairing with a salad or having open face) or vermicelli bowls (consider splitting or saving half for later to keep total noodle portion to < 1 cup). With Thai cuisine, it’s helpful to aim for a total portion of 1 cup of noodles and rice combined. While curries are delicious, I recommend keeping your portion small due to the high saturated fat content of the coconut milk.

INDIAN

Indian cuisine does a wonderful job of showcasing beans & legumes in dishes such as daal (lentils) and chana masala (chickpeas/garbanzos). These are going to be best bets over richer cream or meat-based dishes such as those prepared with lamb. Any dish prepared in the tandoor (oven) is going to be a good choice as the flavor is achieved from marinating and spices versus heavy sauces and frying. If you love saag paneer as much as I do (essentially creamed spinach with more cheese), consider lightening it up and boosting the protein by substituting tofu for the paneer. To be cognoscente of carbohydrate intake, I recommend choosing either bread (naan, roti etc) or rice. Since many restaurants automatically send rice with their dishes, throw any leftovers in a freezer bag to have pre-cooked rice on hand for another time.