Whether it’s a Friday night ritual, a pay day treat or a way to celebrate a special occasion, takeaways often feature in our diet somewhere along the line. When trying to maintain a calorie conscious diet, the idea of a takeaway can make us feel less than confident in what we are choosing from that oh-so-tempting menu, but there is hope! Below are a few suggestions for choices you can make if you do find yourself reaching for the menu.
Pizza
Ordering a pizza doesn’t have to blow the calories for the entire day (although it easily can!) as long as you are aware of how much you are eating and what the toppings equate to in terms of calories.
The Top 5 Tips
1) Opt for a thin crust over thick
2) Stay low on meat and high on veg toppings
3) Eat your slices with plenty of salad to fill up on the good stuff and avoid scoffing the whole pizza in one sitting
4) Ask for reduced fat cheese when you order (Domino’s now offer reduced fat mozzarella)
5) Stick away from stuffed crust options
Pizza Express have a 500 calorie pizza option that comes with a dressed salad in the middle of it. There are a couple of different topping options and it’s plenty big enough to satisfy a healthy appetite.
Indian
If you love a curry and the thought of giving them up is near on impossible, you don’t need to get rid all together. If you’re sensible with your choices a curry can be a calorie conscious meal.
The Top 5 Tips
1) Avoid creamy dishes and go for tomato based dishes instead
2) Opt for a curry rich in pulses such as Dhal which is made with lentils and will fill you up with the good stuff!
3) Choose boiled rice instead of pilau – saving an average of 280 calories
4) Go for a chappati instead of a naan – chappatis are around 110 calories each whereas naan breads are around 455!
5) Don’t ditch that free salad – pop it on your plate to fill space with this instead of sauces and fried starters.
Chinese
Ordering Chinese food often seems like a healthier choice with all of the vegetables and noodles, but it can be a sly one! Anything described as “crispy” means it has been deep fried and is therefore loaded with fat and calories. The main dishes tend to be lower in calories than many other takeaway options so if you stick to a sensible main and ditch the fried rice and deep fried starters you’ll stay within a reasonable calorie quota. A word of warning: avoid scoffing down the prawn crackers – a bag full will see you eating your way through 400 calories!
Knowing what to order from a takeaway when you are trying to keep your calories in check can be difficult, but with these top tips you can make confident choices that won’t leave you feeling guilty as you clear the empty cartons away!
Image Source: Nhs.co.uk
