The Healthiest Take-Out Meals for You and Your Family

Love take away but your trying to diet, well this is a must read post for you!

Guest Post

With today’s busy lifestyles, it can be difficult or even impossible to find time for cooking healthy meals at home. If you find yourself relying on take-out restaurants and fast foods to feed your family, you may become concerned about the obesity epidemic and its related illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease.

Is All Take-Out Food Bad?

Although many take-out foods are laden with fat and empty calories, there are healthier choices available. Simply choosing the right items can make take-out meals a time-saving convenience that won’t destroy your family’s health. Here are some guidelines for bringing home healthier take-out meals from your favorite restaurants.

Chinese Take-Out

Chinese food is actually very healthy if you know how to order it. Many dishes are packed with nutritious vegetables and lean meats. For the healthiest choices, avoid breaded, fried dishes and sweet sauces. Egg rolls are also fried and should only be eaten in moderation. Noodles and fried rice have more fat and calories; stick to steamed rice.

Cooking methods are important when choosing healthy Chinese dishes. Steamed foods are best. When it comes to sauces, soy and garlic are less fatty. You can avoid extra calories by asking for sauces on the side.

Healthier Pizza

Pizza is a beloved comfort food for many families. Unfortunately, standard pizza recipes are packed with fat and calories. For healthier pizza, order extra veggies, less cheese and a thin crust. Avoid stuffed-crust pizzas and fatty meats like pepperoni. Many pizza restaurants offer lean ham or grilled chicken as a topping.

Fast Food Burgers

One of the most challenging types of fast food meals to make healthier is the typical burger-and-fries. There are a few ways to minimize the damage. Order kid-sized burgers; most larger burgers are vastly oversized and full of grease. Skip the cheese and mayonnaise. Instead, opt for ketchup and mustard and fresh veggies as toppings. Instead of fries, order a side salad with low-fat dressing.

Most burger restaurants also offer a grilled chicken sandwich. This is a great alternative to fatty ground beef. Be careful when ordering full-sized salads; sometimes they are packed with cheese and other high-fat ingredients.

Healthy Sub Sandwiches

Sub restaurants are excellent choices once you know what to avoid. Freshly baked wheat sub rolls are healthy and delicious. Some chains also offer low-fat sauces such as light mayonnaise and honey mustard. Choose lean meats like turkey and ham and pile on the veggies. Avoid tuna and chicken salads that are full of mayonnaise, and resist the temptation to add cheese or indulge in giant meatball subs.

Your Local Grocer

The grocery store is an underutilized source of healthy take-out. When you get bored with area restaurants, try a freshly cooked rotisserie chicken from your grocer’s deli. This has fewer calories and less fat than greasy fried chicken, and stores often offer healthy side dishes such as prepared garden salads or fresh fruit bowls.

Check It Out

If you are not sure about a menu item, ask for nutritional information. By using common sense guidelines, your family’s health can be enhanced by eating take-out foods instead of being compromised.

Photo credit: Take-out by Mykl Roventine/flickr

Renee Varney is a freelance blogger and occasionally writes for delivery.com a site she loves using to Order Chinese Food Delivery using their Food Delivery NYC directory.