Do the vegetable check
We have more meals delivered to home since we work from home and the catering industry is open to a limited extent. That is of course not so crazy. A takeaway is quick and easy, but not always very healthy. What is the best thing to order if you still want to eat healthy?
View the menu
Nowadays you can view the menu of the restaurant on almost every website. Select on the healthier choices. Steamed, boiled and grilled foods often contain fewer calories than baked or fried. If you opt for vegetarian, such as tofu, falafel, cheese as paneer or halloumi, you often end up with a leaner dish than if you opt for meat. Fish is also a lean option, if not fried.
Check the vegetables
The best way to ensure a healthy choice is the vegetable check. Usually there are not many vegetables in takeaway meals. Consider sushi, for example, which is mainly white rice with fish. Pizzas are often only sparingly topped with vegetables and at the snack bar or kebab shop you mainly get a carbohydrate source and meat. By choosing vegetable dishes you are better and healthier. Or order extra vegetables as a side dish. For example, opt for an extra salad or an extra vegetable dish. More vegetables make your meal healthier and the fiber also ensures more satiety. You can also make a quick salad at home in the time your dish is delivered or put some snack vegetables on the table to make up for the lack of vegetables.
The right portion
When you cook for yourself, you influence the amount you serve. If a meal is delivered ready-made, you are more likely to eat a larger portion than usual. Inquire whether there is also a smaller portion, which saves you a lot of calories. Have you ordered a large portion? Then you can also choose to share it. You can of course do the same with a dessert or dessert. Do you have a 3- or 4-course menu delivered to your home? Remember that you can also choose multiple starters instead of main courses. Then you eat a lot less and you can still enjoy yourself.
Sauce & toppings separately
Delivery meals often come with sauces, dressings, and sometimes toppings. Ask if they can pack these separately, so that you can determine the amount yourself. Or order fries without it and opt for your own slim yogurt mayonnaise. Do you order pizza? For pizza, choose lean seasonings, such as onions, olives, capers, arugula, mushrooms and avoid pizzas with a lot of cheese or meat.
Healthy choices in a row
Do you have a wide choice of takeaway meals? Then compare the menus carefully. The kitchens where you are most likely to have healthier meals are:
- Thai: think of delicious dishes with chicken, fish, tofu and stir-fried vegetables. Or spring rolls with vegetables and fish.
- Indian: plenty of healthy choices, such as dishes with chickpeas and lentils. Delicious with a yogurt sauce and falafel or halloumi. Eat it with a little brown rice or naan bread.
- Mexican: order something with chicken, beans or vegetables. You can easily replace the sour cream with full-fat (Greek) yogurt and whole wheat wraps from your own pantry.
- Chinese: dishes such as tjap tjoi, gado gado or a large vegetable spring roll contain a relatively large amount of vegetables. Also, the egg dish foe yong hai is a better choice than the pork dishes.
- Vegetarian/vegan: this is where the chance of dishes with vegetables is greatest. Think of a healthy buddha bowl with chickpeas, quinoa, tempeh, pumpkin and avocado. Ask if the carbohydrate component can be a bit smaller, it is usually well represented.
- Japanese: Sushi is basically a lean takeaway, but it’s easy to eat too much of it. For example, combine sushi with edamame beans, seaweed salad or miso soup.
- Italian: a pizza with a thin crust and richly topped with slim seasonings such as vegetables, olives, arugula, onions, capers, anchovies and some Parmesan. If you opt for a pasta or spaghetti dish, order a salad or an extra portion of vegetables.
- French: skip the baguette with herb butter and go for a tasty onion soup. Other French treats that are relatively lean and healthy: coq au vin and salad Niçoise.
What do you drink with it?
Like soft drinks, alcoholic drinks contain a lot of calories. It is therefore preferable to drink water from the tap, sparkling water or diet soft drinks with your takeaway meal. To end your takeaway on a healthy note, you could also opt for a cup of coffee or tea instead of dessert.
