Everybody LOVES a good takeaway meal!!!
As much as I enjoy and emphasise the fact that a home cooked meal is generally the healthiest and best way to go, I do understand that it is not always an option. Of course there are also those times you just really cant be bothered stepping foot in the kitchen… especially on Friday or Saturday nights.
We all live busy lifestyles, get short of time, don’t have kitchen facilities close by or when we just feel like celebrating cos its the weekend, the thought of a takeaway or quick dine in meal is often very tempting!
Everyone eats takeaway food sometimes, the trick is just to choose the best, salad/veggie packed options available instead of the greasy kebabs and white carb loaded, creamy foods.
Here are some of the post popular cuisines for takeaway and a guide for how to choose the healthiest meal on the menu.
- Mexican
Mexican is known for being a relatively healthy option; the food is generally cooked without an excess of oils and fats. However, before you quickly order and eat an entire plate of crunchy nachos, scan the menu for a more nutrient dense choice. Burrito bowls with grilled meats, rice, spicy beans, guacamole and a little full fat cheese or sour cream are your best bets. If you are really craving a taco or burrito, follow the same guidelines but just make sure it is being wrapped in a soft shell corn tortilla as these are healthier than the crunchy ones and made without refined flours. Fajitas are also a great option as you can fill them with veggies and salads but unfortunately not all Mexican restaurants have these on the menu!
- Indian
Indian is a great option for the cooler winter months. Indians typically use lots of spices to add flavour to their cooking rather than sugar-laden sauces. Yay!
For a healthy Indian feast it is best to start with plain naan bread and the delicious yoghurt raita. For the main, try to be conscious of choosing a curry that has lots of veggies, spices and flavour that comes from healthy sources such as turmeric, paprika, coconut milk and go for a non fatty, lean meat. If you are a vegetarian, I recently tried a curry called ‘aloo gobi’ which contained potato, cauliflower, turmeric and coconut milk and was super delicious.
- Thai
The best option with Thai food is always a stir-fry, cashew nut, Thai basil, lemongrass and plain oyster sauce are generally a safe option with less or no added sugars unlike some of the others. Fresh rice paper rolls, or Thai salads are also a safe bet. Try to avoid overly fatty fried spring rolls as they are often dripping in vegetable oil, leave these as a sometimes food and only eat on occasions.
- Greek
Greek is well known for usually having quite a few healthy food options on a menu. The soups, Greek salads and grilled meats and seafood’s are all nutritious, delicious and safe choices. Greek takeaways are often served with whole-meal pita breads and either a side of veggies or salads and a little Greek yoghurt or tatziki to complete the meal. The pita bread and sides are a great accompaniment for the meal and will help you feel satisfied and fuller for longer.
- Vietnamese
Vietnamese is fast becoming a popular choice for many peoples weeknight takeaway meal. This is one of my favourite cuisines and you always know you are going to get something fresh, healthy and tasty. Pho soups are packed with health benefits and full of flavours. Rice paper rolls and the noodle salad bowls are also a very delicious option and the dipping sauces are often also made out of fresh and tasty ingredients. Vietnamese is a real winner in my books!
- Japanese
Japanese is another cuisine that had been growing in popularity recently. Miso soups, sushi, sashimi, salads or almost any grilled meats are the best way to go (so basically anything on their menu). The only thing to be careful of is Teriyaki flavoured anything, as that often will have added sugar, hence why it tastes so damn good!
- Burgers
Who doesn’t love a good burger!!! We are very fortunate now to have many more ‘healthier’ burger places opening up rather than just maccas, kfc, hungry jacks etc. Some of my favourites are Grill’d, and Enuf burger bars, but if you are on the run and need a drive through option, Oporto are okay as well (just make sure you choose a healthy option that’s no laden with sugary sauces, bacon and loads of cheese). On the other hand, homemade burgers are a fabulously healthy alternative and a great way to control exactly what you are putting on your burger. More recently you can even go out and get a burger served in a lettuce leaf instead of the bread bun. I LOVE lettuce burgers!!! I love that we can still indulge in a burger but not feel full and bloated from the bun, it’s a perfect combination! If you have not tried it yet I 100% recommend you do so a.s.a.p.
Hopefully this has helped you out for your Friday couch and takeaway date night 🙂
I would love to hear any suggestions for topics you would like me to write about, just leave them in the comments or send me a email through the contacts page.
Ash xx
