Learn on for our prime tricks to make a more healthy takeaway order. Subsequent, try our our favorite wholesome takeaway recipes, in addition to wholesome Chinese language, Thai and Indian dishes.
What’s a wholesome takeaway?
1. Indian
Tandoori dishes are one of many best methods to take pleasure in a more healthy takeaway, because the meat is often grilled reasonably than fried, which reduces the energy and saturated fats.
Keep on with tomato-based sauces and select one thing with a little bit of spice, assured to rapidly fulfill your style buds. Swap your naan for a few poppadoms topped with raita or tomato sambal, and select plain over pilau rice, which is cooked with additional oil.
More healthy choices:
Tomato-based or dry curries like tandoori, madras, jalfrezi, rogan and bhuna dishes. Plain rice, roti, poppadoms.
Reduce down on:
Creamy curries like masala, pasanda or korma. Naan, pilau rice, bhajis.
Make it your self:
Give it a go together with our lighter tandoori rooster recipe. Attempt utilizing a small quantity of rapeseed oil when cooking Indian dishes at house, and use wholemeal flour and brown rice reasonably than white to make your dishes even more healthy. For extra inspiration, try our wholesome curries and wholesome Indian recipes.
2. Chinese language
Within the UK, our favorite Chinese language takeaway dishes are typically battered, fried and crispy reasonably than extra conventional dishes, that are often lighter and decrease in fats. Over-eating if you get a takeaway is widespread, so go for a broth or soup starter whereas trying to steamed and stir-fried choices on your foremost.
More healthy choices:
Steamed/boiled rice, plain noodles, crab & sweetcorn soup, steamed dumplings, steamed fish, rooster chop suey, Szechuan prawns, vegetable stir-fry.
Reduce down on:
Fried rice, crispy duck, sticky sauces like candy & bitter, battered rooster/prawn/pork balls, prawn crackers, wontons, spring rolls, sesame toast, spare ribs.
Make it your self:
Cooking your individual Chinese language favourites means you possibly can minimize down on salt. Take a look at our wholesome Chinese language recipes for extra concepts, together with this candy & bitter pork.
3. Italian
Bowls piled excessive with creamy pasta and tacky deep-pan pizzas is likely to be scrumptious, however they don’t seem to be probably the most nutritious dishes. The excellent news is that there are nonetheless a lot of pretty lower-fat Italian alternate options. Go for thin-based pizzas and pastas with a tomato or vegetable sauce, and ditch the garlic bread in favour of better-for-you ciabatta – or, even higher, a inexperienced salad.
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More healthy choices:
Skinny-crust pizzas, lean meats, vegetable and seafood toppings, bruschetta, ciabatta, Italian soups corresponding to pasta fagioli or minestrone.
Reduce down on:
Deep-pan or thick/stuffed-crust pizza bases, pepperoni or additional cheese toppings, creamy pasta sauces, garlic bread, lasagne, fried calamari, ravioli.
Make it your self:
Attempt our straightforward, low-calorie barbecue pizza. In the event you’re rustling up your individual Italian feast, carbonara and lasagne needn’t be off the menu. Use much less oil when cooking and keep on with lean meats and lower-fat delicate cheeses to make your sauces creamy. Attempt our wholesome Italian recipes and uncover the perfect wholesome pizzas you can also make at house.
4. Fish & chips
It might be a quintessentially British takeaway, however an order out of your native chippy may be excessive in fats and salt. A portion of mushy peas will rely in direction of your 5-a-day, however remember these may be excessive in salt too. Portion sizes are sometimes on the beneficiant aspect, so ask for fewer chips or share one portion between two. You too can add any condiments your self, so that you’re extra accountable for your salt consumption. And at last, whereas white fish is an efficient supply of protein, after it’s been battered and cooked within the deep-fat fryer, it’s now not lean. Breadcrumbed fish could also be a lower-fat possibility, or just depart among the batter behind.
More healthy choices:
Breadcrumbed or plain grilled fish, mushy peas, baked beans, thick-cut chips (they soak up much less oil than thin-cut chips).
Reduce down on:
Skinny-cut or triple-cooked chips, pies corresponding to steak and kidney, jumbo battered sausages, onion rings.
Make it your self:
Bake breadcrumbed fillets of fish and home made chips within the oven for a crispy end, with no deep-fat fryer required. Our traditional recipes for crispy fish & chips with mushy peas or fish fingers & mushy peas are an important place to begin. In the event you fancy one thing completely different, strive our lemon pollock with candy potato chips & broccoli mash, or salmon & ginger fish desserts.
5. Mexican
Mexican meals is stuffed with flavour, however some objects on the menu may be excessive in energy, saturated fat and salt. Usually, keep away from deep-fried choices in favour of lean meats, fish or greens. Select delicate corn tortillas over crunchy, fried shells, and go for brown rice as a substitute of white if the restaurant affords it. Keep away from including a lot of ‘extras’ to your dish, corresponding to cheese, soured cream or mayonnaise. If you wish to add sauce, tomato salsa is an efficient alternative. Portion sizes may be giant, so strive splitting a starter or aspect dish between two, or save leftovers for an additional meal.
More healthy choices:
Fajitas, burritos or burrito ‘bowls’ crammed with lean meats, poultry, fish or beans plus peppers and onions, tomato salsa, guacamole (sparsely), grilled rooster or fish, salads (served with out deep-fried taco bowls).
Reduce down on:
Deep-fried dishes corresponding to chimichangas, chalupas and taquitos, refried beans, cheese dips, salty tortilla chips, loaded nachos, soured cream, salads served in deep-fried taco bowls.
Make it your self:
Fajitas are a good way to pack in loads of protein and greens, and you need to use wholemeal tortillas to extend fibre consumption. Selfmade chilli con carne is one other good possibility – strive our traditional chunky chilli or black bean burritos for a filling dinner. Browse our wholesome Mexican assortment for extra inspiration.
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A registered nutritionist, Kerry Torrens is a contributing writer to quite a few dietary and cookery publications together with BBC Good Meals journal. Kerry is a member of the Royal Society of Drugs, the Complementary and Pure Healthcare Council (CNHC), and the British Affiliation for Utilized Diet and Dietary Remedy (BANT).
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