How To Eat Takeout Without Ruining Your Diet

When you’re trying to stick to a healthy diet,  getting takeout is usually out of the question. After all, most takeout foods are very unhealthy, even if you don’t go for a burger or a pizza. If takeout is necessary, remember to have a good balance in your food order and to allow yourself a treat from time to time. The key is learning how to make takeout healthier.

 

A lot of people assume that this isn’t possible, but with a few simple changes to how you order and what dishes you go for, it absolutely is. Here’s how to eat takeout food without ruining your healthy diet. 

The 1:1:2 Ratio

This simple concept gives a general idea of how to put together a healthy, balanced meal. You should have a 1:1:2 ratio of meat to carbs to vegetables. In other words, half of the meal should be vegetables and the other half should be split between meat and starchy foods. Follow the same concept when you are ordering takeout, and you can get a better balance. For example, if you are ordering a burger, you’ve already got meat and carbs. Don’t order fries to go with it; get a salad instead. If you’re ordering for a big group, try to order multiple vegetable side dishes to get the balance right. 

Go For Vegan Options

Often, things like cheese and fatty meats are the unhealthiest parts of a big takeout meal. Why not go for the vegan option instead and cut those ingredients out? Vegan food is so popular these days and you can get some amazing vegan pizza and burgers etc which are just as indulgent as the non-vegan versions. However, they usually have fewer calories and more nutrients because they’re made with vegetables and soy products. 

 

Share Dishes

 If everybody orders one dish for themselves, you’ll end up eating a lot because takeout portions can be quite large. The thing is, you don’t need to do that because you can just order family style and share dishes. Getting three dishes between four people will be plenty of food for everybody, and you will all eat fewer calories. It also means you get the chance to sample more food and it’s a great social way to eat. How about an entree salad to split among the family as a side?

 

 

Add Nutrition From Your Own Kitchen

It’s not just about cutting calories, it’s about making sure that you get enough nutrition in your meals, which can be tough when ordering takeout. But there’s no reason why you can’t mix and match and add nutrition from your own kitchen. Why not order a burger and then cook up some greens and beans as a healthy nutritious side instead of getting fries? Another option is to make your own big salad with all your family’s favorite ingredients. This is a brilliant way to find a good middle ground so you can still indulge yourself from time to time, but you’re also giving your body the nutrition that it needs. 

 

 

If you use these simple tips, you can still eat takeout and follow a healthy diet at the same time.

 

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