Takeaways: healthier choices when you eat out

By Catherine Saxelby

Nutritionist Catherine Saxelby has some advice on how to make healthy choices when ordering takeaway food. The problem with takeaways What to look for when you order takeaway Healthier choices

We all love to grab a takeway meal when we’re busy – it’s filling and tasty and there’s no waiting around. But … 

The problem with takeaways

Most fast food is overloaded in kilojoules, saturated fat and sodium which together will make us fatter, clog our arteries and send our blood pressure through the roof. Combined with a poor showing of vegetables and super sized portions, fast food doesn’t come close to being the balanced meal you’d like it to be. And, it’s no wonder nutritionists don’t recommend it more than once a week.

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What to look for when you order takeaway

Take the time to choose a takeaway that’s not pastry encased, deep fried or smothered in an excess of cheese. This will help you avoid unnecessary fat. Looking out for fast foods that are based on fresh salads and bread provides a better balance in terms of a meal and will also boost fibre.

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Healthier choices

Turkish doner kebab

Flatbread, sliced hot lamb, tabbouli and hummous makes a good choice nutritionally but it’s a big serve and probably better for the blokes. The drawback is that sometimes the lamb (or chicken) can be pieced together with layers of fat which melt during cooking to keep the meat moist.

Doner kebab: 2300kJ, 26g fat, sodium – no figures available

Burger

One of the better fast food choices, a traditional burger when served with lettuce, tomato, beetroot and onion is a good quick meal. Large chain store burgers (Big Mac®, Whopper®, Eggburger) have too many kilojoules and fat for inactive people as do traditional burgers with cheese, egg and bacon.

Traditional burger with salad: 1820kJ, 25g fat, 475mg sodium

Salad rolls and sandwiches

One of the best choices especially if your bread is wholemeal/wholegrain. Choose a roll or sandwich filled with plenty of crunchy fresh salad.

Ham salad sandwich on wholegrain: 1175kJ, 11g fat, 1035mg sodium

Char-grilled chicken

Choose barbecued or rotisserie chicken, keep portions down, skin off and team it with salad, coleslaw or corn on the cob. Steer clear of fried, battered or crumbed versions.

Two pieces of skinless BBQ chicken: 1285kJ, 14g fat, 150mg sodium

Pizza

Easy to overeat, opt for pizza in a small/regular size (personal pizzas) or with a thin-and-crispy base. Wood-fired pizzas offer a lower-oil chewy base and a greater choice of less-cheesy toppings, making them lower in fat. Say No to pepperoni, salami, bacon and mince toppings - they pack in the fat and the salt.

Three slices of thin crust vegetarian pizza: 1745kJ, 14g fat, 920mg sodium

Asian stir-fries

Choose stir-fry dishes with lean meat or skinless poultry and vegetables and team them with boiled not fried rice. Avoid traditional favourites like sweet and sour pork or crispy skin chicken with lemon sauce as they can rack up the fat.

Beef and Asian vegetables in black bean sauce (excluding rice): 1510kJ, 15g fat, 670mg sodium

Salad in a box

A great choice nutritionally. Team them with some lean protein such as skinless chicken or grilled or canned fish to keep the hunger at bay.

Lemon and herb grilled chicken salad (Sumo Salad): 985kJ, 16g fat,70mg sodium

See how the top five worst fast foods compare with our healthier alternatives above

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