How to Order Healthy Chinese Take-Out

Chinese vegetables are healthy and tasty.

Chinese take-out is a tempting option for a quick and easy lunch or dinner. Chinese restaurants offer many delicious choices on their menus. With a little bit of caution and planning, you can order a healthy Chinese take-out meal to eat in the comfort of your home. Your overall strategy is to choose more healthy ingredients and to avoid unhealthy ingredients. Chinese restaurants typically offer a wide variety of healthy choices, and you can find them easily.

Instructions

1. Look for a section of the menu called “healthy” or “diet.” Many Chinese restaurants offer designated healthy options.

2. Find healthy ingredients. Look for dishes with plenty of vegetables and lean protein sources, such as chicken and fish. Clear soup is another low-calorie choice. Choose soy or garlic sauces because they have less sugar.

3. Avoid unhealthy foods. Stay away from breaded meat and vegetables. Fried rice and noodles are also fatty and high in calories. Avoid high-sugar sauce like sweet and sour.

4. Choose healthy cooking methods. Ask the cook to steam your food instead of frying it. Order the sauce on the side.

5. Place your order. If you are ordering online, follow the prompts. If you are making a special order, type in your instructions in the space provided. If you are calling in your order, tell the employee if you are asking for special orders.

Tips & Warnings

• The new health reform bill requires that restaurant chains with more than 20 locations provide nutrition information for their menus. Use this information to help you make your decisions.

• Someone else is preparing your food, so always look at it before you eat it to make sure that it is what you wanted.

References

• Kaiser Family Foundation: Side-by-Side Comparison of Major Health Care Reform Proposals