I have many clients who never step foot in their kitchens but still manage to be successful sticking to a healthy diet. Fortunately, take-out restaurants have become privvy to consumers’ desires to eat healthy when ordering out. Sometimes it’s just easier to pick up the phone (yeah, right, who uses the phone to order delivery anymore?) or to head to Seamless and place an order. No shopping, cooking or clean up involved. There IS a way to order out and eat out without packing on the pounds. Yes, take out food is traditionally high in calories and fat but that’s because we associate ordering in with indulgence. BUT, when we realize that sometimes, ordering in is just a way to save time and not necessarily a time to indulge, we can make sensible choices and still feel satisfied.

Here are some of my favorite tips for ordering in and sticking to your diet!

Chinese:

Instead of Sesame Chicken, order Steamed Chicken (or beef, tofu or shrimp) with vegetables and instead of brown sauce, ask for a side of sesame chicken sauce and just use a little. Pair this with some brown rice.

Japanese/Sushi:

Choose a healthy starter (or more than one!)

Miso soup, while high in sodium, is a nice way to start your meal and fill up your stomach so you’re less likely to over eat your entree. Other good appetizer options include edamame, seaweed salad or a green salad with ginger dressing on the side. If you usually order two or more rolls, order one with rice and the rest without my opting for a Naruto roll (wrapped in cucumber) or sashimi.

Indian:

Instead of Chicken Tikka Masala which has a cream base, go for tandoori chicken or fish instead. Tandoori meats are marinated in yogurt and spices and either grilled or baked in a hot oven. They maintain lots of flavor without tons of fat!

Thai:

An order of pad thai from a restaurant will usually contain at least 900 calories. Instead of a noodle or rice based dish, look for the section called “Wok Dishes” will usually be some kind of stir fry made with lean protein. You can even ask them to go light on the oil and/or skip the rice (or stick to a sensible portion!)

Italian:

Pizza doesn’t have to be a disaster! That said, you can’t have 3 slices of pizza every night. You can absolutely have a slice of pizza, especially if it’s thin crust and balance it out with a salad with a lean protein on top. Some Italian restaurants will even have the option to substitute zucchini noodles in place of pasta. If not, you can ask for a pasta dish (such as shrimp scampi) to be served over a bed of veggies instead!