Tune-Up Your Takeout

With increasingly busy schedules and less time for meal preparation, ordering takeout is a growing trend.  A recent survey conducted by Seamless, a popular website and Smartphone app, shows that close to 50% of adult men and women order out at least once a week.  The startling data showed that the orders people make tend to be healthier than those they would have made if they had gone to the restaurant and sat down to enjoy their meal.  This may be due to the social environment that comes with eating out.  If you are out with friends or family who eat differently than you, it may be tempting to order something less healthy, or share an extra appetizer or dessert.  Preparing your meals at home puts you in control of your food.  However, there are times when you are in a bind and need to order takeout.

Check Out these Tips to Help You Make the Best Choices!

Eat how you would if you made it yourself-Just because there are unlimited options and types of cuisines to choose from doesn’t mean you need to order something twice as fattening as your typical lunch.  Many options are tempting, but sticking to something similar to what you would bring to work will make you feel better and keep your regular eating habits in-check!

Buy the bare-minimum- It might be appealing to order more than necessary because you may think you’re hungrier than you really are, or perhaps it’s just easy to click and add an item to your order.  If you are ordering dinner for the family, why not check the cabinets for items that can be used as sides or as part of the meal and order fewer items rather than an excess of food that may go to waste (or to your waist!)

Order an entrée to split – Because there are so many options for food delivery, you may not be familiar with a certain restaurant you are ordering from.  Portion sizes nowadays can feed two people, if not a whole family.  Try ordering a healthy entrée to split with your family, or order an appetizer for a meal rather than the dinner-sized portion.

I always try to encourage self-made meals and snacks, as well as pre-preparation, but I understand that life can throw you curve balls even when you have your time management skills down.  That’s why I hope these tips will help you keep your takeout just as healthy as the meals you would normally be preparing for yourself and your family!

How will you make your takeout order healthier?

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