Is there such a thing as healthy takeaway? A dietitian’s guide to what to pick if you just can’t quit

How often do you order takeaway? Is it a weekly ritual? Or more of an occasional indulgence?

Or maybe you’re one of the many Australians who spend a good chunk of their pay packet each week on takeaway food to help manage a lack of time and ingredients on hand to make a healthy, balanced meal?

Given the growing number of dinner options, and ever-expanding range of delivery options and cuisines, the allure of takeaway is hard to resist.

But if your goal is to improve your health and manage your weight, is it actually possible to have “healthy” takeaway food?

What is in takeaway food?

While some cuisines may appear healthy, with brightly coloured vegetables, lean meat, salads and even healthier menu items, the reality is that the most popular takeaway menus generally reveal a range of processed ingredients with roughly double the calorie load of similar meals prepared at home.

This is largely due to the liberal use of extra fats and sauces, which improve the taste and texture of meals. Plus the fact that healthier, leaner proteins are expensive, and as such often fattier, larger portions are used, with plenty of deep-fried options. This means that even when opting for a “healthier” alternative, you are getting much greater amounts of fat and calories.

It’s about the meal balance?

The other fundamental issue with takeaway food is that it generally lacks the meal balance of a calorie-controlled dinner you would prepare at home. This means carbohydrate-rich foods such as bread, wraps, pizza bases, rice, pasta and noodles tend to be the focus of most takeaway options, followed by fatty sources of protein such as fried meats, burger patties, chicken thighs and wings and very little salad or vegetable bulk.

The result is that most takeaway meals are packed with fat, lack the ideal amounts of protein and offer very little fibre, which also means you often end up eating a whole lot more than you need to.

Let’s talk about oil

One of the biggest issues with fast food, and foods we buy pre-made away from the home in general is the types and volume of oil used in production.

Not only is much more oil used in the preparation of deep-fried foods such as fries, salt and pepper squid, schnitzels, popped chicken, and tempura, these foods also heavily feature on the menus of pubs, restaurants and fast-food outlets.

This adds lots of extra fat into even seemingly healthy menu items and, over time, consuming these foods frequently results in us shifting the overall fat balance towards one that is pro-inflammatory.

It is this Western style of eating, in which the combination of refined vegetable oils, processed forms of carbohydrate and a high sugar intake are all working to promote inflammatory diseases including heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer.

The worst culprits?

Anything deep fried, or that comes in a meal deal is unlikely to be a good option, which means most burger joints, pizza chains and fried chicken are best avoided if health is on your mind.

In many cases it is the compound nature of such meals that is the issue. Burgers are teamed with fries, sugary drinks and dessert while fried chicken is served with chips, potato and wings plus a soft drink in a “meal deal”. The result is a single lunch or dinner that contains more calories than the average person needs in an entire day.

The best of a bad bunch

When ordering takeaway food, some options are healthier than others nutritionally speaking. Here are a few “better” choices to try from mainstream cuisines and categories.

• Burgers: Naked burgers, salad, low-fat Subway
• Chicken: Grilled chicken strips, salad
• Chinese: Steamed dumplings, steamed greens
• Fish and chips: Grilled fish, Greek salad
• Japanese: Teriyaki chicken, sashimi, miso, edamame
• Mexican: Naked burrito bowls, fajitas, corn
• Pub food: Steak, salmon, grilled chicken breast, vegies, salad
• Thai: Chicken, prawn and vegetable stir-fries, Thai beef salad
• Vietnamese: Low-carb rice paper rolls, Vietnamese salads

Something to consider

When looking for healthier takeaway options, perhaps the real question you should ultimately ask yourself is whether it’s really worth spending up to $100 to feed your household on greasy chicken, fish or stir-fries when you could make a tastier, fresher option at home in five to 10 minutes, often for a fraction of the price.