Chinese take away....

Hi, looking for suggestions of what to order from take-away when visiting family this weekend. I don't like chow main so that option is out.
Would boiled rice and lemon sauce be really calorific?
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Replies

  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    Just rice and sauce? Doesn't sound very exciting.

    First thing I'd do is make sure I only had a small portion - boiled rice is better than fried, but the calories in rice can soon mount up. I often just go for hot and sour soup if we're having a Chinese takeaway. Avoid anything fried in batter. Lemon sauce sounds like it might be high in sugar.
  • ejay90
    ejay90 Posts: 42
    i hate take aways, but if a Chinese is happening, i usually have half a portion of a small rice and a mushroom curry
  • pseudomuffin
    pseudomuffin Posts: 1,058 Member
    I get beef with broccoli and only eat a little bit of the rice :) not too bad calorie wise! You could also get wonton soup.
  • NatWillBeSkinny
    NatWillBeSkinny Posts: 111 Member
    i get boiled rice with chicken curry with no veg or anythin in it, i use all the chicken and half the sauce...comes to just under 500 calories :)
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
    A lot of places these days now have healthy menus. See if you can get something steamed. Try to avoid battered, fried foods. Soups might also be a good option, but ask for them without cornstarch.
  • Hmm- not big on soup. I guess lemon sauce might have slot of calories...
  • you are so well behaved. if i ordered chinese, i would order chicken chow mein x
  • karensdream
    karensdream Posts: 135 Member
    Chicken or Beef with broccoli is a pretty safe bet. I usually only eat a little of the rice. Szechuan chicken is another entree I like because it has a lot of good veggies in it. I just get it mild so the flavor is there without the heat. Again, I take it easy on the rice and the sauce. It's possible to eat take out chinese without blowing it, and remember that it's not that you are doing it every day. Once in a while meals like that are what keeps me sane in this journey.
  • ktsmom430
    ktsmom430 Posts: 1,100 Member
    Many Chinese restaurants have vegetable stir fry. I get this and forget the rice.
  • lorika55
    lorika55 Posts: 24 Member
    try beef and broccoli....too many carbs in white rice
  • melissarina
    melissarina Posts: 113 Member
    I tend to go for braised chicken with cashew nuts - normally has a decent amount of veggies in it, and isn't deep fried. Soup is also good :)
  • mrseelmerfudd
    mrseelmerfudd Posts: 506 Member
    if i order chinese i go all out.. i end up with fried pekinese chicken and fried rice. heck i need to live a little lol!!
  • I would get plain rice and have lots of steamed veggies or curry. Avoid fried foods! x
  • lajuice7
    lajuice7 Posts: 58 Member
    Why not just have what you want...if it's once in a while, it's good to have a blow out and psych the body into not thinking of going into starvation mode. Then next day, get back onto MFP... x
  • jo_marnes
    jo_marnes Posts: 1,601 Member
    No rice, eat stir fried or steamed. Stick to veggie dishes (this includes tofu!). Shrimp/ prawns low cal also. Stick to soy sauce etc, sodium is bad but the others may as well be syrup
  • I always have beef with spring onion and ginger...is yummy and full of flavour
  • CaLaurie
    CaLaurie Posts: 178
    Steamed chicken and veggies works well if you like it. No rice - just my personal preference. :smile:
  • Rachlmale
    Rachlmale Posts: 640 Member
    Yesterday I went the chinese buffet and had chicken toast, chicken wings, sweet and sour chicken, egg fried rice etc etc... I still lose consistently.... this one meal will not hurt you. It's what you do the majority of the time that matters.
  • KathrynCatlady
    KathrynCatlady Posts: 86 Member
    Try and non-fried meat and veggie dish, no rice. I had to force myself to JUST eat the main course, and not put it over rice (or at least not much... maybe 1/4 cup). I found I didn't miss it at all!
  • andiechick
    andiechick Posts: 916 Member
    To me if I'm having a chinese then its a treat, I eat healthy the rest of the time so why the hell would I want to eat boiled rice and veg!! That said, I never eat a full chinese to myself, me n hubby usually get one to share and our latest favourite is honey chilli chicken and prawns, delicious!

    Just make sure the rest of your weekend is healthy and enjoy spending some quality time with your family x
  • LoveasaurusRex
    LoveasaurusRex Posts: 19 Member
    A lot of places have mongolian beef, I ask for chicken with extra veggies and add mushrooms, no oil, and no added salt (since the sauce has soy sauce in it). I get it with boiled rice or I'll make some of my own, healthier, rice if I'm at a house (you can stop and get a steamer bag).

    The strategy I take is nothing battered, fried, or slathered in a sticky sugar sauce. Rice calories do add up fast but you can be specific with your order and they should accomodate. If they don't then you shouldn't eat there.

    Personally I find their "diet" menu really revolting. I'm sorry but you can saute my chicken, I really don't want it steamed. haha.

    Good luck!
  • JessicaRobin67
    JessicaRobin67 Posts: 275 Member
    Steamed chicken and veggies(here it is mushroom, snowpeas, broccoli), hot and sour soup, egg drop soup (minus the fried noodles) are good options.
  • MyM0wM0w
    MyM0wM0w Posts: 2,008 Member
    I would request a Steamed Chicken and Chinese vegetable (Stress that you want it steamed, not fried) and ask them for the sauce on the side. That with 1/2 C of rice shouldn't be TOO calorific.
  • Mathguy1
    Mathguy1 Posts: 207 Member
    Eat what you want from chinese takeout. Keep portion size small, dont go overboard on the sauce, stay away from fried items, and drink a lot of water to flush away the high sodium content. I would choose something stir fry.
  • MummyMikaela
    MummyMikaela Posts: 130 Member
    I heard anything n black bean sauce is the best you cn get but I'll try that tonight!
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    Hi, looking for suggestions of what to order from take-away when visiting family this weekend. I don't like chow main so that option is out.
    Would boiled rice and lemon sauce be really calorific?

    One cooked cup of rice has between 200 and 300 calories (depending on which entry you look at) and no one eats only one cup of rice.

    You are better off ignoring the rice and just eating some beef or chicken with brocolli or one of the other meat and veggie stir fries.
  • Richie2shoes
    Richie2shoes Posts: 411 Member
    When I'm ordering and want to be healthy, I start with a wonton soup, order steamed shrimp and vegetables with a brown sauce on the side. I use a small portion of rice, mix everything together with just enough sauce to coat everything.

    If it's a blow off meal, then egg roll, some steamed dumplings and sesame chicken.
  • cardinalsfootball
    cardinalsfootball Posts: 167 Member
    Shrimp with veggies are your best bet. They use a lot of fatty chicken, pork and beef in MOST chinese restaurants, but they can't mess with Shrimp. You might get steamed veggies, or if you get a sauce, just don't eat the extra sauce at the bottom of the container... just the veggies and meat and the sauce already on it. And skip the white rice unless you are an addict. Maybe brown rice is an option if you must have rice.
  • yvonneseage
    yvonneseage Posts: 55 Member
    I have one night off dieting a month and eat as much as,I want..why not keep Chinese as a planned night off? Otherwise how about fu yung? It's not that low in cals but being basically scrambled egg with veg and meat it will be high protein and so filling you won't need rice
  • pumpkinspice84
    pumpkinspice84 Posts: 160 Member
    Why not just have what you want...if it's once in a while, it's good to have a blow out and psych the body into not thinking of going into starvation mode. Then next day, get back onto MFP... x

    This!

    If you eat healthy pretty regularly eating something puts you a little over rarely won't hurt anything. Just plan to eat light during the day and work out so you can enjoy your chinese food.