Chinese Takeout

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What entrée do you typically order?
What Chinese takeout foods do you avoid?

Somebody smack me with a frying pan, per nutritional comparison it seems we've been ordering the worst possible entrée available from Hy-Vee's Chinese Express: Sesame Chicken, 424 cal./1 c. serving.

Can anyone recommend a "lighter" option from this list? Note: When it comes to Chinese takeout, I tend more toward sweet than savory, but am willing to branch out.

http://www.hy-vee.com/helpful-ideas/chinese-express-nutrition-information.aspx
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Replies

  • angelcurry130
    angelcurry130 Posts: 265 Member
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    when my sister and i get Chinese food, we usually get something with light sauce or sauce on the side (it's mostly corn starch, salt, and msg anyway!) try to avoid the deep fried stuff, like eggrolls and wontons, or at least save those for very rare occasions. see if they have a vegetable option to some of their stir-fry...like instead of getting szechuan beef, check to see if they will leave the meat out and sub for something like broccoli (a lot of restaurants will cook their meats in oil in mass batches to save on cooking time.)
  • jmc0806
    jmc0806 Posts: 1,444 Member
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    I always get General Tso, fried rice and crab rangoon and sometimes lo mein and egg fu yung...so yeah none of the healthy options
  • gonnamakeanewaccount
    gonnamakeanewaccount Posts: 642 Member
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    I always get broccoli in garlic sauce with steamed white rice and crab rangoons.
  • dclem2012
    dclem2012 Posts: 60 Member
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    I like the shrimp and brocolli. No batter. Get steamed rice. And throw about 3.4 of rice away. There are usually about 5-6 shrimp and the rest is brocolli. It does have a brown sauce. But not over abundant....and I ask for it spicy, so I don't want the extra soy
  • navywifeandmomof4
    navywifeandmomof4 Posts: 958 Member
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    I always get General Tso, fried rice and crab rangoon and sometimes lo mein and egg fu yung...so yeah none of the healthy options

    this^
  • aikasm
    aikasm Posts: 63
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    get beef with broccoli
  • j75j75
    j75j75 Posts: 854 Member
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    I tend not to eat healthy at Chinese restaurants. It's an indulgance
  • markymarrkk
    markymarrkk Posts: 495 Member
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    I can squeeze in under 500 cals. NO chow mein, NO rice whatsoever. instead the mixed steamed veggies and whatever 2 sides of protein heavy entrees.

    I avoid the orange chicken or anything deep fried or battered.
  • lrbassmom
    lrbassmom Posts: 123
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    This... I just accept that I'm blowing the calories and healthy eating thing out of the water... and then try to make up for it the next day. OR if I know I'm doing chinese ahead of time I'll adjust diet and exercise before hand.
  • LaSutopia
    LaSutopia Posts: 1,195 Member
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    LOL I usually get either of the following and then don't think to much about it.
    Chicken with Broccoli
    Chicken or shrimp Mei Fun
    Lo Mein
    Chicken on a stick
    fried shrimp with bell peppers...

    I try not to get anything that has that thick pasty crust on it like sesame anything, honey chicken, sweet and sour anything...etc

    OHH!! AND I LEARNED SOMETHING I DID NOT KNOW! Yall probably know this but I was waiting on my food when a lady came in and asked for those "Chinese donuts" with the powdered sugar....No lie, I watched the lady take a 5 ct pack of Pillsbury biscuits out the fridge, crack them open and drop then in the deep fryer....! LOL then they got the powdered sugar added
  • dclem2012
    dclem2012 Posts: 60 Member
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    AND ALWAYS drink lots of water before and after to flush the excess sodium...
  • carolmargolis
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    Ask for no MSG, additional salt and use low sodium soy sauce.
    Steamed shrimp or seafood and veggies is not too bad with a little rice.
    Usually you can ask for "white sauce" as it is less salt/sodium.

    We love Thai food and have several Thai restaurants close by.
    My favorite is spinach with Tofu with a peanut sauce (with a little rice).
    Not too oily, rice noodles and healthy veggies.
  • xinit0
    xinit0 Posts: 310 Member
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    A) If you must have something with meat, or go with grilled chicken dish
    B) Ask if you can get a side of stir-fried bean sprouts - works in place of steamed rice
    C) Bok choy and garlic is awesome

    Most decent Chinese places will cook what you want, whether it's on the menu or not. If they don't have a grilled chicken and greens dish, ask for it anyway.
  • JHarr454
    JHarr454 Posts: 50 Member
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    Proper Kung Pao Chicken is pretty healthy, but the sodium levels are still pretty high. I try to limit rice to keep the calories down.

    I also like Egg Drop Soup. THat's actually super easy and I make it at home.
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,862 Member
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    What Chinese takeout foods do you avoid?
    All of it. I just don't like Chinese food. I never have.
  • Mexicanbigfoot
    Mexicanbigfoot Posts: 520 Member
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    I had Chinese tonight and I opted for the chicken with broccoli. I try to avoid anything breaded or fried and I only ate about half my rice with very minimal soy sauce.
  • keem88
    keem88 Posts: 1,689 Member
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    i dont do takeout much, but if i am at the chinese buffet i will fill half the plate with the steamed veggies (mmm broccoli and bok choy), get a few pieces of veg sushi, seaweed salad and some plain rice with the veggies mixed in. occassionally some veg lo mein. sorry im boring :/
  • jchenks
    jchenks Posts: 164 Member
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    I would avoid ALL chinese take out. I don't understand why anyone would consider ordering chinese take out if they are trying to lose weight.
  • ElyseL1
    ElyseL1 Posts: 504 Member
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    I tend to get green bean chicken and white rice. O and eggrolls, I refuse to give them up.
  • keem88
    keem88 Posts: 1,689 Member
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    garlic chicken with veg from the list seems like it wouldnt be too bad an option? just try to avoid anything doused in sauce or fried. you can even ask for the sauce on the side prolly if you wanna get like chicken and broccoli. i usually get the broccoli and garlic sauce from takeaway (buffet as posted before i get different things) and will ask for the garlic sauce on the side so its not doused in it