"Healthier" Chinese Takeaway options

Rodderick89
Rodderick89 Posts: 205 Member
edited November 8 in Food and Nutrition
Hi all,

Some friends and I are getting a chinese takeaway for a girls night next week.

Can anyone recommend some 'healthier' or lower calorie/sodium typical options, so I can still enjoy the treat, without blowing my calories for the week? I like most dishes (chicken, beef, pork, etc) and am prefer mild to spicy! I also *love* prawn crackers, but will be trying to avoid those as they are completely empty calories!

Thanks :)
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Replies

  • peachyfuzzle
    peachyfuzzle Posts: 1,122 Member
    Low sodium isn't going to happen at a Chinese restaurant considering the sauces they cook with are packed with the stuff.

    But, you can always go for stuff like chicken and broccoli. If you're looking to stay away from the calories, I'd suggest not getting white/fried rice, and just stick with the meat/veggie dishes.
  • Katla49
    Katla49 Posts: 10,385 Member
    edited November 2014
    We frequent a Chinese Restaurant that will leave out MSG in fresh cooked meals upon request. It is a big help. The soup can't be ordered MSG free because it is all made in advance. Call the restaurant in advance and see if you have any "better" options.
  • Rodderick89
    Rodderick89 Posts: 205 Member
    Thanks for your replies - I know low sodium is unrealistic, a girl can dream eh!

    The takeaway we use has lovely staff, but I've asked them before what their 'healthy' options were and they weren't very useful.

    I think, as you say, meals that are 'meat and vegetables', and leaving off sauces (e.g. sweet and sour or satay) will be lower calorie options.

    Do either of you order anything specific yourselves?
  • lorib642
    lorib642 Posts: 1,942 Member
    I go to a chain fast food Chinese take out. I looked up the calories and the best low cal options that I liked there were mushroom chicken or kung pao chicken. The veggies are a low cal option, too.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    If I'm being really careful I'll just order chicken and steamed veggies with rice and throw a little soy sauce on for taste. Boring.
  • Rodderick89
    Rodderick89 Posts: 205 Member
    I am thinking as my favourite part is the prawn crackers (strange, I know!) I might just work out general calories before hand, try and 'save' some calories each day before hand so I have some extra ones to splurge a little on the prawn crackers and then have a main chicken/veggie dish with something like soy sauce as arditarose suggests!
  • peachyfuzzle
    peachyfuzzle Posts: 1,122 Member
    Rodderick89 wrote: »
    Thanks for your replies - I know low sodium is unrealistic, a girl can dream eh!

    The takeaway we use has lovely staff, but I've asked them before what their 'healthy' options were and they weren't very useful.

    I think, as you say, meals that are 'meat and vegetables', and leaving off sauces (e.g. sweet and sour or satay) will be lower calorie options.

    Do either of you order anything specific yourselves?

    You can try Moo Goo Gai Pan. If you're not familiar with the dish, it is basically chicken w/mixed vegetables and garlic sauce. I love it, but some people don't like the texture of the sauce as it is kind of like a super runny gelatin.

    I don't believe it would have a ton of calories.
  • Rodderick89
    Rodderick89 Posts: 205 Member
    That sounds yummy, I'll have a look! I just did a quick google search for some generic advice and found an NHS link covering all takeaways: http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/men1839/Pages/Dodgytakeaways.aspx

    For chinese it says:

    Try to avoid: sweet and sour battered pork balls with special or egg fried rice, prawn toast, spring rolls.

    Healthier options: crab and corn soup, steamed dumplings, steamed vegetables and plain boiled rice, steamed fish, chicken chop suey, Szechuan prawns.
  • PinkyPan1
    PinkyPan1 Posts: 3,018 Member
    Check this out. http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/the-11-healthiest-options-at-chinese-restaurants.html#b
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Egg drop soup is low in calories. Egg foo yung -- that is what I often order because it is relatively low in carbs and fat.
    Also they usually have something like a steamed chicken and vegetable option.
  • Rodderick89
    Rodderick89 Posts: 205 Member
    Thanks all for your input and advice :) I feel more confident now in choosing a 'healthier' option and staying within my net calories for the week. I am still in the very early stages of making this lifestyle change, so don't want to be gaining during my first few weeks. Thanks :)
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    edited November 2014
    Beef and broccoli is my go to from Americanized chinese takeaway restaurants.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    We just switched to ordering from a different restaurant, and they have a steamed chicken & broccoli dish that comes with the sauce on the side. Makes it really convenient to just pour on what you want and not drown it (and yourself) in the sodium.
  • hortensehildegarde
    hortensehildegarde Posts: 592 Member
    every time I have researched this moo goo gai pan has been one of the lowest calorie options. Though obviously a dish without sauce would be your best bet, or sauce on the side.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,224 Member
    I'd be giving up any ideas of going low sodium, but I tend to order Chilli Prawns - just prawns, vegies and a spicy sauce. Tasty and lower calorie. Anything with meat, veg and a sauce is a better choice than deep fried etc (as long as it isn't a creamy sauce - curry sauces tend to be oily too)
  • cblue315
    cblue315 Posts: 3,836 Member
    I order my vegies steamed and sauce on the side.
    Fresh rolls are a really good option. Lower carb and you can get them with shrimp rolled in.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I love shrimp with lobster sauce, but yeah, got to have some rice with that... A lot of places now just have steamed veggies and plain chicken.

    I never even considered asking for sauce on the side, I always assumed they had big batches of everything together and couldn't do it... I'll definitely ask next time.
  • ahoier
    ahoier Posts: 312 Member
    Chinese food is my down fall......lol. I always plan chinese take out.....or chinese buffet night as one of my "cheat meals" - it's also one of those nights, I won't eat anything afterwards......and typically follow a 12-16 hour fast. We typically finish up around 4 p.m. (lol go early.....before the dinner price hike lol), and I won't eat my next bite of food until 8 a.m......the next morning. Essentially a 16 hour fast. Look it up ;) It's a form of intermittent fasting.

    Other than that, I stick to the steamed vegetables, salmon, white rice. I always try and "spoon off" as much of the sauce as possible.......to limit the amount of sauce that goes on my plate. I'll lay down a bed of rice first, and put my food ontop the bed of rice.....in effect, it soaks up some of that grease/sauce.....I then pick through and usually eat half of the rice portion....lol. have never been charged for "wasting food" either lol.
  • blucas123
    blucas123 Posts: 14 Member
    I get broccoli and chicken with the sauce on the side.
  • nuvimi
    nuvimi Posts: 103 Member
    I second the moo goo gai pan recommendation. It's about the best you can do in a Chinese restaurant if you want something that has sauce on it.
  • jrose1982
    jrose1982 Posts: 366 Member
    Not very helpful, but I have to say it and get it out of my brain: I can't even attempt "lower calorie" chinese food. If I'm gonna have Chinese food, I want what I want and nothing else will do. Right now, I just avoid it altogether.
    Someday, having a bad-food day will have less impact on me, and I'll be able to enjoy chinese food again.

    Good luck, and enjoy yourself!
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    There are times I've ordered double veggies instead of rice and noodles. Or all steam rice and veggie as one of my entrees. Maybe chicken as the other entree without the teriyaki sauce on top if i needed the protein.

    Then I just put soy sauce all over and chili sauce whatever that's called.

    maybe Hot and sour soup.

    maybe plainn Tea.

    maybe ONE fortune cookie.

    There are times I've eaten like this. Not a lot, but I've done it.
  • Chaotic_Weevil
    Chaotic_Weevil Posts: 199 Member
    I think with something like Chinese, that doesn't have a very large variety of healthy/low calorie options, a better option is to just pick what you would like to have (within reason) and opt for a smaller portion. Perhaps have something filling and low calorie a few hours beforehand and then opt for a half portion?
  • mathandcats
    mathandcats Posts: 786 Member
    edited November 2014
    I would just save some calories for it and eat what you want to eat. I'm assuming you don't go too frequently, so this should work. I usually eat like 100-200 cal under my goal for a few days in advance and then spend those calories on a nice dinner out. And I'm not worried about going a bit over on these occasions, since once in awhile won't derail you much.
  • Rodderick89
    Rodderick89 Posts: 205 Member
    You're right @barneygood, it's a rare occasion - I'm just worried about my total lack of self control and know that without some advance planning I'll easily sit and eat thousands of calories of food and undermine the hard work I've done in previous days, end up seeing a gain during my weekly weigh in and then give up on the healthier lifestyle (sad but true at this early stage of the game) - I think 'saving' calories is definitely the way forward. I'm going to go to the gym that afternoon too and give myself some extra calories to play with that way too!

    Thanks again everyone for all of your helpful advice and suggestions, it really is appreciated :) I am thinking a steamed veggie and meat dish, sauce on the side, share a portion of boiled (rather than fried) rice with a friend and have a couple of 'treats' like a veggie spring roll and a few prawn crackers! I'm also going to pre-log, as that seems to really help me stay in line with my calorie and macro goals :)

  • Rodderick89
    Rodderick89 Posts: 205 Member
    Also, the moo goo gai pan sounds like a great option, will have to check that out too!
  • gle8442
    gle8442 Posts: 126 Member
    Hot and sour soup! Whenever my family orders Chinese I just get that and maybe if I'm still hungry afterwards steal some veggies out of someone else's dish...
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    If I'm being really careful I'll just order chicken and steamed veggies with rice and throw a little soy sauce on for taste. Boring.

    this is pretty much the best option in terms of "lowest" safest option.

    But again- boring. lol.
    - i think I'd rather just have sushi. lol.
  • Rodderick89
    Rodderick89 Posts: 205 Member
    JoRocka wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    If I'm being really careful I'll just order chicken and steamed veggies with rice and throw a little soy sauce on for taste. Boring.

    this is pretty much the best option in terms of "lowest" safest option.

    But again- boring. lol.
    - i think I'd rather just have sushi. lol.

    Sushi... yum! Although I doubt the chinese will serve that... I will have to suggest it for the next girl's night out we have :)
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Rodderick89 wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    If I'm being really careful I'll just order chicken and steamed veggies with rice and throw a little soy sauce on for taste. Boring.

    this is pretty much the best option in terms of "lowest" safest option.

    But again- boring. lol.
    - i think I'd rather just have sushi. lol.

    Sushi... yum! Although I doubt the chinese will serve that... I will have to suggest it for the next girl's night out we have :)


    I can ingest some serious calories with sushi. I like the spicy rolls and I eat three, plus soup.
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