"Healthier" Chinese Takeaway options

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  • jrose1982
    jrose1982 Posts: 366 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    Also, the moo goo gai pan sounds like a great option, will have to check that out too!
  • gle8442
    gle8442 Posts: 126 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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.
  • katherinemab
    katherinemab Posts: 57 Member
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    I typically do steamed chicken and vegetables with the sauce on the side. Not the tastiest meal but it's good on calories!
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    katherinemab wrote: »
    I typically do steamed chicken and vegetables with the sauce on the side. Not the tastiest meal but it's good on calories!

    Right...I've actually asked them not give me the sauce (they always add like a 1 cup container of brown sauce as a side).
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
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    gle8442 wrote: »
    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...

    ^^This. I always get a pint of hot and sour soup just for myself. Sometimes, I share a order of steamed dumplings in addition to the soup or get a plate of steamed veggies on the side. Sodium is crazy high for most (all?) items on the menu, but "worth" it for a treat once in a while.
  • missdibs1
    missdibs1 Posts: 1,092 Member
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    I get shrimp and scallops. With mixed veggies. Nothing wrong with a bit of rice iifym. Yes I weigh the rice
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,699 Member
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    I would fill up on a soup starter first. Winter melon, hot and sour or wonton are all pretty light. Stick to plain rice with a stir fry. Vegetables stir fried with prawns or scallops, beef with broccoli are good bets. Ma Po Tofu can be a good option, if it is not swimming in chilli oil, but that will depend on the restaurant. Also soy sauce chicken (usually hanging in the window with the duck) is a low fat choice. It usually comes with some braised pak choi.

    Would avoid fried noodles and rice, and anything deep fried. Watch out for stir fries where the meat is first deep fried, before being stir fried with a sauce. Dishes in the last category are sweet and sour, General Tso, and lemon chicken.

  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    yeah sushi =/= chinese- but it's a win- I much prefer that to chinese.

    Although- when I go- it's AYCE- and man- talk about a blown diet "budget" I usually house straight sushi/sashimi- no fancy rolls or tempora- I avoid almost all fried things (shocker- I don't actually care for fried foods that much)... anyway- so it's usually between 6-8 plain rolls and about 10 oz of plain fish.

    fat kid likes cake.

    and sushi.


    <plan currently is to do a pre-thanksgiving sushi meal on Wednesday>
    me thinks this week is going to be ugly. really. really ugly.
    delicious. but ugly.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    Chinese food? I have a thing for wonton soup. Good stuff, probably on the better side of things.

    If it's a legit chinese place, there should be some good options, but they don't show up often on the english menus. Like steamed items, sauteed greens, clay pot braised tofu, etc.
  • LandyBreigh
    LandyBreigh Posts: 207 Member
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    Steamed shrimp chicken and broccoli, no rice, garlic sauce on the side as spicy as you like it. I like to drizzle a little, probably a few Tablespoons of garlic sauce on the meat and veggies and enjoy.

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