Chinese Restaurant - What do you order?

PaulBonham
PaulBonham Posts: 42 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
I'm trying to eat well and lose weight...

Out for a meal with friends, what are the best choices in a Chinese restaurant?

Thanks very much!
Paul.

Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Tuesday night I had steamed shrimp and broccoli, with sauce on the side. They should do it with any meat.
  • NeonStrikeVi
    NeonStrikeVi Posts: 61 Member
    Stay away from fried foods. Order boiled rice instead of fried rice etc.

    However, if going out to eat is something you don't do very often, don't be too restrictive. Eat what you enjoy, one night isn't going to destroy your weight loss goals.
  • Clarewho
    Clarewho Posts: 494 Member
    Yeah I love Chinese but it's not easy to know what your best options are. I'd go with king prawn as well and the separate sauce. Then drink loads of water for a few days after to get rid of the water retention will follow.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    I like the beef and broccoli but I mostly go with sesame or general tsao chicken with fried rice
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I usually go for beef or chicken broccoli because it was low calorie at Panda Express but now I'm not sure it's such a good choice anymore. My main issue is that you can get steamed chicken and veggies but they're typically so bland it's pretty disgusting (the couple times I ordered it - the sauce on the side didn't save it). But steamed shrimp should be totally fine, so I'll go with that next time I think... with some wonton soup.

    If I have extra calories I get some steamed dumplings.
  • ki4eld
    ki4eld Posts: 1,213 Member
    Stir-fry in sesame oil meat mix, a veggie (usually snow peas, but any non-starchy veg is fine), garlic sauce on the side. Usually no rice, but it depends on how many carbs I have to burn that day. I'm really not picky about the meat mix either. Chicken, beef, seafood, mystery meat, it's all good.
  • PaulBonham
    PaulBonham Posts: 42 Member
    Thanks all, very helpful.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    I usually just leave 80% of the rice or noodles alone, and get whatever sounds good.
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
    I actually really like the way they steam their protein and vegetables (I've ordered it every single time for almost 20 years). Plain steamed chicken and broccoli. Lately I've been adding about 18g of store bought stir fry sauce and about 15-20g of peanut flour and it's an awesome peanut sauce. I usually toss the rice. If I was at a restaurant, I'd just drizzle it with the sauce on the side. The place near me has THE BEST brown sauce, but you only need a little bit.
    If I have leftovers, I typically turn it into a soup.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    My go-to is the Won Ton soups. Once you get used to the calories of carbs, you'll likely find you need a quarter of the rice they offer. Drink lots of cups of green tea; it's culturally appropriate and the Chinese believe it aids the digestion.
  • trisH_7183
    trisH_7183 Posts: 1,486 Member
    I like plain lo mein.We usually know where we will eat out a couple days ahead,so I save up for that.Served with steamed veggies & then 1/2 C of fruit or soft ice cream for dessert.
  • stealthq
    stealthq Posts: 4,298 Member
    Stir fry w/ lots of veg; steamed dumplings; egg drop soup; seafood.

    Also, some places will do dishes that are normally deep fried as stir fry, so if you love something like orange chicken, or General Tso's it never hurts to ask. If you like ma-po tofu, that's a good choice, too. Lots of spicy flavor and good protein.

    Basically, keep the deep fried stuff to a minimum, also the sauces (if your dish is swimming in it, just let most of it fall off - it'll still taste good). Be judicious with the rice.

    Any other suggestions I'd make are probably not available to you. The place I go for Chinese does very few dishes that are found in a 'typical' US Chinese restaurant. Braised Napa cabbage and aged ham, for example. Super tasty and extremely low cal. I get it as a 'filler' before eating the higher cal main.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Kung Pao Chicken is usually my go to.
  • hgycta
    hgycta Posts: 3,013 Member
    Shrimp with Lobster Sauce; very high in sodium but delicious and lower in calories/fairly high in protein!
  • Therealobi1
    Therealobi1 Posts: 3,262 Member
    special fried noodles and dry ribs with pepper and onions.
  • Leslierussell4134
    Leslierussell4134 Posts: 376 Member
    Wonton soup!!
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,979 Member
    Chicken and broccoli is one of my favorites and one of the lower calorie items on the menu.
  • karyabc
    karyabc Posts: 830 Member
    :D for the love of egg rolls !
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
    Chinese "brown gravy" is usually pretty low in calories --usually well-less than 100 calories per serving. Look for something like mixed vegetables + shrimp and enjoy the shrimp and veggies but minimize your rice consumption. Beyond that, enjoy. One supper does not a diet make. Don't eat until you are stuffed and hold back on the fried stuff. You probably can't do very good math for the supper but no sense being miserable. You can go back to logging tomorrow.

    And remember, one meal in an American Chinese restaurant is likely to give you quite a salt load so tomorrow you will be sloshing with a few pounds of water weight. Give it several days to pee out before you worry about a pound or two or three.
  • OyGeeBiv
    OyGeeBiv Posts: 733 Member
    Chinese restaurants in my area (probably everywhere in the US) have "House Special Soup", which is clear broth, lots of veggies, and some shrimp and roast pork. I don't know what the calorie count is, but it can't be that much. A quart of that soup is more than enough for a dinner for me when I'm very hungry.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    Sesame chicken, fried rice and two egg rolls. That's my go to.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    I dunno. I only eat chinese food when I have 1200 calories to spare and just get what I want. Even then I have to watch the rice. Steamed veg and chicken are not worth it to me.
  • pie_eyes
    pie_eyes Posts: 12,964 Member
    I was reading that you should order sauce on the side. Next Chinese visit I'm planning on doing that.
  • karyabc
    karyabc Posts: 830 Member
    Hornsby wrote: »
    Sesame chicken, fried rice and two egg rolls. That's my go to.

    <3
  • riffraff2112
    riffraff2112 Posts: 1,756 Member
    Lots of options above. However, once a month we order Chinese. I don't avoid anything, and its one of the rare times I go over my caloric limit. Everything I love, happens to be real high in calories (and salt unfortunately). A few days later I am good.
    It is worth it. enjoy
  • 4homer
    4homer Posts: 457 Member
    I get normally what I I want. I just ask ask for a to go box and split my food up. Save cals and I have some for tomorrow
  • FitPhillygirl
    FitPhillygirl Posts: 7,124 Member
    edited November 2015
    Due to having celiacs disease I only get steamed broccoli and brown rice with either shrimp or chicken. Sometimes I order the vegetable spring rolls too if I'm really hungry that day.
  • Redbeard333
    Redbeard333 Posts: 381 Member
    Steamed chicken and veggies, w/steamed white rice and brown sauce on the side. SOOOO GOOOODDD!!!
  • Physick
    Physick Posts: 13 Member
    Pepper steak with onion. If I order the steamed chicken off the diet menu the consistency is really weird and rubbery. Pepper steak with onion still has great flavor and is just as calorie-effective as the diet menu. Protein, iron, and deliciousness.
  • queenofpuppies
    queenofpuppies Posts: 189 Member
    hot and sour soup and some steamed dumplings
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