6 Ways To Make Healthy Choices When Ordering Food Online

Buying food online may be necessary to avoid cooking and add variety to your eating habits. Research reveals that over 60% of people order meals online regularly. That said, online food takeout may not be healthy, particularly if you don't choose your restaurants carefully. Takeout and delivery meals can pose health risks, especially for diabetics, so apply these tips to help order delicious dishes online without deviating from your healthy eating plans.

1. Read the nutritional info

The FDA recommends chain restaurants serving over 20 locations print calorie counts on their menus and add additional nutritional info when possible. Please take the time to study the menu and read the nutritional information. Checking this information will help identify food items that are not good for your system. Added sugar, daily servings, protein content, and allergens are worth noting when ordering online foods.

2. Be mindful of the portion size

Many wrongly believe the joy of takeout is that you don't have much to think about: the food shows up once you place your order. However, being mindful of portion sizes is essential for making healthy choices. Keeping it small may be a good idea, as many often get their portion sizes wrong. If your portion size is too large, consider sharing it with a friend or save half for another meal. Also, feel free to request minor modifications, such as no extra salt or sauce. You will not spoil the fun if you opt for a takeout that you can enjoy without guilt.

3. Take a healthy snack

Hunger may influence you to overeat. One smart idea to overcome this problem is to eat healthy snacks like fruits or almonds before dinner. Alternatively, you may reach out for a high-protein but low-calorie snack like yogurt to kill the hunger and avoid overeating. Also, Always prioritize veggies and protein when buying food online. Legumes, chickpeas, and whole grains are healthy sources of protein. Consider replacing unhealthy starchy foods with broccoli, tomato, lettuce, and carrots.

On a similar note, you can supplement your ordered meals with food you make at home or consider incorporating the best meal replacement options. You still reduce the effort of cooking the meal, as well as the washing up, and you get the variety you might crave from a takeout, but you'll eat less of the processed or fried food the restaurant might offer. Sometimes, you can even cook something quickly while the food is being delivered.

For example, if you've ordered breakfast food, you can cook some fluffy pancakes for yourself at home, and then eat the whole meal together. You might even find that your homemade pancakes are more delicious, because they're fresh and you can flavor them however you want.

4. Choose reputable restaurants near you

Consider patronizing local restaurants near you that offer healthier meals. For example, if you love Chinese dishes, you can order delicious meals from reputable caterers like Danny's Chinese Restaurant. Order your favorite dishes locally and pick them up at a nearby takeout location, saving time and money on delivery charges.

5. Understand how the online restaurant cooks its food

The calorie quantity in food may depend on cooking methods. Find out if the online restaurant poaches, steams, roasts, or grills their food - on average, these healthy food preparation methods result in less fat and low calories. Crispy, crunchy, and sauteed foods may contain high calories and fats.

6. Avoid sweetened beverages and choose healthy extras

While everyone loves sweet and nice beverages to drink with their meal, this may not be a good idea. Instead of taking sugar-sweetened drinks that contain calories, you may want to take water. Also, restaurants may add extra goodies to your takeout even when you don't make such requests. Add-ons like bread and chips are often added for hospitality, but they can throw your healthy choices off balance. Feel free to ask the restaurant to remove add-ons when placing your order to avoid temptation.