Healthy food items to choose from while dining out are a necessity for many fitness freaks that wants to maintain their diet and avoid unhealthy eating. If you think that it is not possible to eat healthily outside then you are wrong. You must know some basic concepts and food to choose to avoid unhealthy eating, overeating, or binge eating. Here we are giving you a list of healthy food available at some famous restaurants and some concepts to choose food mindfully white dining out.
Also, check this out: Low-Calorie food items when dining out!
Healthy food items to choose from at restaurants like Sagar-Ratna/ haldiram/ Bikanervala/ Anupam sweets
South Indian dishes:
If you are frequently traveling or have to eat out then south Indian dishes are the healthiest options because they are mostly made using fermented rice flour, lentils, coconut oil, or ghee which is not unhealthy. So, these are the safest options.
- Paneer dosa: Paneer dosa is a very healthy option to choose while eating out because it is made with rice and lentils and stuffed with paneer. Hence, do not contain refined flour and is also, rich in protein.
1 dosa contains – 200 calories, protein – 10, carbs – 19.5, fats – 9, fiber – 2.2
- Idli: idlis are made from fermented rice flour and served with sambhar and coconut chutney. It is oil-free because made by the steaming process so; idlis are a healthy option to choose from. You can also eat semolina idlis or oats idli.
2 regular idli contain: 147 calories, protein – 5.5gm, carbs – 26.2, fats – 2.1, fiber – 2.1
- Uttapam: uttapam is a pancake-like dish made with rice and urad dal batter, also known as idli-dosa batter, and topped with a different types of vegetables. It is low in fats but a little high in carbs.
1 uttapam contains: 227 calories, protein – 6.3, fats – 8.6, fiber – 3.2
- Upma: upma is made with semolina, dry fruits, and veggies. Hence, it is a healthier source for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Upma contains: protein- 3.1 gm, carbs – 20.6, fats – 1.8, fiber – 1.5
Punjabi dishes:
Punjabi cuisines are popular for their rich, creamy, and spicy gravies. Chole bhatura, butter naan, rajma chawal, lassi, and dal makhani are the most popular Punjabi dishes. But it’s difficult to choose when on diet.
- Chole- chickpeas are high in protein. This is generally eaten with bhatura which is refined flour. So, we must avoid it and can eat it with rice or missi roti. They are healthy as well as tasty.
1Katori chole contains – 154calories, 6.4 gm protein, 5.4 gm fats, 5.8 gm fiber
- Rajma – rajma is also a good source of protein like chole. You can eat it with rice or roti.
1 Katori rajma – protein – 5.3 gm, carbs – 15.2, fats – 4.5 gm, fiber – 6.1 gm
- Paneer tikka/ seek kabab – they are made using a roasting technique and are very healthy options to choose from. These dishes are low in carbs and high in protein.
- Flatbreads: you can choose tandoori roti or plain roti from this menu.
Snacks/ appetizers:
Bhel puri: it contains puffed rice, chutneys, and some veggies. It will give you around 100 calories.
Sandwiches: you can order a sandwich with whole wheat bread.
Red sauce pasta/ pasta in the arrabbiata sauce: red sauce pasta is healthier than white sauce because it is made using tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil which are better than cheese and refined flour used in making white sauce pasta. So, choosing red sauce pasta is a way better option.
Drinks: you can choose buttermilk or lemonade.
Chinese dishes
classic Chinese food is not that unhealthy but the Chinese made in India is made using refined flour and a lot of sauces which are not good for health but still if you are a Chinese lover then you can choose:
Fried rice: it is made using veggies and rice so, it is fine to eat.
Chilli paneer/ paneer Manchurian: although it contains sauces and refined flour the paneer present in it makes it protein-rich. So, the best way is to avoid gravy and take the paneer pieces.
Healthy options to order at the chili’s restaurant:
- Shrimp fajitas: they are the most healthy option to choose from at the chili’s restaurant because they are packed with healthy proteins and fat.
- Fresh guacamole: you can order tortilla chips with guacamole as an appetizer because they offer healthy monounsaturated fats and lots of fiber.
- Alex’s Santa Fe burger: the burger contains avocado, cheese, onion, jalapenos, tomatoes, pickles, and cilantro.
1 burger contains – 950 calories, protein – 51 gm, carbohydrate – 49 gm, fat – 62 gm, fiber – 6 gm
- 6oz. Classic sirloin with grilled avocado: it comes with a side of asparagus and mashed potatoes.
Calories – 340 gm, carbohydrate – 13 gm, protein – 38 gm, fat – 16 gm
- Grilled chicken salad: it is a high protein low carb salad. You can order it without worries.
Calories – 440, Protein – 37 gm, carbohydrate – 22 gm
Healthy options to order at KFC:
- Grilled chicken wings: they contain around 70 calories, no carbs, no sugar, and 9 gm of protein. Grilled chicken wings are nutritious and contain fewer calories and sodium.
- Original recipe chicken wing: they provide around 130 calories, 3 gm carbs, 10 gm protein, and 8 gm fat.
- Extra crispy chicken drumstick: this dish contains around 170 calories, 5 gm carbs, and 10 gm protein per drumstick.
- Sides: KFC has a menu of classic side options available which contain- 1. Green beans, 2. Corn on the cob, 3. Whole kernel corn
- House or Caesar salad: it is a low-carb, diabetes-friendly option.
Healthy food options to order at subway:
Subway is one of the most popular global fast-food restaurants. It has more than 40000 locations globally. It is a fast food restaurant but the best thing about it is that you can choose ingredients for creating a sandwich, wrap or salad to order and enjoy guilt-free.
The most nutritious option available at subway are-
- Veggie Delite sandwich: 9 grains of wheat bread and offers two servings of vegetables. This sandwich will give you around 200 calories, 9 gm protein, 39 gm carbs, and 2 gm fat.
- Egg and cheese flatbread: this will give you around 380 calories, 15 gm fat, 44 gm carbs, and 19 gm protein.
- Signature wraps: you can swap bread and veggies for a low-carb wrap. Subway chicken salad wrap and veggie delite wrap are good choices.
- Veggie delite salad: it is the most nutritious salad and has 60 gm calories, 1 gm fat, 3 gm protein, and 11 gm carbs in it.
Healthy food options are available to order at Nando’s
- The spicy mixed olives:
They are the perfect starter before a big meal and have only 138 calories per serving. If you don’t like olives then, you can choose hummus as a healthy choice.
- Simple grilled chicken burger:
It is the least calorific chicken burger. But, it would be better to order a wrap without cheese and healthier side dishes to reduce the carb and fat content.
- Spiced chickpea burger:
This is a healthier option for vegetarians because it is high in protein but to avoid carbs you can skip the rice and choose salad instead. Also, swap the bun with a wrap.
- Chickpea choone mayo toasties:
Chickpeas, cabbage, and carrot are its main ingredients.
- Veggie breakfast bowl:
You can also go for a veggie breakfast bowl for a full healthy meal.
Some other healthy options:
- Creamy Caesar salad
- Peri peri tuna lettuce wraps
- Grilled cauliflower
- Peri peri omelet
- Corn on the cob
- Peri peri rice bowl
Key facts to avoid unhealthy eating while dining out:
- Keep yourself hydrated to avoid binge eating.
- Order salad before food to avoid overeating.
- Avoid deep-fried, oily, or heavy-cream food.
- Choose baked, grilled, steamed, or boiled food over deep-fried ones.
- Keep water as a beverage to avoid extra-sugary drinks.
- Try to choose whole wheat food products in place of refined flour products.
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