Food Delivery Makeover: How to Beat the 200-Extra-Calorie Curse of Restaurant Meals Reported in New Study
Posted by Sara on Monday, August 11th, 2014 with Comments Off on Food Delivery Makeover: How to Beat the 200-Extra-Calorie Curse of Restaurant Meals Reported in New Study Comments
Last week, a new study revealed that when people dine out – whether it’s at a fast food restaurant or a sit-down place – they eat an average of 200 extra calories per meal. And while the study has its flaws (like the fact it’s based around survey answers of self-reported food consumption, which are notoriously unreliable), it still brings up a question: how do you eat out, and not overeat? And specifically for those of us who order in to eat at the office, how can food delivery remain healthy?
Food delivery and restaurant meals can be healthy and wholesome, with just a few smart tweaks to your order.
Image source: Flickr user lifeontheedge
There isn’t one easy answer – but there are lots of small, simple ones. Want to avoid the (alleged) 200-extra-calorie curse of restaurant meals? We looked over the menus of a few popular chain restaurants to come up with specific, easy-to-follow tips to cut a few hundred calories (or more) from your next food delivery order:
Chinese (sample restaurant: PF Chang’s)
Take only 1/3 of the rice provided with a typical entree – a six-ounce container can include around 300 calories, whether you order white or brown.
Choose shrimp as your protein – this will save you over 200 calories compared to chicken, whether you’re ordering Kung Pao or Orange Peel.
Go for spring rolls instead of wontons or egg rolls for a 200-calorie saving, minimum.
American (sample restaurant: Applebee’s)
If you really can’t say no to fries, only eat half. That will save you more than 200 calories – because yes, there are more than 400 calories in a side of fries. To be a real overachiever, order the seasonal steamed vegetables instead, and you’ll save around 350 calories.
Order dressing on the side – and then only use half of it. This will really save you 200 calories at Applebee’s, where dressing can add 430 calories to a grilled chicken Caesar salad and an astonishing 660 calories to an Oriental chicken salad.
Mexican (sample restaurant: On the Border)
Skip the side of Mexican rice and save 280 calories, without missing out on much in the way of protein or fiber.
Have two beef tostadas instead of two soft beef tacos, and save 340 calories. (Tostadas may be the hidden healthy secret on most Mexican menus!)
At any restaurant!
Drink water or unsweetened iced tea – because don’t forget, a 20-ounce bottle of Coca-cola has 240 calories.
Practice instant portion control. There’s an advantage to food delivery versus dining in at restaurants: it’s easy to put half to two-thirds of your order on a real plate, and put the remaining food in the fridge for tomorrow. Make a habit of this, and you’ll easily be saving 200 calories per meal.
Avoid fried foods. Whether’s it’s a tempura roll at the sushi place or onion rings at a burger joint, skipping fried appetizers and sides is a surefire way to make a healthier food delivery order.
The bottom line? Eating out doesn’t have to be a recipe for an unhealthy meal. If you follow the basic rules of being mindful of portion sizes and trying to build your meal around vegetables and lean proteins – rather than bread, tortillas, and rice – you can enjoy restaurant meals without adding excess calories! And Waiter.com makes it easy to peruse dozens of menus, customize your order to your liking, and savor delicious, wholesome meals right in the workplace.
When it comes to feeding employees and coworkers, make your company's food program really count! If your workplace dining plan needs to take it up a notch — or if you don't have one at all — Waiter.com is here to help. From Virtual Cafeteria Service to diverse menus to local takeout & delivery, Waiter.com offers customizable dining solutions for every business and budget. Contact us today to get started!
