How to Order Healthy Takeout

Part 2, Takeout Fakeout: How to Order Takeout, the Inspiralized Way!

Thanks for coming back for Part 2 of the “Takeout Fakeout.” Yesterday, I gave you...

How to Order Healthy Takeout

Thanks for coming back for Part 2 of the “Takeout Fakeout.” Yesterday, I gave you a recipe for my sweet potato fried rice. If you’ve made it already… you’re welcome. If not, make a batch and put it in your fridge for the rest of the week!

For this second part, I’m going to give you my tips for ordering takeout the healthy way and also, how to Inspiralize your takeout orders so you never have to say, “oh, I really shouldn’t” when considering ordering takeout.

How to Order Healthy Takeout

Takeout is everyone’s guilty pleasure. Oh, how I dream about that brown sauce. I don’t even want to know what’s in it, but it’s dreamy alright! What about lo-mein noodles? My tummy’s growling typing this post.

Luckily, I know better. I’ve got healthy replacement alternatives for lo-mein, pad-thai, teriyaki noodles and now, even fried rice.

But, sometimes you just don’t have time to make a meal. Or, maybe you and your coworkers always order takeout on Thursdays (Taco Tuesdays and Takeout Thursdays?), so how could you say no? Maybe, it’s Friday and you just want to say “eff it, I’m having takeout!”

How to Order Healthy Takeout

Never, ever say “eff it.” There’s always a way to make something healthier, without sacrificing flavor or adding hours to your night.

Keep this in mind: takeout takes time to arrive. What are you going to do in that 20 minutes (or hour!) before that delivery person knocks on your door (don’t you love that excitement when he/she’s FINALLY there!)?

I’ll tell you what you’re going to do: spiralize!

Step 1: Order smartly.

– Order your sauces on the side. You’ll avoid so many extra calories, sugars and saturated fats by doing this.

– Don’t be afraid to ask. Ask the restaurant to steam instead of fry! Ask the restaurant to cook with less oil.

– Order more veggies. If you’re trying to stay light, ask for more veggies and less meat in your dish – it’s still just as filling, trust me!

– Make sure to request low-sodium soy sauce!

Step 2: Replace noodles and rice with spiralized veggies.

If you like noodles, spiralize some zucchinis instead.

If you’re ordering a dish that goes best with rice (or just want a side of rice), make some rice out of sweet potatoes. Use my fried rice, which takes just 20 minutes or forget the onions, peas and eggs and just make a rice, cooking it with veggie broth and oil in a skillet!

NOTE: If you know you’ll be ordering takeout at work, bring noodles or rice to work that day, so you’re not tempted to indulge!

How to Order Healthy Takeout

Step 3: When the food arrives, combine the takeout with the spiralized alternatives.

If you’ve got zucchini noodles, you can eat them raw (just pour your takeout on top). Or, if you want to take a couple extra minutes, pour the takeout portion and your zucchini noodles into a warmed skillet and toss for 3 minutes until the noodles are cooked and heated through. Do this without any sauce, if possible.

How to Order Healthy Takeout

How to Order Healthy Takeout

Step 4: Add your sauces in moderation.

You’ve taken the extra steps to Inspiralize your takeout – don’t lay down on the one yard line, you’re almost there! Never use all of the sauce the takeout comes with. You really don’t need it – sometimes too much sauce drowns your food and takes away from the yummy flavors of the veggies and proteins.

How to Order Healthy Takeout

So, are you excited to order takeout? Want to start Takeout Thursdays with me?

 

with love, Ali

leave a comment

comments

  • Great tips! Love the one about using spiralized veggies.
  • "the brown sauce" - it's a little sad that I know exactly what that is without a single other descriptor lol. I love your healthy takeout-ing tips!