Dining out and takeaways
Dining out
When dining out in restaurants there is usually more time to look over the menu to decide what to eat, compared to fast food places. Try to look out for a healthy, balanced meal – and remember it is always worth asking the server if a meal can be adapted to make it healthier for example replacing chips with salad, vegetables or new potatoes.
Good choices and choices to limit or avoid when choosing foods for different cuisines
It can be difficult to eat healthily when eating out of home, especially when there are lots of options to choose from. Find some tips below to help you to look for better choices when eating out at different establishments.
South East Asian including curries
| Better choices | Limit or avoid... |
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Starters Chicken/crab and sweetcorn soup Tom yum (clear soup) Papaya salad Steamed dumplings Chicken/prawn/salmon tikka or tandoori Chicken chaat Grilled Satay skewers with peanut dipping sauce on the side |
Starters Prawn crackers, pancake/spring rolls, fishcakes, sesame prawn toast and sweet and sour battered balls Poppadums, parathas, samosa, onion bhajis (fried) |
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Mains Stir-fried dishes with lots of vegetables like chow mein or chop suey with beef, chicken, prawn or steamed fish/tofu Soup noodles with a clear broth and plenty of vegetables Tandoori chicken or other meat or fish, tikka dishes (cooked on a skewer without sauce), madras (or other dry curries cooked with tomatoes), vegetable curries, dahl (lentils) or channa dahl (chickpeas) |
Mains Curries using coconut cream Dishes cooked with ghee Sweet and sour dishes |
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Sides Steamed vegetables/tofu/fish/seafood dishes Sichuan prawns Tarka dahl (lentils), chana masala (chickpeas) Sag aloo (spinach & potatoes), aloo gobi (potatoes & cauliflower), broccoli/sag (spinach)/bhindi (okra)/cauliflower/mushroom bhaji Plain boiled/steamed rice or noodles Chapatti/roti breads Salad condiments (onion /tomato salad) |
Sides Special/egg-fried rice and fried noodle dishes Fried/pilau rice Naan bread |
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Sauces Raita Tomato-based sauces |
Sauces Soya sauce in large amounts (it’s very high in salt) Sweet chilli sauce Chutneys and pickles Cream or coconut-based sauces |
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Desserts Fruit sorbet, if available |
Desserts Banana/pineapple fritters |
Pasta and pizza restaurants
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Starters
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Mains
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Desserts
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Limit or avoid... |
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Starters
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Mains
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Desserts
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Fish and chip shops
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Better choices |
Limit or avoid… |
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Small fish Mushy peas/baked beans Small portion of chips (limit salt) – or try sharing |
Pies and pasties Battered sausage type products Onion rings Large portion of chips |
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TIP: Watch out for soggy batter and chips – this is often a sign the oil was not hot enough, so more fat has been absorbed. |
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Fast food burger bars and kebabs
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Better choices |
Limit or avoid… |
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Standard size plain grilled burgers rather than large or supersize options Shish kebab (skewer with whole cuts of meat or fish and usually grilled) with pitta bread and salad Houmous in pitta bread and salad Small portion of chips with no salt – or try sharing Extra salad on the side Fruit or vegetable bag for kids, if available Water or sugar-free soft drinks |
Large doner kebab or burgers (such as those with two patties) with mayonnaise and no salad French fries Extra cheese, bacon or mayonnaise Breaded or battered chicken or fish patties/burgers/nuggets or other battered items such as onion rings Mayonnaise or sour cream dips Milkshakes Refillable sugary drinks |
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Burger restaurants (sit down) |
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Better choices |
Limit or avoid… |
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A plain burger (with or without a bun) with salad Deli sandwiches (check ingredients), grilled chicken and salads, if available Baked potato wedges or small portion of thick cut chips Dressings and sauces on the side |
As above in Fast food burger bars and kebabs |
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A word on fast food and fried chicken outlets
There are a considerable number of fast food outlets and fried chicken shops
- In general, fast food outlets provide quick, accessible and affordable food.
- Four in five fast food outlets are independent outlets (rather than large chain) and many are ‘chicken shops’ selling mainly or exclusively fried chicken and chips (with typical prices between £1.50 and £3.00).
- To be able to sell cheap food and still make a profit, fast food outlets may sell cheaper cuts of meat and low-cost chips. The welfare of the chicken is not usually considered, and they often use economy cooking oil, which can contain trans fat and higher levels of saturated fat.
- Fast food outlets can be clustered around schools. Some local councils have now implemented policies that will not give planning permission to new hot food takeaways if they are 400 metres or less from a school, youth facility or park.
Try to avoid or limit the number of times you visit these types of fast food outlets.
If your or your friend’s children or other members of your family do eat at chicken shops, then try and encourage them to make healthier choices and remember to limit portion sizes:
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Better choices |
Limit or avoid… |
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Look for a chicken shop that has a varied menu, so you can choose a healthier dish such as: Grilled chicken (on its own or in a wrap/pitta) Corn on the cob Baked beans Salad |
Meal deals and size up deals Large portions of fried chicken Chicken burgers/nuggets French fries Deep-fried sides like chicken wings and onion rings Creamy sauces and dips like mayonnaise, burger sauce/thousand island or sour cream. |
| Case study: Box Chicken: Providing some healthy competition to fast food outlets Take a look at this pilot fast food takeaway scheme for schools and the local community that provided healthy alternatives to the existing fried chicken outlets but just as cheap, quick, convenient and tasty. |
Cooked breakfast in a café
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Better choices |
Limit or avoid… |
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Poached, boiled or scrambled eggs Baked beans Grilled or canned tomatoes Grilled mushrooms Wholemeal toast (with a small amount of spread) |
Fried bread Hash browns Large portions of chips Bacon and sausages Black pudding |
At the cinema
There are lots of tempting snack options available to munch on when you are watching a film, and many are available in large portions. Look at the table below to choose better options:
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Better choices |
Limit or avoid… |
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Small carton of popcorn to share Bottle of water or no added sugars drink Tea or coffee A scoop of fruit sorbet or dairy ice cream in a tub without toppings |
Large cartons of popcorn Toffee coated popcorn Pick and mix sweets Chocolate bars or sharing bags of chocolate/crisps Nachos Hot dogs Large sugary drinks |
Drinks and alcohol
- Water is a great choice – order tap water with ice – it’s free! If you fancy a change, you could try sparkling water with a slice of lemon or lime.
- Fruit juices and smoothies can count towards your 5 A DAY but they contain free sugars, so it is recommended to drink no more than a combined total of 150ml per day. You could top fruit juice up with sparkling water to make it last longer. For more on free sugars see our page on sugars.
- Opt for no added sugars soft drinks, rather than those containing added sugars. Remember though that these drinks are not suitable for very young children.
- Avoid large sized sugary drinks, especially refillable ones.
- Tea or coffee can be a good choice to round off a meal instead of a dessert. You could try some of the herbal infusions or a fresh mint tea. If you drink tea or coffee with sugar or have flavoured syrups in your coffee shop drinks, try sweetening with artificial sweeteners or no added sugars syrups.
- If you do fancy an alcoholic drink, then remember to drink responsibly. The UK Chief Medical Officers’ advice is not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis. If you regularly drink as much as 14 units per week, it's best to spread your drinking evenly over three or more days and to have several drink-free days each week. Alcohol should be avoided during pregnancy.
- One unit is:
- half a pint of normal-strength lager
- a single measure (25ml) of spirits
- A small glass (125ml) of wine has about 1.5 units of alcohol.
For more information on healthy hydration see our pages on hydration.
information reviewed January 2018.
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Please note that advice provided on our website about nutrition and health is general in nature. We do not provide any personal advice on prevention, treatment and management for patients or their family members.
