There’s a difference between fast food and takeaway.

The homemade chicken tikka masala from your local Indian restaurant is a world away from the burger you picked up at the fast-food drive-through on the freeway.

Local takeaway food tastes good and it’s more expensive than fast food, so you’d expect it be better for you. Surprisingly, that’s not always the case. If you want your takeaway food to be healthy, it needs to have lots of fibre and vitamins and be low on fat and sugar.  

It’s common knowledge that fast foods tend to be high in saturated fat, salt and calories and low in fibre, vitamins and minerals. And those super-sized portions might seem like a bargain, but you really don’t need those extra kilojoules. But what about takeaway food? How can you tell if it’s healthy?

Here’s a few questions to ask before you place your order:

• Does the shop mainly sell deep-fried foods?
• Does it use low fat cooking methods such as grilling or steaming?
• What sort of oils does it use?
• Does the shop trim the fat off the meat and remove the skin from chicken?
• Does it offer a variety of wholegrain and wholemeal foods?

• Ask for grilled fish, not fried;
• Get thick-cut chips, not thin;
• Ask for no salt;
• If ordering Chinese food, opt for steamed dumplings and fish, not fried;
• Instead of a doner kebab, ask for a shish kebab;
• Avoid high-fat extras on a burger, such as extra cheese and bacon;
• Avoid super-sized meals;
• Skip dressings like oil and mayo.

Want more advice on healthy options? Read our article on healthy takeaway food – here. So the next time you are about to go for pizza, Chinese or get a home delivery of Thai curry, take a minute, and make a healthy choice. 

Looking for takeaway food near you? Click here.