Transform Takeout

Here's a list of what to choose and what to avoid with favourite takeout foods.

Italian

Choose: Clam or non-creamy seafood sauces and grilled or roasted chicken or fish.
Avoid: Entrées smothered in cream and butter sauces (fettuccine Alfredo), anything topped with carbonara or served “parmigiana” (with melted cheese) and pasta stuffed with cheese or fatty meat.

Mexican

Choose: Fajitas—you build them yourself, piling grilled veggies and chicken, shrimp or beef on a flour tortilla. Add lettuce, tomato and peppers. Skip or limit the shredded cheese and guacamole.
Also good: Simple burritos and soft tacos, grilled chicken and fish and black beans. The best sauces to choose are salsa and pico de gallo.
Avoid: Fat-drenched refried beans, fried items such as chimichangas and cheese-covered nachos and entrées.

Japanese

Choose: Sushi and sashimi, soba or udon noodles, yakitori (chicken teriyaki), shumai (steamed dumplings), tofu, sukiyaki and kayaku goban (vegetables and rice).
Avoid: Shrimp or vegetable tempura, chicken katsu, tonkatsu (fried pork), shrimp agemono and fried tofu (bean curd).

Sandwiches

Choose: Eat them open-faced to save 80 to 90 calories. Make mustard your first choice and olive oil and herbs as your second. Ask for extra tomatoes, lettuce and onions. Choose lean toward turkey, chicken or roast beef.
Avoid: Skip the mayo and processed meats such as salami. All are extremely high in fat.

Pizza

Choose: Whole wheat thin-crust with plenty of healthy toppings. Seafood, tomato or vegetables are best. Add a side salad with low-fat dressing.
Avoid: Fatty meats such as pepperoni or sausage will add calories. Deep-pan crusts and crusts stuffed with cheese are a no-no.

Chinese

Choose: Chicken with cashew nuts or peppers or stir-fried noodles and seafood. Choose boiled rice or noodles over egg fried rice. Steamed dim sum and fish are also good choices.
Avoid: Any deep-fried dishes such as spring rolls, breaded shrimp or anything in batter. Sweet-and-sour dishes can contain as much as eight teaspoons of sugar.

Thai

Choose: Tom yum soup, sweet-and-sour soup, chicken or beef satay. Thai fish cakes are usually quite low in fat. Chicken, pork or fish-based noodle dishes are good choices as are salads and vegetable dishes. Pick dishes that are stir-fried or steamed.
Avoid: Dishes with coconut milk are high in saturated fat.

Upscale Café

Choose: Broiled seafood with lemon and herbs, pan-roasted meats, interesting vegetable dishes and mixed green salads, but with dressing on the side. Choose broth-based soups.
Avoid: Items made with cheese, fatty meats, cream and butter.

Breakfast

Choose: Whole-wheat pancakes topped with fruit, vegetable omelettes, whole-wheat or rye toast with jam, poached or boiled eggs, fruit and low-fat cottage cheese.
Avoid: Butter (used on eggs, toast, pancakes and hash browns), whipped cream, regular bacon or sausage, coffee cream, white bread and waffles or pancakes made with bleached, refined flour.