eating out fact sheet | baker heart and diabetes institute · knowing how to choose a healthy meal...

Knowing how to choose a healthy meal when eating out is a valuable skill, especially if you eat out often. Many meals eaten out contain more saturated fat, salt, sugar and energy (kJ) compared with home cooked meals. Use this guide to make your eating out experience a healthier one.

Eating out

9 Select venues that have several healthy choices on the menu. 9 Increase your feeling of fullness by drinking tap or sparkling water before and during the meal. 9 Limit alcohol as this can increase appetite and your kJ (energy) intake. 9 Restrict any extra bread to one slice or half a small roll before your meal has arrived. 9 Consider two entrée size serves if ordering multiple courses. 9 Share a main meal between two people with extra salad or vegetable sides to complete the meal. 9 Choose raw, grilled, steamed or braised options instead of fried, crumbed, battered or pastry

items. 9 Request sauces, dressings or gravy on the side so you can adjust the amount you eat. 9 Opt for a side dish of cooked vegetables or salad instead of chips, wedges or bread. 9 Avoid options with cream, butter, coconut or cheese in sauces, soups or condiments. 9 Select options that contain vegetables or that are vegetable based

(e.g. a stir fry of beef and mixed vegetables and a small serve of rice is a more balanced choice than beef in black bean sauce without vegetables and a large serve of rice).

9 If you choose to have dessert, share one between two or finish the meal by ordering a pot of tea or a small coffee.

9 If eating take-away food at home, split serves in half, add some pre-prepared vegetables or a side salad and enjoy a second meal the next day.

General tips when eating out

Order mineral water for the table

Enjoy vegetable side dishes

Share a dessert

Beverages

Breakfast

Healthier Less healthy

9 Water, mineral water or soda water 9 Small milk coffee, black coffee, espresso 9 Iced café latte (coffee with ice and cold

milk) 9 Tea varieties (no added sugar) 9 Coconut water (unsweetened) 9 Tomato or fresh vegetable juice 9 Diet soft drinks (e.g. Coca Cola zero)

2 Large milk coffee, hot chocolate or mocha 2 Iced coffee or iced chocolate with ice cream,

cream 2 Fruit juice, smoothie or milk shake 2 Cordial, nutrient water and iced tea 2 Milk shake with flavoured topping, ice cream 2 Alcohol (limit intake to 2 or less standard

drinks) 2 Regular soft drinks (e.g. Coca Cola classic,

tonic water)


9 Untoasted muesli, oat or quinoa porridge 9 Fresh or whole poached fruit 9 Fruit toast with ricotta 9 Grain, wholemeal or sourdough toast 9 Eggs — poached, boiled, baked 9 Salmon, sardines 9 Tofu, baked beans 9 Spinach, asparagus, tomato, mushroom 9 Avocado, salsa, pesto

2 Toasted muesli, granola, puffed rice 2 Pancakes with syrup, ice cream or cream 2 French toast 2 Muffin, banana bread, croissant or danish 2 Eggs — scrambled, fried 2 Bacon, sausage, chorizo, ham 2 Hash brown, fried fritters or croquettes 2 Mayonnaise, hollandaise sauce, aioli, butter

Sparkling water Small coffee Pot of tea Tomato juice Diet soft drink

Poached eggs, grilled tomato, grain toast

Muesli, yoghurt, berries

Breakfast salad Avocado, salmon,Sourdough toast

Quick meals


Bakery

Sandwich bar

9 Multigrain sandwich or wholemeal pita, with plenty of salad and lean protein

9 Fruit toast or sourdough toast

9 Fruit bun (small, no icing)

9 Spelt or wholemeal scone

2 Sausage roll, pie, pastie, quiche 2 Savoury scroll (e.g. cheese, pizza) 2 Focaccia, Turkish bread 2 Croissant, sweet scroll (e.g. cinnamon) 2 Doughnut, muffin, cake, Danish

Fruit Salad

9 Fresh fruit salad and natural yoghurt

2 Preserved fruit and soft serve ice cream or sweetened yoghurt

Roast / Carvery

Souvlaki

9 Roast beef, pork, lamb, chicken (skin and excess fat removed) with peas, pumpkin, green salad

9 Grilled chicken / meat skewer in pita bread with salad and tzatziki (no chips)

2 Chicken wings / chicken with skin 2 Pork belly, pork crackling 2 Chicken nuggets, schnitzel 2 Potato and gravy 2 Onion rings 2 Potato cake, chips,wedges 2 Burger with bacon, cheese 2 Fried dim sim, spring roll, Chiko roll

Soup 9 Minestrone, tomato and lentil, zucchini 9 Miso, tom yum 9 Small size pho

2 Cream soups (e.g. cream of mushroom)

2 Potato and leek 2 Curry laksa

Fish 9 Grilled fish / prawns with salad or steamed vegetables

9 Grilled fish wrap with salad

2 Battered fish, crumbed prawns


Fish 9 Grilled fish / prawns with salad or steamed vegetables

9 Grilled fish wrap with salad

2 Battered fish, crumbed prawns

Salad bar Common salads: 9 Greek, tabbouleh, mixed green,

nicoise

Salad grains: 9 Quinoa, freekeh, barley, cracked

wheat 9 Rice — wild / red / black / basmati

Common salads: 2 Caesar, coleslaw, potato, pasta with

creamy dressing

Salad grains: 2 Cous cous 2 Rice — white / jasmine

Baked potato

Salad ingredients / baked potato toppings:

9 Lettuce, rocket, spinach, cabbage, cucumber, green beans, beetroot, tomato, carrot, capsicum, bean shoots

9 Chickpea, lentils, mixed beans 9 Sweet potato, corn kernels 9 Olives, capers, dill pickle, sauerkraut 9 Egg, tofu 9 Tuna, salmon 9 Chicken, turkey 9 Ricotta, cottage cheese 9 Olive oil — plain or flavor infused 9 Avocado, tahini 9 Lemon juice, vinegar, salsa, natural

yoghurt, tzatziki, mustard

Salad ingredients / baked potato toppings:

2 Croutons 2 Bacon, salami, chorizo, ham 2 Full fat cheese, butter 2 Sour cream, mayonnaise, aioli 2 Sweet chilli sauce

If nutrition information is available on display boards or websites, aim to choose meals that are 2000kJ or less. Resist temptation to “upsize” or purchase meal deals. Avoid deep fried extras such as chips, wedges, creamy or sweetened sauces, desserts and regular soft drink.

Chain restaurants

Restaurant chain Healthier options

9 Sashimi packs — mixed, salmon 9 Beef tataki 9 Salads — Cooked tuna, seaweed (small) 9 Handrolls — Avocado, Avocado & Cucumber, Tuna & Avocado,

Tuna & Corn, Tuna & Cucumber, Spicy Tuna & Cucumber Salmon & Avocado, Spicy Salmon & Cucumber Spicy Prawn & Cucumber, Teriyaki Chicken

9 Miso soup 9 Edamame

*Limit serve size to 2 handrolls per meal

9 Soldiers (rice paper rolls)* — full range, including low-carb range 9 Bahn Mi (baguette) — salad, lemongrass beef 9 Pho (noodle soup) — full range 9 Goi (salad) — full range, without crackers 9 Bao (steamed bun)* — full range, except roast pork and crackling

* Limit serve to 2 soldiers or 3 Bao per meal

9 Salads regular size — Moroccan Lamb, Pepper Smoked Tassie Salmon, Vietnamese Chicken, Warm Thai Beef, Teryiaki Beef

9 Grain Bowls regular size — Green Goddess, Thai Chicken 9 Soups large size — Tuscan Chicken, Kale Quinoa & Vege

9 Chicken Burgers — Zen Hen, Sweet Chilli Chicken 9 Veggie Burgers — Field of Dreams, Veggie Vitality 9 Salad — Superpower salad

9 Small classic kebab — chicken, lamb, felafel 9 Chicken sandwich

9 Pieces — 4 grilled Tenderloins, 4 Churrasco BBQ Thigh 9 Salads — Mediterranean, Superfuel, Regular Coleslaw, Large Side,

Tabbouli & Quinoa (plus a pieces option above) 9 Burgers & Wraps — Classic, Supremo 9 Pitas — Classic, Thighs & Slaw

9 Bondi burger — single fillet 9 Chicken salad


9 Salads — full range 9 Soft Tacos* — full range 9 Mini Burritos Bowl — full range

* Limit serve size to 2 tacos per meal

9 Mini Burritos — full range 9 Bowl — Chipotle Chicken & Guacamole 9 Salads — full range 9 Soft shell tacos* — full range

*Limit serve size to 2 tacos per meal

9 Classic bowl standard build — Beef, chicken, spiced cauliflower 9 Hard Taco standard build — Beef, chicken, spiced cauliflower 9 Quesadilla standard build — Beef, chicken, spiced cauliflower

*Limit serve size to 2 tacos per meal

9 Salad — Classic Chicken (grilled), Garden Salad 9 Wrap — Chicken snack wrap (grilled), Chicken Peri-Peri wrap

(grilled) 9 Burgers — McChicken, Fillet-o-Fish, Hamburger 9 Muffin — BLT McMuffin, English Muffin with vegemite / jam

9 Burger — Grilled Chicken Classic, Chicken Royale, Whopper Jnr, Cheeseburger, BBQ Cheeseburger, Peri Peri Cheeseburger

9 Toastie — Ham, Cheese, Tomato

9 Burger — Fillet, Zinger 9 Twister — Grilled Tender Chicken Salad 9 Slider* — Grilled Slider range 9 Salad meal — Shaker Salad Grilled 9 Salad side — Regular Crunchy Sesame Salad, Regular Coleslaw

*Limit serve size to 2 sliders per meal

9 Salad — Caesar Salad with Chicken 9 Wrap — BLT Smash 9 Chicken — Crispy strip 9 Sides — Peas, Corn cob (no butter), Caesar salad

9 Premium* — Garden Veg, Garlic Prawn, Peri Peri Chicken 9 Traditional Thin Base* — Vegorama, Avocado Veg 9 Value Thin Base* — Spicy Veg Trio, Margharita, Chilli Pork

*Limit serve size to 3 pizza slices (or less) per meal


9 Vietnamese Chilli Chicken*, Tandoori Chicken* 9 Mediterranean Lamb*, Wagyu Shoga* 9 Garlic Prawn*, Seafood Marinara* 9 Veg Supreme*, c.1889 Margherita* 9 Herb Crusted Al Funghi*, Smokey BBQ Pulled Jackfruit* 9 Salads — Garden Salad, Thai Wagyu Beef Bowl, Peking Duck

Bowl

*Limit serve size to 3 pizza slices (or less) per meal

9 Gourmet Pita Pockets — Breakfast, Chicken, Roast Lamb, Tender Beef, Vegie Patch

9 Sweet Potato & Salad Sandwich 9 Omelette & Sourdough Toast 9 Egg Pot + Immune Booster salad or Raw Energy salad 9 Seasonal Garden Salad with Chicken 9 Sushi — Salmon & Avocado, Vegetarian 9 Soups — Minestrone, Pumpkin 9 Apple & Almond Chia Pod

9 6-Inch Sandwiches with 6g of Fat or Less on 9-Grain bread — chicken strip, roast beef, oven roasted chicken, turkey, veggie delite

9 6-Inch on 9-Grain bread — tuna, seafood sensation 9 Salads with 6g of Fat or Less — full range 9 Wrap multigrain — veggie delite 9 Subway 6-Inch® Breakfast Sandwich — poached egg & cheese

9 Grilled fish, calamari, prawns with standard salad 9 Grilled fish wrap

Indian and Sri Lankan


9 Tikka (dry roasted) or Tandoori 9 Paneer, tofu, lentil, chickpea 9 Fish, prawn, skinless chicken 9 Lean lamb, goat, beef 9 Steamed basmati rice 9 Wholemeal roti or chapatti bread 9 Tomato base curry (e.g. vindaloo) 9 Raita 9 Cucumber salad 9 Unsweetened lassi

2 Deep fried starters — samosa, pakora, onion bhajia, pappadums, vada etc.

2 Chicken with skin 2 Fatty meat 2 Biryani 2 Naan, paratha bread 2 Thick gravy sauces, coconut base curry 2 Butter or tikka masala sauces 2 Sweetened pickle, chutney 2 Sweetened lassi

Japanese and Korean


9 Sashimi, beef tataki 9 Sushi fillings — vegetable, fish, prawn, egg,

tofu, seaweed, avocado 9 Steamed gyoza, mandu (dumplings) 9 Seaweed salad, edamame (soy beans) 9 Miso soup 9 Yakitori 9 Steamed rice, soba (buckwheat) noodle 9 Grill or BBQ seafood, lean meat, skinless

chicken, tofu and plenty of vegetables 9 Bibimbap — chicken, beef, vegetarian 9 Okonomiyaki 9 Soy, chilli sauce, vinegar, ponzu, kim chi

2 Sushi fillings — crumbed or fried (e.g. crispy chicken, tempura prawn)

2 Tempura 2 Crumbed prawn or meat 2 Pan fried gyoza, korokke (potato croquette) 2 Fried rice 2 Japchae, fried noodle 2 Japanese curry 2 Fried chicken, chicken wings, pork belly

Chicken tikka Tomato base curry Wholemeal roti Dahl

Sashimi and seaweed salad

Edamame Yakitori Bibimbap

Thai and Vietnamese


9 Rice paper rolls 9 Tom yum soup 9 Pho 9 Steamed rice, vermicelli noodle 9 Steamed, stir fry vegetables 9 Grill, steamed, braised, stir fried or BBQ

seafood, lean meat, skinless chicken, tofu 9 Salads with lean meat, skinless chicken,

seafood and plenty of vegetables and herbs, papaya salad

9 Jungle curry 9 Soy, chilli sauce, vinegar, lime

2 Deep fried spring roll, curry puff 2 Malaysian-style roti bread 2 Coconut cream base soup or curry 2 Coconut rice, fried rice, fried noodle 2 Fried or fatty meat and poultry — chicken

wings, pork belly 2 High sugar sauce — satay, sweet chilli sauce,

hoisin

Chinese and Dumplings


9 Steamed dumplings, bao 9 San choi bao 9 Broth based soups, chicken and corn soup 9 Steamed rice 9 Steamed, braised, stir fried, sizzle plate —

fish, seafood, lean meat, skinless chicken, tofu

9 Steamed, stir fry vegetables 9 Soy, chilli sauce, vinegar

2 Deep fried spring roll, wonton, spring onion pancake, battered meat or chicken

2 Prawn crackers 2 Special fried rice, fried noodle 2 Fried or fatty meat and poultry — chicken

wings, Peking duck with skin, pork belly, pork ribs, Chinese sausage

2 High sugar sauce — sweet chilli sauce, plum

Rice paper rolls Chicken salad Meat and vegetable stir fry

Pho

Steamed dumplings

San Choi Bao Braised meat and vegetables

Chinese broccoli

Mexican


9 Burrito, fajita, soft taco, quesadilla 9 Salad or cooked vegetable 9 Salsa, guacamole, lime 9 Jalapeno, chipotle chilli 9 Grilled lean meat, skinless chicken, fish 9 Whole black, pinto, frijole beans 9 Grilled corn cob 9 Chicken Tortilla soup

2 Extra cheese or sour cream toppings 2 Nachos, corn chips, tostada 2 Refried beans 2 Crumbed or fried chicken or fish 2 Chorizo 2 Enchilada with melted cheese

Middle Eastern and Greek


9 Baked stuffed vegetables (capsicum, tomato, zucchini, or eggplant) filled with rice, mince meat, lentil and vegetable

9 Grilled chicken, lamb or beef skewer 9 Mezze platter with olives, dolmades 9 Tzatziki, baba ganoush or hummus dips 9 Kofte (minced lamb with cracked wheat) 9 Grilled, marinated, baked fish or seafood 9 Greek salad, fattoush salad 9 Pita bread 9 Stuffed dates (almonds, pistachio, sugar) 9 Unsweetened Greek/Turkish coffee

2 Pastry with minced meat or cheese (e.g. spanakopita “spinach pie”)

2 Saganaki, haloumi fried cheeses 2 Cured meat, sausage 2 Pastitsio, moussaka with white sauce 2 Deep fried or crumbed fish or seafood 2 Felafel (fried) 2 Gyros — shaved meat (doner kebab) 2 Fried potato 2 Sweets with sugar syrup (e.g. baklava) 2 Turkish delight

Grilled corn Quesadilla, beans, vegetables

Soft taco, chicken, salad

Grilled meat, seafood

Dolmandes Hummus dip Kofte and Tabbouleh

Stuffed vegetable

Baker Heart and Diabetes InstituteLevel 4, The Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, Vic 3004 Australia T (03) 8532 1800 F (03) 8532 1899 W www.baker.edu.au© 2017 Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute | Review date: 2019 | Literacy Level assessed.

No part of this information may be copied or reproduced in any form without written permission of the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute.

Italian and Spanish


9 Small, thin crust pizza with vegetable toppings

9 Entrée size pasta and risotto with tomato or vegetable based sauce (e.g. Napolitano)

9 Paella with seafood / vegetables 9 Minestrone soup 9 Pimento/padron peppers, olives 9 Bruschetta (tomato and basil) 9 Beef carpaccio, fish crudo, sardine 9 Lean meat — veal, beef, lamb, rabbit and

skinless chicken, fish or seafood 9 Ricotta, small amount parmesan 9 Green / rocket salad with olive oil 9 Single scoop gelato, espresso coffee

2 Large thick or cheese stuffed pizza crust with meat toppings

2 Main size pasta, lasagna, risotto with cream or butter sauce (e.g. carbonara, burnt butter)

2 Arancini, focaccia 2 Paella with chorizo 2 Croqueta, patatas bravas 2 Garlic Bread, focaccia 2 Deep fried, crumbed meats e.g. parmigiana 2 Fatty lamb, pork, skin on chicken, liver 2 Cured meat (e.g. salami, mortadella, pancetta,

prosciutto, jamon) 2 Large amounts of cheese 2 Dessert with cream, butter, excess sugar

(e.g. tiramisu, semi freddo, churros)

Marinated olives Seafood pasta / paella

Thin crust vegetable pizza

Chicken cacciatore

�� For individual advice, make an appointment and see an Accredited Practising Dietitian https://baker.edu.au/health-hub/clinics/dietitian.

�� Refer to the Baker Institute Convenience meals resource for convenient meal ideas.

eating out fact sheet | baker heart and diabetes institute · knowing how to choose a healthy meal...

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