How to have a healthy takeaway

Takeaways may feel like an unavoidable part of your lifestyle, whether you’re occasionally too busy to cook, prefer a night in with friends rather than a night out, or just enjoy the occasional weekend takeaway with your family. Thankfully, The Fast 800’s Mediterranean-style lifestyle is all about making smarter choices so you can enjoy the cuisines you love, without it impacting your health. So, while most takeaway foods do not align with a healthy lifestyle, we’re sharing our favourite healthy takeaway options so you can enjoy the foods you love, while nourishing yourself at the same time.

The hidden takeaway traps

With more than a quarter of adults under 30 now indulging in a takeaway at least twice a week, it’s more important than ever to find healthy takeaway options and alternatives so they minimally impact our health.¹

Takeaway foods are typically nutritionally poor, often containing saturated fats, sugar and salt in amounts that exceed recommended guidance.² They are frequently a trap for ultra-processed refined additives, inflammatory seeds oils and sudden blood sugar spikes. They can also be highly calorific, with research finding that ‘out-of-home’ foods amasses up to 25% of the calories we eat, despite the fact that consumption of fast food has been linked to chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease.^{3 4}

This is why it’s so important to find healthy takeaway options that won’t negatively impact your health, ready for the next time you order in.

Healthy takeaway options and swaps

To give you an idea for a few healthy takeaway options, here are a few of the best swaps for the nation’s favourite takeaway cuisines:

• Indian: Swap creamy curry dishes like korma and tikka masala for tomato or lentil-based curries like dhal, bhuna, and tandoori chicken. Avoid the naan bread and instead opt for salad or vegetable sides.
• Chinese: Instead of noodle dishes, fried rice or deep fried battered foods, opt for boiled rice, lean meats like chicken or prawns and steamed or stir-fried vegetables.
• Greek: Skip the wraps and ultra-processed kebab meat for proteins like chicken or fish, as well as Mediterranean vegetables. Fresh hummus and tzatziki are also great options, or make your own with recipes like this.
• Thai: Instead of heavy coconut curries or sugary sauces found in some dishes like Pad Thai, bulk up on steamed vegetables and bean sprouts, as well as salads and broth soups like Tom Yum.
• Italian: Ditch the heavy cream sauces, processed meats, and garlic bread and instead maximise vegetable toppings and tomato-based sauces.

Hacks and alternatives for a healthy takeaway

If there comes a time when you know you’ll be ordering takeaway later in the day, keep your metabolic progress steady by practising Time Restricted Eating. This involves pushing back or adjusting your eating window. Research has found this is effective at combatting the effects of unhealthy foods. One particular study on mice found that when they ate fatty, sugary foods within a limited 8-hour eating window they put on less weight and suffered less liver damage as mice who ate the same unhealthy foods freely around the clock.⁵

If you’re wanting to cut back on takeaways and find healthy takeaway options instead, why not try a ‘fakeaway’? Cooking your favourite cuisines that you’d ordinarily order in is a great way to satisfy those cravings, eat healthier and save money.

Here are a few ‘fakeaway’ recipes to give a go on days where you have more time:

• Traybake Lamb Kebab: This is a great healthy takeaway option to make at home, rich in nutrients like protein, iron, vitamin B-12 and zinc, and lower in saturated fats than the version you’d order in. Plus this way, you and your family get the fun of putting your pitas together yourselves!
• Thai Tom Yum Soup with Prawns: This is a fasting-friendly soup that applies the principles of the Mediterranean diet with traditional Thai flavours and ingredients. In under 400 calories, each portion serves up over half your daily recommended protein as well as a range of powerful antioxidants and polyphenols.

  Join our email community

  Learn more about The Fast 800 approach to healthy living by receiving our free content, health tips and recipes as well as exclusive offers, delivered straight to your inbox.

  Name(Required)

  Email(Required)

  Δ

• Low Carb Keto Burger: Where a takeaway burger will leave you hungrier later on and kick you out of ketosis, this healthy takeaway option keeps you satisfied and in ketosis. It’s a burger that helps you lose weight and tastes delicious, what’s not to love?
• Healthy Fish and Chips: There’s no need to miss out on your traditional Friday night fish and chips with this particular healthy takeaway option, or ‘fakeaway’ option rather. Giving you the flavours and textures you love, but with some added nutrition and fewer carbs.
• Cauliflower and Butternut Vegetarian Curry: This curry was developed in collaboration with Sandhya’s Kitchen to bring you traditional Indian recipes that fit within a Mediterranean-style diet. At just 298 calories per portion, it’s one to save for the weekend.

Like the Cauliflower and Butternut Curry, you’ll find more delicious recipes from our guest developers exploring a range of cuisines from Thai to Greek, Indian to Mexican and more!

Sign up for your 7-day free trial of The Fast 800 Programme to discover everything you need for a healthy lifestyle without having to sacrifice enjoying the foods you love, with the ones you love.