What's the healthiest kind of takeout? Your guide to guilt-free dining

October 9, 2025 •

5 min read

Studies have shown that takeout food from restaurants often contains more calories, fat, and sodium than home-cooked meals. However, choosing what's the healthiest kind of takeout is possible with the right approach, allowing you to enjoy your favorite cuisines while sticking to your nutritional goals.

Quick Summary

This guide reveals how to identify and order healthier options from popular takeout cuisines. Learn to choose better preparations, customize your dishes with smart swaps, and manage portions to enjoy a nutritious and satisfying meal.

Key Points

Prioritize grilled or steamed foods: Opt for preparation methods that use less oil and fat, such as grilling, baking, or steaming, over deep-frying.
Choose vegetable-heavy dishes: Look for options loaded with vegetables, like vegetable stir-fries, Buddha's Delight, or burrito bowls with extra lettuce.
Control your sauces: Ask for sauces and dressings on the side to manage the high calorie, sugar, and sodium content.
Manage portion sizes effectively: Restaurant servings are often oversized; plate a reasonable portion and save the rest for another meal to prevent overeating.
Select lean proteins: Choose lean cuts of meat, skinless poultry, fish, or plant-based proteins like lentils and tofu over processed meats.
Go for whole grains: When possible, swap out refined carbohydrates like white rice or regular pasta for healthier whole-grain alternatives like brown rice.

Takeout can be a lifesaver on busy days, but the convenience often comes with a nutritional cost, including high levels of fat, sugar, and sodium. The good news is that with a little knowledge, you can easily find and customize meals that are both delicious and healthy. The key is knowing which cuisines offer the most flexibility for healthier choices and understanding how to make smarter decisions, from preparation methods to portion control.

The Golden Rules for Healthy Takeout

Before diving into specific cuisines, these universal tips can be applied to nearly any restaurant to help you make better nutritional choices:

Prioritize lean protein: Opt for grilled, baked, or steamed proteins like fish, chicken, or tofu instead of deep-fried or battered options.
Emphasize vegetables: Ask for extra vegetables in your dish or order a side of steamed veggies or salad. Plant-based foods add fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Request sauces on the side: Many sauces are high in calories, sugar, and sodium. Getting them on the side allows you to control how much you use.
Choose complex carbohydrates: Opt for whole grains like brown rice or whole-wheat pasta instead of refined white rice and pasta when available.
Mind your portion sizes: Restaurant meals are often oversized. Consider splitting an entrée with a dining companion or saving half for a later meal.

Healthiest Takeout by Cuisine

Different cuisines offer varying levels of nutritional pitfalls and opportunities. Here’s a breakdown of how to find the healthiest options in some of the most popular cuisines.

Chinese and Thai

These cuisines are often praised for their inclusion of fresh vegetables and lean protein but can be sabotaged by sugary sauces and deep-fried items. To navigate them healthily:

Healthy Choices: Look for dishes like Moo Goo Gai Pan, Chicken with Broccoli, or steamed dumplings. In Thai cuisine, fresh summer rolls and vegetable stir-fries are excellent choices.
What to Avoid: Steer clear of anything described as “crispy,” “battered,” or “sweet and sour”. Be wary of creamy Thai curries, which can be high in saturated fat due to coconut milk.

Japanese

Japanese food is a strong contender for the healthiest takeout, especially when focusing on certain menu items.

Healthy Choices: Sushi and sashimi, particularly those with salmon or tuna, offer healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Miso soup and a side of edamame are also excellent, nutritious choices.
What to Avoid: Deep-fried items like tempura and high-sodium sauces should be minimized.

Mexican

Mexican food can be loaded with cheese, sour cream, and refried beans, but many fresh, delicious alternatives are available.

Healthy Choices: Order a burrito bowl instead of a burrito wrapped in a large flour tortilla. Load it up with lean protein like grilled chicken or fish, black beans, salsa, and lettuce, and go light on the cheese and sour cream.
What to Avoid: Refried beans, which can be high in saturated fat, and crispy taco shells, which are deep-fried.

Indian

Indian food features an array of flavorful spices and protein-rich lentils but can be heavy due to creamy sauces and large, ghee-laden bread portions.

Healthy Choices: Opt for tandoori dishes, which are grilled and contain lean meat. Dhal (lentil dishes) and vegetable-based curries with a tomato base (like Madras or Jalfrezi) are also great options.
What to Avoid: Creamy curries like korma and pasanda, as well as rich, buttery naan bread. Choose plain rice over pilau rice.

Italian

While pizza and creamy pasta dishes are common pitfalls, Italian cuisine offers lighter, healthier alternatives.

Healthy Choices: Choose pasta with a tomato or vegetable-based sauce rather than a creamy one. For pizza, opt for a thin crust and load up on vegetable toppings instead of processed meats and extra cheese. A bruschetta appetizer is also a good, light option.
What to Avoid: Deep-dish or extra-cheese pizzas and pasta dishes with creamy sauces or excessive cheese.

Takeout Comparison Table

To help you visualize your choices, here is a comparison of common healthy and less healthy takeout options:


Cuisine	Healthier Option	Less Healthy Option	Key Differences
Chinese	Steamed dumplings; Chicken with Broccoli	Sweet & Sour Pork; Egg Rolls	Steamed vs. deep-fried; veggie content; less sugary sauce
Thai	Vegetable stir-fry; Fresh summer rolls	Pad Thai; Creamy curries	Lighter preparation; less oil and coconut milk
Japanese	Sashimi; Miso soup; Edamame	Tempura; Fried rice	Raw vs. fried; high protein, low fat vs. high fat
Mexican	Burrito bowl (no tortilla); Grilled chicken tacos	Burrito with flour tortilla; Crispy tacos	More veggies, less refined carbs; grilled vs. fried
Indian	Tandoori chicken; Tomato-based curry (dhal)	Creamy korma; Naan bread	Grilled vs. heavy cream; high fiber lentils vs. refined carbs
Italian	Pasta with tomato sauce; Thin-crust veggie pizza	Creamy alfredo pasta; Deep-dish meat pizza	Lighter sauce; more veggies, less fatty toppings
Fast Food	Grilled chicken sandwich or salad	Fried chicken tenders; Cheeseburger with fries	Grilled vs. fried; more veggies

How to Manage Takeout Portions

One of the biggest challenges with takeout is the sheer size of restaurant servings. Simply eating what is provided can lead to a significant calorie surplus. Here's how to manage it:

Plate a sensible portion: Don't eat directly from the container. Dish out a reasonable amount onto a plate, making half the plate vegetables, and save the rest for later.
Share your meal: If dining with others, consider splitting an entree and perhaps ordering an extra side of salad or steamed vegetables.
Order appetizers as an entree: Many healthier appetizers, like summer rolls, salads, or miso soup, can make for a perfectly satisfying and lighter meal.

Conclusion: Making Informed Choices

Ordering takeout doesn’t have to derail a healthy eating plan. By following these simple guidelines and making informed choices based on cuisine, you can enjoy the convenience of takeout without compromising your nutrition goals. Remember to prioritize whole foods like vegetables, lean proteins, and complex carbohydrates, and always be mindful of preparation methods and portion sizes. The healthiest takeout is the one you customize to fit your nutritional needs. For more comprehensive tips on eating out healthily, consult resources from trusted organizations like the American Heart Association.

Frequently Asked Questions

The best low-calorie takeout options often come from Japanese, Thai, and Vietnamese restaurants. Look for sashimi, miso soup, fresh summer rolls, or chicken and vegetable stir-fries with steamed rice to keep your calorie count low.

For healthier Indian takeout, choose grilled tandoori chicken, tomato-based curries like madras or jalfrezi, and lentil dishes (dhal). Avoid creamy curries and opt for plain rice or roti instead of naan.

Yes, Chinese stir-fries can be a healthy option if you order them with plenty of vegetables and lean protein like chicken or tofu. Ask for a light, sauce-free preparation and choose steamed or boiled rice instead of egg-fried rice.

Yes, you can have a healthy Mexican takeout meal. Choose a burrito bowl with grilled chicken or fish, black beans, salsa, and lots of fresh veggies instead of a traditional burrito. Minimize or omit high-fat toppings like cheese, sour cream, and guacamole.

A great way to manage large portions is to immediately separate and save half of the meal before you start eating. This way, you can enjoy a sensible portion without the temptation to overeat and have leftovers for another meal.

Instead of fries, opt for a side salad, steamed vegetables, or baked potatoes. When ordering Asian food, choose steamed rice or edamame over fried rice or spring rolls.

A classic bruschetta appetizer or a pasta dish with a light, tomato-based sauce and extra vegetables are excellent options for a healthier Italian takeout meal. Avoid creamy alfredo or heavily cheesy pasta.