Tips to Make Takeout Meals Healthier

Hello everyone!

I try to eat well, but sometimes (around 2 or 3 times a week) I buy takeout meals for dinner. Yes I am a busy modern woman just like many of you, so it wouldn’t be a bad thing to rely on convenience services. And they look delicious.

However, it is also a fact that making food by ourselves by using fresh ingredients and good seasonings is better, considering both health and economical aspects.

I am 47 years old who care about living healthy, so let me share some tips to make takeout meals healthier:

1. Avoid deep-fried foods

It is difficult to know what kind of oil is used, and how fresh the oil is. Oils get oxidized so easily, which negatively affects on our health. Also, meals cooked by high heated oils have a substance called Advanced glycation end-product (AGEs), which we do not want to consume often. If you would like to eat deep-fried foods, I highly recommend you to make them at home.

2. Buy small size

When you order regular sized takeout meals, they are usually too big. Unless you exercise like Olympians, buy small size if available.

3. Add vinegar

Vinegar has so many fabulous effects, such as “reducing glycerides”, “antioxidative effect” and “reducing cholesterol”. To make your meal healthier, pour vinegar over your meal.

4. Add at least one vegetable dish

Usually, takeout meals do not have enough vegetables. Vegetables are necessary for healthy life. Everyday. (FYI, 350g per day is recommended in Japan). What I usually make is salad by using cherry tomatoes, avocado and broccoli sprouts which are easy to prepare. When I am too busy, I just add many cherry tomatoes (just wash and remove calyx). If you can make miso soup, it is even much better.

5. Eat with healthy teas

In my last blog, I recommended some health beneficial teas. Drinking these kinds of teas are very good to keep you healthy.

6. Buy meals which are cooked on-site

Meals cooked in factories often contains various food additives to keep them fresh (think about the transportation from far factories to your local shops). Buying at your local restaurants which may have been suffering from COVID-19 is very helpful for your local economies.

This day I bought a pork kimchi bowl. The size is around my palm size. I added a bowl of salad (cherry tomatoes, avocado and tofu with flaxseed oil, vinegar and soy sauce), mozuku (seaweed) with vinegar and black soybean tea.

Eating is one of the most joyful things in our life. However, eating wisely is required as we get older to keep our health. Let’s enjoy our everyday meal by adding some tips.

Happy aging!