Chinese:
Choose
- Stir-fried chicken and vegetables such as bok choy (white cabbage) peas, carrots and bean sprouts; brown rice
- Hot and sour soup, Manchow soup without fried noodles, broth based soup or wanton soup
- Veggie spring rolls , dry paneer chilli
- Vegetable Hakka noodles
- Steamed Vegetable Dumplings;
- The Buddha Delight: Loaded with mixed vegetable with steamed or baked tofu
- Chopsuey with soft noodles
- Moo Goo Gai Pan: Stir fried dish consists of chicken with button mushrooms and other vegetables
- Shrimp with lobster sauce or garlic sauce
- Brown rice, steamed dumplings, veggies with low salt soy sauce
- Ask for stir fried, roasted, steamed, simmered options
Avoid
- Dishes with thick sweet-and-sour sauces like Kung Pao chicken
- fried egg rolls
- lo mein
- breaded, deep-fried foods and crispy dishes
Italian:
Choose:
- Minestrone (a hearty, tomato-based soup with vegetables and pasta) with kidney beans
- Salads with dressings on the side. Fill it up with salad before the main entrée to prevent overeating
- Bruschetta
- Primavera Pasta
- Whole wheat pasta with red sauce and vegetables
- Whole wheat thin crust pizza with more of vegetables, chicken, low fat cheese as toppings
- Fish or chicken dishes served with vegetables.
- Lemon sauce, light mushroom sauce, marinara sauce, tomato based sauces
- Ask for baked, broiled, toasted, poached
Avoid:
- Gnocchi (flour or potato dumplings) with chopped vegetables including spinach mixed into the dough and served with tomato sauce.
- Lasagna, pepperoni, thick crust pizza
- Deep-fried foods such as veal or eggplant parmesan, sausages, creamy sauces such as fettuccine Alfredo, pesto, dishes stuffed with cheese.
Mexican:
Choose:
- Gazpacho (a cold tomato-based raw vegetable soup) made with spinach or cucumbers.
- Black bean soup
- Black beans
- Fajitas made with grilled meats and vegetables
- Burritos or enchiladas filled with veggies, chicken, shrimp, or lean meat and a small amount of cheese
- Ask for guacamole at the side ( 2 Tbsp)
- Ask for salsa at the side
- Soft taco
- Lettuce wrap
- Ask for grilled, marinated, simmered
Avoid:
- Dishes filled with cheese
- Fried chimichangas
- Empanadas
- Refried beans
- Large bowls of tortilla chips (a few with salsa is fine)
- Sour cream
- Nachos
- Pitchers of margaritas (limit yourself to one)
Thai:
Choose:
- Soups like tom yum and broth based soups
- Papaya salad
- Fresh spring rolls (filled with vegetables)
- Pad thai with more of veggies like bamboo shoots, asparagus, mushrooms, ginger, garlic, tofu/lean meat
- Scallion pancake
- Stir fried dishes
- Steamed rice
- Vegetable spicy basil noodles
- Red curry, Green curry, panang curry (curries with more of vegetables and tofu)
- Ask for Fish sauce, hot sauce, basil sauce or basil leaves, lime juice
- Ask for braised, sautéed, stir fried, steamed
Avoid:
- Thai ice tea
- Soups high in sodium like tom ka gai
- Fried tofu
- Fried spring rolls
- Fried rice
- Massaman curry
Korean:
-
- Kim chi: The national dish of Korea, this fermented spicy cabbage delivers a wallop of nutrition both from the cabbage related to broccoli and kale and the good bacteria that keep our intestinal health in check.
- Saengchae: Thinly sliced radish is combined with a dressing that contains red chili pepper, garlic, sesame seeds, and scallions.
- Kongnamul muchim: This popular side dish consists of mineral-rich soybean sprouts mixed with garlic, hot pepper flakes, green onions, and a small amount of sesame oil.
- Hobak namul: This simple sautéed zucchini side dish is sometimes topped with red chili flakes for a spicy kick. Red chili flakes also offer vitamin C, vitamin A, and capsaicin, an anti-inflammatory compound.
- Gaji namul: This eggplant-based side dish uses a small amount of soy sauce for flavor, and instead goes heavy on healthful herbs and spices such as garlic, hot pepper flakes, and onions.
- Sigeumchi Namul: It is similar to Kongnamul muchim. Instead of soyabean sprouts, spinach is used.
- Dubu –Jorim (tofu): It is vegan friendly. Tofu is simmered in mix of soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and green onions.
- Bimbimbap: Bowl of warm white rice topped with sautéed and seasoned vegetables, chilli pepper or fermented soyabean paste.
- Jjigae: Stew like Korean dish
- Bindaetteok: It’s a pancake
- Japchae: sweet potato noodles
Mandu: Dumplings
Mediterranean:
Choose
- Tzatziki sauce (a creamy dressing of low-fat yogurt, garlic and cucumber) served on pita sandwiches or as a dip with vegetables; and dolmas (grape leaves stuffed with ground meat, vegetables such as bell peppers, eggplant and squash, rice, dried fruit and pine nuts)
- Hummus served with pita bread/vegetables like carrot sticks, tahini sauce
- Grilled sardines
- Babaganoush
- Greek Salad
- Tabouleh
Japanese:
Choose
- Sushi made with shrimp, tuna, tofu, or vegetables
- Miso soup
- Steamed appetizer like shumai (kind of dumpling)
- Teppanyaki dishes (meat, fish, or vegetables cooked on an iron griddle), rolls with brown rice served with wasabi sauce or ginger
- Edamame
- Ask for dressings and sauce at the side
Avoid
- Tempura, teriyaki (the sauce contains lot of sugar), thick or salty sauces
- Fried dumplings
- large platters of sushi rolls (each can be 250 calories or more, and you can easily eat two or three),
Indian:
Choose:
- Tandoori chicken or other foods cooked in a tandoor oven; look for “tikka” or “bhuna” dishes, which aren’t covered with heavy sauces
- Yellow dals
- Vegetable raita
- Roasted papads
- Steamed basmati rice, vegetable pulav
- Lentil Soup
Avoid:
- Creamy soup ,Creamy gravy dishes. Pick up only vegetables
- Naan
- Fried rice, biryani
- Dal makhani
- Pakora, samosas
- Fried papad
Salads:
- Chipotle salad with chicken/veggies, black beans, low fat cheese and fresh tomato salsa
- Charred chicken marinated with lemon, fennel seeds and mustard seeds
- Toasted quinoa with coriander seed, parsley, coriander, fresh herbs and lemon
HOW TO MAKE A HEALTHY SALAD
- Choose a light or fat-free dressing like vinaigrette. Dairy-free options tend to be lower in calories and contain no cholesterol, whereas ranch, blue cheese, caesar, french and thousand island dressings are high in calories
- Ask for the dressing on the side and only add enough to flavor your salad
- Walnuts, sunflower seeds, chia seeds flaxseeds and avocado are healthy but calorie dense, so have them in moderation.
- Chickpeas are an excellent source of plant-based protein and are delicious in salads.
- If you want to top a salad with meat or seafood, look for lean and grilled or baked options and not fried. The above options will add to 100 calories.
- Opt for green and non-starchy vegetables like lettuce, kale, spinach, bell peppers, cabbage, avocado, mushrooms, onions, papaya and mango.
- Avoid croutons and fried tortillas
