Making Takeout Healthy

Have you ever wondered which school in the country orders the most late night food? Well, wonder no more because on August 28, 2013 Grub Hub reported that Syracuse University held the number one position for the most late night food orders over any other university. Grub Hub even went further in their study to say, “And it's no wonder that many struggle with the "freshmen 15," as college students order 186 percent more mozzarella sticks, 77 percent more cookies, and 71 percent more General Tso's chicken than the average person.”

             

Now, the above statistic is to not to judge anyone for how many times they do or do not order off of Grub Hub.  Let’s face it, we all have those nights of coming home from a long day of classes and nothing in your cupboard or refrigerator is appealing to your taste buds. However, this isn’t the say that when you go to place your order that you cannot purchase and item that is both nutritious and tasty.

            You may be wondering how you can improve your eating habits if you do find yourself ordering late at night. The first thing you should do is think about just how hungry you really are. There is no need to order large amounts of food to eat and not have it properly digest. Next, try not to go for the typical takeout food like pizza, fries or soda. Instead try ordering something that won’t be too heavy on the stomach like half of a sandwich with veggies on the side. Also, try a light but filling soup like a tomato bisque or maybe a butter nut squash soup.

            However, if you do find yourself ordering food late at night and you realize that you want a slice a pizza, this is ok as well. One way that you can make that pizza a little healthier is by asking if the chef would be able to fix the dough with whole wheat flour instead of all purpose. Also, instead of having pounds of mozzarella cheese on your pizza ask to substitute for another type of cheese such as parmesan. Although, I have given you one way in which you can make your late night order a little healthier, there are other typical takeout foods which you can alter to make into a healthy late night dinner. Just remember don’t be afraid to ask the chef for other options so you are able to enjoy your meal properly.

By: Rachel Johnson

 http://alittlenutrition.wordpress.com/2012/03/04/myth-3-late-night-snacking-will-make-you-gain-weight/