Making healthy eating your goal

14th June 2010, 12:59pm

As the World Cup gets underway, the Food Standards Agency is offering tips on how to combine watching hours of football with making choices about healthier eating.

Ordering a takeaway

Indian - Why not go for dry or tomato-based dishes such as tandorri or madras instead of creamy curries such as korma, passanda or massala. 
Choose plain rice and chapatti instead of pilau rice and naan. 

Italian - If you're having pizza, choose lower-fat toppings, such as vegetables, ham, fish and prawns. You could ask for some extra veg on your pizza to bump up your daily fruit and veg portions. 

Remember if you don't want to increase the saturated fat content and number of calories in your meal, don't ask for extra cheese. 

When you have pasta, for the healthier option go for a sauce based on tomatoes or vegetables, rather than cream. 

Chinese - Choose a lower-fat dish such as steamed fish, chicken chop suey or Szechwan prawns. 
Go for steamed or plain rice rather than egg-fried rice and avoid those deep fried starters such as prawn crackers, dim sum and spring rolls.

Thai - Try to stick to stir-fried dishes or steamed dishes containing chicken, fish or vegetables. 
Green and red curries contain coconut milk, which is high in saturated fat, so if you do choose a curry, have it with less sauce. And have some steamed rice with your meal.

Burgers and kebabs - Choose a shish kebab with pitta bread and salad, rather than a doner kebab. 
Choose grilled burgers made from lean meat or fish.
Ask for your burger without cheese or mayonnaise — and with extra salad.

Fish and chips - Go for a smaller portion or share your chips.
Ask for your fish and chips without salt — if you want some salt then add it to taste yourself.
Don't eat all the batter, because it soaks up a lot of fat. If you can get it, fish coated in breadcrumbs soaks up less fat.

Down to the pub
 
Bar snacks are often high in salt and fat, particularly saturated fat, but there are healthier options:

Give pork scratchings a miss and go for unsalted peanuts — pork scratching can be high in saturated fat, whereas peanuts provide protein, vitamins and minerals.
Try to have a smaller portion or share your chips or crisps. 

There can be a big difference in saturated fat and salt content, so try to pick lower fat and less salty snacks.

If you do eat out, look for grilled meats and fish or tomato-based sauces if you go for pasta. Have boiled new potatoes or a bread roll instead of chips — and don't forget to add some vegetables or a salad to your meal.

Related Articles:

• 23 Jun 2010 - Punch Taverns celebrates The World Cup in style
• 09 Jun 2010 - World Cup expected to boost catering industry by £50m
• 08 Jun 2010 - Fans flock to pub for first footy game in World Cup

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