Eating out, eating healthy
Make healthy choices when eating outside food.
A TYPICAL day for a parent starts early; first, sending your child to school/daycare before going to work, then picking them up again at the end of the day.
Most parents may end the day at 6pm (if not later), and by the time they pick their kids and reach home, it would probably be around 7-8pm. With such hectic daily schedules, preparing home-cooked meals can be challenging.
The most convenient option? Eat out or tapau (takeaway).
However, this should not be the norm. Home-cooked meals are the mainstay of better nutrition.
Of course, there will be times when we eat outside food, so it is important to give serious thought to your everyday choices.
Beware of having too many unhealthy meals that could affect the health of your family.
A big concern for parents is how healthy is eating out? Although eating out is not the healthiest option, the choice of what you eat can make the difference.
Choose meals prepared using healthier cooking methods:
● Go for healthy cooking methods – steamed, braised, baked, boiled, grilled
● Avoid fried or deep-fried foods – burger, fries, keropok, currypuff
Choose to eat less oil, salt and sugar in your meals:
● Eat less fat – remove or eat less fatty meats or skin
● Ask for less when ordering – less oil, salt and sugar
● Use or eat less sauces/condiments – tomato sauce, chili sauce, soy sauce, gravy, mayonnaise
● Avoid sugary drinks – soft drinks, cordials
Here’s a simple guide to give you an idea of how to start:
● Instead of fried fish, order steamed or grilled fish
● Instead of fried chicken, order roasted or grilled chicken
● Instead of chicken or beef burger, order a tuna sandwich
● Instead of curry or fried noodles, order noodles in clear soup
● Instead of spaghetti with creamy sauces (e.g. carbonara), order spaghetti with tomato-based sauces (e.g. bolognese)
● Instead of roti canai, roti tisu, roti bom, order plain thosai, naan, chapati
● Instead of nasi lemak with fried chicken, order white rice with grilled chicken and mix vegetables
● Instead of teh tarik, order teh-O kosong (tea without sugar), plain water or fresh fruit juice
● Instead of fried popiah or banana fritters, order popiah basah, pau or steamed apam Other useful tips include:
● If you had rice for lunch, try having noodles for dinner (or vice versa)
● Remember your greens – have vegetables or fruits with each meal ●
Share if portions are large to prevent over-eating, which can lead to overweight or obesity
● Make the effort to cook at least one meal a day (i.e. dinner), and especially during weekends or on non-working days
Children are like sponges, they will soak up everything they see and hear. Make the most of this by being a role model for healthy eating, as it will encourage and motivate your child to emulate you.
Practising what you preach will go a long way toward helping your child mould healthy habits that will last a lifetime and stand him in good stead when he is an adult.
You should also consider having an adequate supply of fruits available at home or in your office, in case there are insufficient fruits served when you tapau or eat out.
These can be eaten as a dessert, either whole, sliced or served as a fruit salad. They are also a much healthier “snack” if you happen to feel the need for something to munch on between meals.
Dr Chin Yit Siew is a nutritionist. This article is courtesy of the Malaysian Paediatric Association’s Positive Parenting programme in collaboration with expert partners. For further information, please e-mail starhealth@ thestar.com.my or visit www. mypositiveparenting.org. The information provided is for educational and communication purposes only and it should not be construed as personal medical advice. Information published in this article is not intended to replace, supplant or augment a consultation with a health professional regarding the reader’s own medical care. The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to the content appearing in this column. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.