Tips for Healthy Dining Out
Apart from the appearance, smell and taste of dishes, we should also pay attention to the ingredients and cooking methods when making order. Dining out can be healthy, as long as we choose the right dishes. Here are three simple tips:
Tip 1：Choose non-fried foods
Frying process increases the fat content of the food, it is thus good to limit fried food. Choose foods cooked by steaming, boiling and baking instead.
Tip 2：Choose more vegetables
It is very common to have large portion of meat but small amount of vegetables when dining out. It is advised to have an extra plate of vegetables or meat dishes with vegetables. Aim at 1/2 bowl of cooked vegetables per person.
Tip 3：Choose lean meat
Fatty meat cuts such as brisket, ribs and rib eye contain about 20% of fat. Therefore, it is advised to limit them. Choose meat cuts with less fat, such as pork loin, lean pork chop, beef tenderloin, sirloin and beef shin instead, they contain less than 15% of fat in general.
Take Note of your Eating Behaviour
- Apart from paying attention to food choices, we must also be careful to our eating behaviour which helps prevent us from over-eating.
- Order the right amount of food.
- Ask restaurants to serve sauces and sugar separately.
- Request to have another dish of the same kind if the food served is too oily, salty or sweet.
- Avoid distraction while eating e.g. working or watching television when eating, because this will easily make you eat more without noticing it. Eat slowly, allow at least 20 minutes to finish your meal.
- Eat to 70-80% full.
- Feel no pressing need to finish the remaining food if you have already eaten enough. You can save up the food if food hygienic can be observed.
Comparison of Nutrient Contents of Common Foods at Restaurants in Hong Kong
| Grams per Serving |
Energy (kcal1) |
Total Carbo- hydrate (g) |
Protein (g) |
Total Fat (g) |
Saturated Fat (g) |
Total Sugars (g) |
Total Dietary Fiber (g) |
Sodium (mg) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noodles | |||||||||
| Wheat noodles (thick) in soup with fish ball | 620 | 340 | 45 | 30 | 4.8 | 1.2 | 2.9 | Trace | 2500 |
| Rice vermicelli in soup with preserved mustard green and shredded pork | 420 | 350 | 58 | 12 | 7.1 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 5.4 | 1500 |
| Wheat noodles (thin) in soup with wonton | 630 | 450 | 47 | 33 | 14 | 3.5 | 4.6 | Trace | 2900 |
| “Ho Fan” in soup with stewed beef brisket | 720 | 670 | 86 | 40 | 19 | 6.8 | 5.2 | 14 | 1900 |
| Instant noodles in soup with luncheon meat and egg | 450 | 680 | 59 | 22 | 38 | 12 | 2.4 | Trace | 1800 |
| Instant noodles in soup with spicy minced pork | 450 | 710 | 62 | 29 | 37 | 12 | 5.4 | 4.5 | 2100 |
| Stewed rice vermicelli with preserved mustard green and shredded pork | 720 | 860 | 120 | 30 | 29 | 4.9 | 5.3 | 15 | 2800 |
| Fried rice noodles with sliced beef | 650 | 970 | 140 | 26 | 33 | 5 | 4.7 | 14 | 2300 |
| Fried rice vermicelli in Singapore-style | 610 | 1100 | 120 | 39 | 51 | 9.8 | 5.8 | 22 | 2100 |
| Braised E-Fu noodles | 650 | 1300 | 130 | 33 | 72 | 10 | 6.1 | 11 | 2700 |
| Fried noodles with preserved black bean, assorted pepper and spare rib | 740 | 1500 | 130 | 53 | 91 | 16 | 7.7 | 9.1 | 2900 |
| Rice | |||||||||
| Rice in soup with winter melon and diced pork | 720 | 590 | 110 | 28 | 5.1 | 1.7 | 1.7 | Trace | 1500 |
| Steamed rice with chicken and winter mushroom | 430 | 660 | 100 | 25 | 18 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 6.6 | 1100 |
| Steamed rice with stir-fried egg and shrimp | 580 | 750 | 130 | 25 | 13 | 3.1 | 0.75 | Trace | 1000 |
| Steamed rice with roasted goose | 530 | 970 | 130 | 34 | 35 | 9.2 | 8.7 | Trace | 870 |
| Steamed rice with barbecued pork | 520 | 1000 | 130 | 38 | 37 | 9.9 | 6.7 | Trace | 1300 |
| Fried rice in Yangzhou-style | 620 | 1200 | 150 | 43 | 49 | 9.8 | 3.8 | 14 | 1900 |
| Steamed rice with curry beef brisket | 800 | 1300 | 140 | 62 | 50 | 22 | 13 | Trace | 2300 |
| Baked pork chop with rice | 710 | 1300 | 140 | 50 | 60 | 14 | 9.5 | 6.8 | 2200 |
| Steamed rice with beancurd sheet and roasted pork | 770 | 1400 | 140 | 57 | 62 | 18 | 2.8 | 20 | 2000 |
| Fried rice in Fujian-style | 960 | 1400 | 200 | 57 | 45 | 8.6 | 4.7 | 17 | 3100 |
| Fried rice with diced chicken and pineapple | 730 | 1500 | 180 | 45 | 57 | 10 | 9.5 | 15 | 2100 |
| Serving Size |
Energy (kcal1) |
Total Carbo- hydrate (g) |
Protein (g) |
Total Fat (g) |
Saturated Fat (g) |
Total Sugars (g) |
Total Dietary Fiber (g) |
Sodium (mg) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dim Sum | |||||||||
| Steamed vegetarian dumpling | 3 pcs/ plate |
156 | 27 | 1.8 | 4.5 | 0.78 | 2.97 | 4.5 | 450 |
| Ha-gau | 4 pcs/ plate |
200 | 22.4 | 8.4 | 8.4 | 2.24 | 1.88 | Trace | 480 |
| Steamed chicken feet with black bean sauce | 1 plate | 200 | 5.7 | 15 | 13 | 2 | 3.3 | 2 | 620 |
| Siu mai | 4 pcs/ plate |
244 | 12.8 | 12.8 | 15.2 | 4.4 | 2.44 | 1.4 | 640 |
| Steamed pork ribs with black bean sauce | 1 plate | 260 | 7.3 | 16 | 17 | 5 | 2.7 | Trace | 660 |
| Spring roll | 3 pcs/ plate |
450 | 33 | 12 | 33 | 6 | 2.91 | 2.52 | 630 |
| Deep fried meat dumpling | 3 pcs/ plate |
510 | 63 | 7.2 | 23.4 | 6.3 | 12.3 | 1.47 | 264 |
| Rice roll, pastries and buns | |||||||||
| Steamed rice-roll with vegetarian food | 3 rolls/ plate |
228 | 39 | 4.8 | 6.3 | 1.02 | 1.77 | 6 | 420 |
| Steamed rice-roll with shrimps | 3 rolls/ plate |
243 | 39 | 8.7 | 4.8 | 0.87 | 0.81 | Trace | 330 |
| Steamed rice-roll with barbecued pork | 3 rolls/ plate |
330 | 42 | 11.4 | 12.9 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 2.94 | 930 |
| Turnip cake (pan-fried) | 3 pcs/ plate |
360 | 45 | 8.1 | 14.4 | 2.52 | 8.1 | 6.9 | 1350 |
| ‘Mai-lai’ cake | 1 pc/plate | 370 | 59 | 8.6 | 10 | 2.9 | 21 | 3.3 | 280 |
| Pan-fried rice-roll | 1 plate | 450 | 77 | 6.4 | 14 | 1.9 | 6.4 | 4.5 | 610 |
| Steamed barbecued pork bun | 3 pcs/ plate |
450 | 72 | 12 | 12 | 2.97 | 23.1 | 2.64 | 480 |
| Steamed vegetable and meat bun | 2 pcs/ plate |
380 | 58 | 9.4 | 12.4 | 3.4 | 12.6 | 4 | 440 |
| Pan-fried vegetable and meat bun | 2 pcs/ plate |
320 | 40 | 7.4 | 15 | 3.2 | 6.4 | 4.2 | 380 |
| Baked barbecued pork puff | 3 pcs/ plate |
600 | 42 | 11.7 | 42 | 13.2 | 7.5 | 1.71 | 330 |
| Puff pastries filled with shredded turnip | 3 pcs/ plate |
630 | 54 | 6.9 | 39 | 7.8 | 9.6 | 3.3 | 690 |
| Vegetables | |||||||||
| Boiled headed lettuce | 1 plate | 87 | 7 | 2.4 | 5.6 | 0.84 | 2.8 | 5.3 | 65 |
| Boiled headed lettuce with oyster sauce | 1 plate | 95 | 8.4 | 2.7 | 5.6 | 0.84 | 3.5 | 5.3 | 360 |
| Boiled water spinach | 1 plate | 71 | 8 | 5 | 2.1 | 1.6 | 0.59 | 6.8 | 140 |
| Boiled water spinach with fermented soybean curd sauce | 1 plate | 98 | 8.4 | 6.7 | 4.1 | 1.9 | 0.79 | 6.8 | 570 |
Source: Food and Environmental Hygiene Department
1 "Kilocalorie" (kcal) and "calorie" (cal) are common measuring units of energy. 1 kcal is equal to 1000 cal, but "kilocalorie" is commonly misnamed as "calorie". "Kilojoule" (kJ) is another energy measurement unit that 1 kcal is about equal to 4.2 kJ.
EatSmart Restaurant
To make healthy choice an easier choice, the Department of Health works together with the catering industry, other relevant Government departments and organisations to launch the EatSmart@restaurant.hk Campaign. The Campaign aims to encourage and assist restaurants to provide and promote more healthy EatSmart dishes, so that people can adhere to healthy and balanced eating principles while enjoying meals in restaurants.
 |
 |
| EatSmart Decal Indicates a food premises have passed an assessment and is committed to at least five EatSmart Dishes on a regular basis. |
 |
More Fruit and Vegetables means that either fruit and vegetables are the sole ingredients of the dish, or they occupy at least twice as much the amount of meat present in the dish. |
 |
3 Less means that the dish has less fat or oil, salt and sugar, meeting the "3 less" requirement. |
For further information on EatSmart Restaurant, please visit the EatSmart website of the Department of Health http://www.eatsmart.gov.hk
Top
