20 Take Out/Restaurant Dinners for 550 Calories or Less
No time to cook? We’ve got you covered. Here are 20 healthy meals from a variety of cuisines that won’t pack on the pounds. Most of
them also have less than 30 grams of carbs.
Japanese
1. Tuna roll, 5 sashimi (variety of fish),
seaweed salad, miso soup, wasabi, soy
sauce and ginger as desired.
2. Yellow tail scallion roll, spicy tuna roll
wrapped in cucumber (no rice), ½ order
edemame, wasabi, soy sauce and ginger
as desired.
3. Chicken, salmon or tofu teriyaki, (6 oz),
steamed/broiled with 2 T. sauce on side,
steamed vegetables, and ½ cup brown
rice.
Indian
8. Chicken tandoori (5 oz), ½ cup of a
lentil/chick pea dish (made without
cream), and pick one: vegetable soup, ½
cup rice or mixed green salad, dressing*
Chinese
4. Steamed chicken, scallops or shrimp
and vegetables (full order) with 3 T.
sauce on the side (i.e.black bean, garlic
or Szechuan) and/or soy sauce & hot
mustard, and ½ cup brown rice or small
soup (hot n’ sour or won ton)
5. Steamed whole fish in ginger and
scallion (6-8 oz), steamed vegetables,
and ½ cup brown rice
Italian
9. One slice of pizza (from 16”pie) with
cheese and vegetable toppings (whole
wheat crust if possible), and mixed
green salad, dressing* (not a low carb
option)
10. Mixed seafood in red sauce (1½
cups), grilled fish, or chicken paillard (6
oz), ½ c. red sauce on the side if desired,
and steamed spinach
11. 2 appetizers: grilled calamari, shrimp,
octopus or portabella mushrooms +
mixed green salad with shaved
parmesan, dressing*
12. ½ order pasta (not in cream sauce)
and mixed green salad, dressing* (not a
low carb option)
Turkish
6. Chicken kebob (6 oz), 3 T. hummus,
Shepherd salad: chopped tomatoes,
cucumbers, onions and peppers,
dressing*
7. 2 appetizers: grilled octopus, calamari
or shrimp (4 oz protein) + Greek salad
with greens, tomatoes, cucumbers,
olives, and 1 oz feta cheese, dressing*
Diner:
13. Omelet with 2 eggs, spinach,
tomatoes, mushrooms, and one slice
whole grain toast
14. Burger, (6 oz), no bun, 2 T. ketchup,
and side salad, dressing*
15. Salad with lean protein (5 oz turkey,
chicken, shrimp, tuna - no mayo) with
greens, assorted veggies and one more
item: (1/4 avocado, 1 oz cheese, 1 egg, or
½ cup corn), dressing.* Avoid cobb, chef
or Caesar salads
Mexican Gourmet Food Store/Supermarket

16. Tacos (grilled chicken, beef, fish, tofu
or beans). Eat one 6” taco and the
insides of the other (or if mini tacos, eat
two), unlimited salsa and 3 T. guacamole
17. Fajitas (1 ¼ cups chicken, shrimp,
lean beef + vegetables). Eat one tortilla,
unlimited salsa, and 3 T. guacamole
18. Prepared food: chicken, fish, shellfish or lean meat, (5 oz), plain, no sauce, ¼ pound (or ½
cup) grain/starch including barley, quinoa, brown rice, sweet potato, or bean salad and 1
cup grilled vegetables (prepared with a little oil)
19. Rotisserie chicken, no skin, 6 oz meat. Add ½ cup grain or ½ medium potato (4 oz), and
1 cup grilled vegetables (prepared with a little oil)
20. Cooked shrimp, ½ pound (~ 12 -14 medium shrimp) and 3 T. cocktail sauce and 4 oz
seaweed salad or mixed vegetable salad, dressing

Tips to downsize your take out dinner:

1. How many calories should your dinner be?
This depends on the individual, however I often recommend 400-500 calories for a woman watching her weight and 600-700 calories
for a man. It’s best to have a smaller dinner and eat more during the day!

2. Portion control.
Portion sizes in restaurants very widely, so pay attention to the portions listed above. When estimating portion sizes, 3 oz protein looks
like a deck of carbs, ½ cup grain looks like ½ baseball and 1 oz cheese looks like a medium thumb from knuckle to tip.

3. *Salad dressing (100 calories or less).

Pick one:
- Order dressing on the side, use 1 T. + extra oil/lemon as desired
- 2 tsp. oil + vinegar or lemon as desired
-100 calories of your favorite bottled dressing

4. Ask for no bread.

Once it’s in front of you, it can be hard to resist!

5. Calorie swaps or add-ons. All of these have 100 calories:

½ cup cooked grain (preferably whole grain)
4 oz wine
2-3 extra ounces of protein
1 oz bread (one slice)
1 oz cheese

Martha McKittrick, RD, CDE, CHWC

Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator,
Certified Health & Wellness Coach