Dining-Out Advice

Opt for whole grains like whole wheat flour/ millets for making breads like rotis (tawa/ tandoori /missi / millet), brown rice, whole wheat or semolina-based noodles and pastas. 

  Avoid preparations of maida and its products like maida roti, prantha, kulcha, naan, pizzas, and pastas.                      

Choose wholesome lentil soups, salads, chaats with boiled whole pulses, sprouts. 

Avoid rich pulse preparations with too much of oil, butter, ghee, cream, and thick gravies like dal makhani.

Look for low fat non-vegetarian options made with lean fish and chicken such as grilled, roasted, boiled, or poached chicken/fish without skin, clear/thin soups/stews. 

Avoid preparations with red meats (mutton, pork, beef) with rich gravies.                                                                      

Fill in half of your plate with vegetable/ fruit salads/ chaats, boiled roasted, grilled vegetables.                                                                                                                                                                      

Avoid vegetable preparation with rich gravies loaded with oil, butter, ghee, cream, and fried vegetable preparations like vegetable koftas, pakodas etc.

Choose clear, broths and consommé-based soups.

Do not use cream based thick soups.

Ensure the fruits and vegetables are washed/ cleaned properly.

Avoid eating out at an unhygienic place.

Look for low fat milk preparations like low fat curds, raita and pick sweet preparations (in limited quantities, only bites or spoon full of kheers, phirni, steamed desserts like puddings, rasgullas.

Avoid rich preparations using evaporated milk like rabri, sweets with Khoa, fried sweets like Gulab Jamuns, baked desserts like rich cakes with or without cream or icing or cheesy preparations like cheesecakes.

Look for options that do not have or require addition of too much of fats in their preparations like cereals (plain roti), boiled rice, clear soup, grilled vegetables/chicken/fish.

Don’t over dress the food with fat (like a blob of butter/ghee or cream on roti/ prantha, Saag or Dal). 

Choose non-alcoholic beverages, unsweetened beverages like Nimbupaani, freshly flavoured water with mint, fresh cucumber, watermelons, freshly squeezed juices, tender coconut water, butter milk.

Avoid alcohol or alcohol-based products, aerated drinks and sweetened juices, energy drinks, sweetened and flavoured waters, mixers.

Carry small snacks with you when outside like nuts /oilseeds mixes, fruit/ fruit chaat/ sprout preparations, roasted chana.

Avoid adding additional fat & salt to salads or foods.  ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎                                                                                                                                                 

While ordering instruct the chef to use low fat and salt in the food preparation.

Avoid buffet meals - choose a la carte with fixed portion size.

Choose low fat menu options like fresh red sauce pasta without mayonnaise, or aglio olio pasta, thin crust whole wheat pizza with vegetables, whole wheat or multigrain bun with baked patty and no cheese etc.

Avoid food with the dressing of fat, salt, or sugary syrups like pancakes with extra syrup, cheesy mayo burger or pasta.                                                                                                                        

Add healthy accompaniments like dips/chutneys made of fresh vegetables, fruits, curd. 

Avoid consuming packed sauces and pickles.                                                                                                

Choose whole fruits if available or fresh fruit sauces or dips without extra sugar (fresh apple/tamarind/dates sauces) in dessert options.

Don’t Indulge in sugary foods/desserts like cakes, pastries, mithais, chikkis, candies, chocolates, and others. 

Always go for a party after having a light meal. 

Avoid having multiple dishes, restrict to 2-3 food items.                             

Take smaller plate/cutlery to consume less amount each time you eat.

Avoid taking a second helping. 

Choose low/ no sugar mouth fresheners like plain fennel, spearmint, clove etc.

Don’t consume tobacco / cigarettes and other tobacco products.