Eating out: make the right choices

We all like eating out at restaurants, but it's easy to go overboard and be lured away from your healthy eating plan. iVillage nutrition expert by Dr Wynnie Chan shows you how to make the right choices and avoid a blowout

According to a recent survey on dining out conducted by the market research firm Mintel, almost one in five adults in the UK eat out at restaurants and bars more than once a week. On average we spend between £10 and £14 per person on a restaurant meal, and between £5 and £9 for a takeaway.

Whether you fit into these categories, or just prefer the occasional meal out, it's all too easy to wave goodbye to your diet - sometimes without realising it - when confronted with a mouth-watering menu. With careful planning and smart choices, however, it's possible to stick to a low fat eating plan, thereby avoiding post-meal guilt or anxiety about all the unnecessary calories you consumed.

We've outlined the calories and fat content of some of the most popular food choices from five different types of menus, so you can make smart choices the next time you eat out. Good luck.

Indian meal Fat Calories Chicken korma (350g) 51g 669 Chicken tikka (350g) 15g 420 Chicken tikka masala (350g) 40g 553 Chicken dhansak (350g) 30g 504 Chicken biryani (400g) 30g 652 Chicken dupiaza (400g) 25g 399       Lamb rogan josh (350g) 35g 511 Lamb balti (350g) 35g 536       Prawn bhuna (350g) 30g 420 Prawn madras (350g) 29g 389       Vegetable balti (350g) 28g 371 Vegetable biryani (350g) 28g 469       2 Poppadoms (60g) 23g 301 Meat samosa (75g) 13g 60 Onion bhaji (30g) 7g 109       Pilau rice (180g) 7g 253 Boiled rice (180g) 2g 248

Next page: Chinese meals