Healthy takeaway options: what to order on a diet

When you order a pizza, you don't necessarily have to order a large and, for that matter, you don't need to eat it all in one night. Why not try cutting back on your portion size and ordering a thinner crust, to minimise your carb (a.k.a sugar) intake. While you're waiting for the tasty treat to arrive, whip up a quick salad to get in some of your five a day and hey, you'll avoid that horrid uncomfortably full feeling, too.

Now, we know they're quite literally in the name, but if you're really hammering down on your calorie intake, it's going to be quite hard to squeeze chips into your allowance. Why not order a side of mushy peas instead or, if you're at home, you could even whack a small batch of oven baked wedges into cook while you wait for the other half to bring home the goods - just use a tiny splash of oil.

With Chinese, it turns out you can make conscious choices with your ordering, rather than giving up on half your portion. For example, always look for steamed options on the menu, rather than fried. And, for that matter, pick the leaner meat meals, like chicken rather than beef.

Again, it's all about moderation and perhaps now's the time to think about whether you really need all the sundries with your curry? Naans and rices will quickly add up, so how about chucking in some veggies to cook while you wait for your tikka masala to magically arrive on your door step. We'd recommend roasting a couple red peppers - just bung em in the oven with a drizzle of oil and some salt for around 20-30 mins at 200 degrees celsius.Alternatively, if you're really set on the rice, try swapping it out for brown/wholegrain rice, to up your fibre intake.