Issue 414: Eating Out Can Still Be Balanced~~ Snack Stall Edition

Whether you are an office worker or a student, affordable local snack shops are often the favorite choice for eating out! However, many people simply order a bowl of braised pork rice or dry noodles and quickly finish a meal, overlooking the importance of a balanced diet. Over time, this may increase the risk of obesity and chronic diseases.

To help with this, the Health Promotion Administration has specially designed “My Plate Balanced Diet Menu,” allowing people who love eating at snack shops to easily learn healthy ordering tips for eating out! You can also follow these simple “healthy eating slogans” when choosing your meals:

A Cup of Milk Every Morning and Night

Drink one cup of milk (about 240 mL) every morning and evening to supplement protein and calcium, which many people lack. Since milk is not commonly available at snack shops, remember to drink a cup of milk or sugar-free latte between meals or during breakfast and dinner.

A Fist-Sized Portion of Fruit for Every Meal

Eat a portion of fruit about the size of your fist at every meal. Choose fruits of different colors to obtain dietary fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidant-rich phytochemicals. Fruits are not easy to find at snack shops, so don’t forget to add a fist-sized fruit after meals as a healthy dessert.

More Vegetables Than Fruit

The amount of vegetables in each meal should be slightly more than one fist. At snack shops, you can order a plate of blanched vegetables along with side dishes such as cucumber salad or braised kelp. Combining different vegetables helps maintain digestive health and increases fullness.

Rice and Vegetables in Equal Portions

Your staple food should be about the same amount as your vegetables. Common choices at snack shops include braised pork rice and dry noodles. If you want to reduce oil intake, you can choose lighter soup noodles (such as pickled mustard pork noodles or plain noodles) and avoid drinking the soup.

A Palm-Sized Portion of Protein

Each meal should include protein foods about the size of your palm. At snack shops, you can follow the principle of “beans + meat/eggs,” such as ordering braised eggs with dried tofu, or braised tofu with pork cheek meat, which are both good protein combinations.

One Teaspoon of Nuts and Seeds

Each meal should include about one teaspoon or one thumb-joint-sized portion of nuts and seeds. Since snack shops rarely provide these foods, you can prepare unsalted nuts separately as a snack between meals or during afternoon tea time.

These are six simple tips for healthier eating out. By making small changes to the way we order food at snack shops and paying attention to vegetables, fruits, nuts, and dairy products that are often overlooked, eating out can still be as balanced, nutritious, and healthy as home-cooked meals!

Healthy Reminder

• Snack shops often lack dairy products, fruits, and unsalted nuts and seeds, so these can be supplemented between meals.
• Dry noodles usually contain more oil. To reduce fat intake, choose soup noodles instead, but avoid drinking the soup.

Source: Health Promotion Administrationhttps://www.hpa.gov.tw/Pages/Detail.aspx?nodeid=1622&pid=11682&sid=11683