These days, going to eat in a restaurant isn’t always an option. Some people are still uncomfortable going out in terms of safety and being exposed to people who may be ill. For whatever reason, it seems that a lot of people are relying heavily on take-out food and delivery. Take-out food has a reputation of being unhealthy, but actually, it doesn’t have to be. Check out these tips for healthy take-out food.

1. Restaurant kitchens can be unnecessarily generous with high fat dairy foods, like butter and cheese. They may add dairy ingredients to dishes when it’s not really called for, perhaps to entice customers as well. Watch out for these dishes. You can also try asking the restaurant to leave out the dairy when preparing your order.

2. One easy way to eat healthier is to upgrade your carbs. Ask the restaurant about alternative options such as whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, and brown rice. They still contain carbohydrates but won’t increase your blood sugar rapidly since they take longer to digest.

3. Instead of eating straight from the take-out container, put your take-out food onto your own plates at home. You might be surprised to see that the portions are bigger than what you’d usually eat – or want to eat – for a single meal. This will help you eat a more appropriate portion.

With take-out food, it can be easy to stray from healthy eating habits. Fast food is especially appealing because it’s so convenient to get. But with some careful planning and determination, you can make healthy choices even when getting take-out food.