For those trying to watch their weight, dinner out at a Chinese restaurant can be a calorie pit. However, by selecting your meal carefully, it's possible to not feel deprived and to leave with a full stomach. You'll miss out on those yummy fried egg rolls, but there are plenty of other low-cal and tasty choices.
Soups
Fortunately, several popular soups served at Chinese restaurants all qualify as low-cal choices. Choose from egg drop soup, hot and sour soup, or wanton soup---all weigh in usually at about 100 calories.
Appetizers
If you can bypass the deep fried egg rolls and go for the spring rolls, you'll have a tasty 100-calorie treat for a plate of 2 at many restaurants.
Main Dishes
Go for menu items chock full of vegetables with some meat. For example, moo goo gai pan, stir fried vegetables with chicken contains 700 calories, as does beef with broccoli or string beans. Consider tofu dishes, such as those stir-fried with vegetables for about the same calorie count.
Side Dishes
Consider ordering plain brown or white rice, which are usually 75 percent lower in calories than fried rice.
Considerations
Although you can eat a Chinese meal with soup, appetizer and side dish that's less than 1,200 calories, you probably don't need all of that food to feel full. Consider taking half your meal home.
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