Deli
Freshness delivered deli-style!
If you love the convenience and ease of having food delivered to your front door, yet you are watching what you eat, you might want to consider opting for the most nutritious form of take out available – deli!
Most television watchers know who Jared is. His dramatic slim-down resulting from a diet of Subway sandwiches sparked a newfound appetite for the deli. Jared was right, you can get a pretty nutritious lunch and you don’t have to worry about compromising your diet too much. Plus, if you’re following a special diet– like the Zone or South Beach Diet – you have the option of whole wheat sub buns, a plethora of healthy vegetables and low fat sauces – like mustard, raspberry vinaigrette, honey mustard and salsa to top your sandwich with – as opposed to diet scoundrels like mayo, sub sauce, mozzarella and other cheeses that will expand your waistline.
Even if you’re following a low-carbohydrate diet – like Atkins – you can still enjoy the goodness of the deli. Instead of a sub bun ask for yours in a whole wheat wrap or even better, on top of a salad. Most delis are jumping on the low-carb bandwagon and offering their specials with no bun or a salad to fit in with the anti-carbohydrate craze!
Remember though, just because you’re having a deli order delivered to your door doesn’t automatically make it low fat or low-carb. It’s up to you to ensure that what you order fits with your dietary guidelines. This is why we’ve put together a few rules to make your sandwich delivery something that Jared would be proud of. Try the following tricks to make your favorite deli delivery heart healthy:
- Opt for lean, lower fat sandwich meats on your deli order - try white chicken, turkey breast, grilled chicken, grilled steak, or forego the meat altogether and make your sandwich vegetarian - you can load up on the veggies
- Steer clear of any sauces that are creamy - ranch dressing, mayo, tzaziki (it’s usually made with full fat sour cream and not yogurt in restaurants)
- Pass on the cheese – just 2 slices can add a whopping 10 grams of extra fat to your sub. If you must have cheese try goat’s milk feta or go for a low fat cheese if your deli offers it
- To lower the carbs in your deli order, opt for a whole wheat or multi grain wrap rather than a sub bun. Or ask to have all the ingredients in your sub made into a fresh salad.
- If you’re not sure, restaurants like Subway, Quiznos and Mr. Sub offer you their “6 Grams of Fat or Less” menu. Most commercial delis will give customers nutritional information on a delivery menu. Take one home and put it on your fridge for future ordering.
