Do you struggle to choose what to eat at your favorite local Chinese buffet? Unfortunately, it can be challenging to determine the exact point values of the dishes. We may not always know every ingredient used by the restaurants, but you can follow some helpful guidelines to make healthier choices.
And if you are craving for weight watchers friendly chinese food at home, be sure to check out my ww orange chicken recipe.
What are the Healthiest Foods to Get at a Chinese Restaurant?
To start with, let”s avoid fried food as it usually has the highest calorie and point count. For instance, although they may be tempting, it’s better to avoid dishes like crab Rangoon, fried noodles and veggies, fried meat, or any other similar choices.
If you have the option, consider selecting food items that don’t come with sauce or choosing a dish where you can pair a small amount of sauce on the side. This way, you will have better control over how much sauce you consume.
Sweet and sour sauce, as the name implies, often contains high-calorie and point ingredients like sugar or honey. Therefore, it is better to avoid it if possible.
Now that we’ve covered some basic tips, we can get into some of the foods that are better options for WW members:
Broth-Based Soup: start your Chinese buffet journey by choosing a healthy soup option! For instance, go for egg drop soup or wonton soup. The Weight Watchers app has “wonton soup, restaurant-type” listed as two points per one-cup serving. Of course, this is just for the average. Meanwhile, “restaurant-type egg drop” soup can be as low as one point per cup!
Lean Proteins: Skip the General Tso’s chicken and choose unbreaded chicken instead! You can pair it with broccoli for a low-point meal that is nourishing and satisfying. Other great lean proteins are salmon or tofu.
Steamed Veggies: Opt for steamed vegetables. They might even be 0 points if they aren’t mixed with anything else!
Steamed Seafood: If you want a healthier seafood option, choose steamed seafood over sautéed seafood cooked with butter or oil. You might also find boiled seafood, and the same applies.
Fortune Cookie: According to the Weight Watchers app, many fortune cookies are only worth one or two points per cookie. So go ahead and enjoy them; they’re all part of the experience.
Brown Rice: If you are craving rice, opt for brown rice instead of fried rice or white rice! It is typically healthier, as it is a whole grain.
Whole Wheat Noodles: If there’s a label that says whole wheat noodles, go for it! This type of pasta is lower in points.
When you have doubts, you can always ask how something is cooked. For instance, steamed dumplings are considerably lower in points than fried!
Here are some other helpful tips:
- Take advantage of the salad bar if there is one.
- Use a smaller plate if you know you will be going back for seconds.
- Be mindful of portion sizes to avoid over-indulging.
- Load up on the veggies.
- Listen to your body when it tells you you’re full.
- Drink plenty of water.
If you prefer fast food or fast-casual restaurants that serve Chinese food instead of Chinese buffet-style restaurants, we have got you covered.
We have gathered some of the points amounts for popular chains like Panda Express, HuHot Mongolian Grill, Manchu Wok, and PF Chang’s. Check them out here:
HuHot Mongolian Grill:
- Broccoli: 0 Points
- Beef: 3 Points
- Seafood Medley: 0 Points
- Cod: 0 Points
- Pork: 2 points
- Zucchini Noodles: 0 points
Panda Express:
- Broccoli Beef: 4 Points
- Mushroom Chicken: 5 Points
- Super Greens: 1 Point
- Fortune Cookie: 1 Point
- Firecracker Shrimp: 2 Points
PF Chang’s:
- Wonton Soup (cup): 3 Points
- Ginger Chicken with Broccoli: 8 Points
- Brown Rice: 5 Points
- Egg Drop Soup (cup): 1 Point
- Steamed Edamame: 0 Points
Manchu Wok:
- Beef and Broccoli: 6 Points
- Mixed Vegetables: 3 Points
- Black Pepper Chicken: 5 Points
Ultimately, there are plenty of ways to eat healthy when you enjoy Chinese cuisine! In fact, this type of cuisine has lighter options than others since a lot of food is steamed or boiled. As long as you steer clear of the fried food or high-sugar foods, you’ll be good to go.