The budget meals dietitian Susie Burrell says you should order at the food court
While taking a healthy, balanced lunch from home is always the best option from both a nutrition and budget perspective, at times we may find ourselves out and about and in need of a decent meal.
The average food court is now filled with a wide range of lunchtime options, including well-known fast-food chains that offer myriad fried options and budget-friendly meal deals.
While such options can be tempting, there are much better options nutritionally that are also relatively budget friendly.
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Susie Burrell says there are some healthy options you can find in your local food court. Getty
A sandwich
If you are lucky enough to have access to an old-school sandwich bar that will make you are sandwich from scratch, you will be able to build a nutritionally balanced, delicious sandwich that will keep you full and satisfied for several hours.
Ask for the smaller slices of bread, lean fillings like chicken breast or tuna and loads of salad.
Subway is a good choice and you can get a smaller roll for less than $10.
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Burrell says Subway can be a good choice when looking for a healthy lunch at the food court. Getty
Sushi
Sashimi can be relatively expensive, but if you choose a couple of brown or black rice hand rolls with a nutritious, protein-rich filling such as salmon or tuna and team your order with some seaweed salad or edamame beans you will have a balanced lunch for $10 to $12.
The key is to go easy on the fried fillings and creamy sauces like mayo and add some extra greens to the mix for some extra fibre that will help to keep you fuller for longer after eating.
Rice paper rolls
While Japanese cuisine has been routinely offered in food courts for some time, Vietnamese options are becoming more common and the good news is that Vietnamese cuisine is one of the best cuisines to choose when eating out.
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Rice paper rolls can make for a great lunch option. Getty Images/iStockphoto
With a wide range of salads, soups and rice paper rolls, you can find a veggie-rich meal at a reasonable price point.
One of the best options are low carb rice paper rolls which have a decent amount of protein and you can pick them up for just $4 to $5 each.
Chicken strips and salad
It can be tricky to find chicken options in a food court that are not deep fried but many of the outlets do offer chicken breast or tenderloin pieces, often at a cheaper price point than burgers and meal deals, that do offer a decent serve of protein even though they may be crumbed.
Team these with a salad, coleslaw or side of veggies and you have a nutritionally balanced meal for less than the $20 standard lunch meal order.
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Chicken strips and salad can make for a protein-rich lunch option. Getty
Stir fry
If you have access to a takeaway, you may be able to pick up a relatively simple chicken or tofu vegetable stir fry at a reasonable lunch price point.
Ditch the white rice in favour of extra vegetables and you have a filling, protein rich meal that will satisfy you all afternoon.
Look for lighter sauces such as oyster or teriyaki rather than creamy curries or noodle dishes and you will be on the right track.
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