Healthier fakeaways: takeout favourites at home

Takeaways are delicious, but they're often high in calories, salt and fat, and they're not cheap. Homemade "fakeaways" give you the same flavours, and many are ready before a delivery would arrive.

Pizza

Use a wholemeal wrap or flatbread as a thin base, top with passata, mozzarella, vegetables and lean protein, and bake for 8–10 minutes.

Burgers

Make patties from lean mince or beans, serve in a wholegrain bun with plenty of salad, and swap fries for oven-baked potato wedges.

Curry

Make a tomato-based curry with chicken, chickpeas or vegetables, using yoghurt instead of cream, and serve with brown rice or a smaller portion of naan.

Fried chicken

Coat chicken strips in seasoned breadcrumbs or cornflakes and bake or air fry until crispy.

Sweet and sour or stir-fry

Stir-fry vegetables and chicken, prawns or tofu with a quick sauce of soy, garlic, ginger, a little honey and vinegar. Serve with rice or noodles.

Kebabs

Grill marinated chicken, pile it into a wholemeal pitta with salad and a garlic yoghurt sauce.

Why it works

You control the oil, salt and portions, and you can bulk meals up with vegetables. You'll often find you enjoy the homemade version just as much.

Plan your fakeaway night

Add a fakeaway to your week in Mealful, and the ingredients land on your grocery list automatically, so Friday night is sorted before you're tempted by the app.