Open Arms of Minnesota

The Nutrition Team offers tips and suggestions for healthy restaurant eating during COVID-19

Brianna Tobritzhofer, Open Arms’ Senior Manager of Nutrition Services, offers tips for healthy takeout and suggested meal choices from the Nutrition Team’s favorite neighborhood restaurants.

Tips for healthy takeout:

Prioritize veggies: Opt to order something that includes veggies, either mixed in or as a side. Some restaurants allow you to double-up on veggies, like adding extra lettuce or tomatoes to burgers and sandwiches. You can also ask to substitute veggies for French fries or chips as the side.

Avoid fried food: Opt for baked, steamed, roasted, or grilled foods instead of those that are fried. Fried foods are typically high in unhealthy fats. An example would be ordering steamed vegetables instead of fried wontons, or a baked potato instead of fries.

Customize sauce/dressing: Ask for sauce and/or dressing to be served on the side. You can also ask for less sauce, or order a veggie-based sauce like marinara instead of a cream-based one.

Limit saturated fats: To limit saturated fat intake, focus on ordering dishes that are plant-based or made with lean sources of protein, like chicken and seafood.

Practice portion control: Since takeout portions are typically large, split the meal in half when you get it and package the rest to enjoy later. A tip to help with this is to serve a meal portion on a smaller plate or bowl instead of eating from the larger takeout packaging.

NOTE: Don’t fret! Getting takeout should be enjoyable. It’s OK to have a meal that isn’t perfectly healthy every once in a while. A takeout meal here and there can fit into a well-balanced diet.

Restaurant picks + meal suggestions

• French Meadow: Organic healthy plate, blackened fish or tempeh tacos
• Lynhall: Smokey tomato soup, Chickpea panisse
• Birchwood Café: Turkey Salad Sandwich, Green curry
• BACIO – Tomato & avocado flatbread
• Barbette – Roasted beet salad, roasted Ferndale turkey sandwich
• Bardo – vegetarian black bean burger
• Black Sheep Pizza – Fresh tomato, green pepper & Kalamata olive pizza (plus delicious sides, like farmers market salad and oven roasted vegetables)
• Bookclub – grilled skewers, red coconut seafood curry
• BRASA – Curried chix bowl
• Copper Hen – Farmhouse salad, avocado toast, chicken pot pie stuffed w/ root veg
• Copper Cow – Portobello mushroom burger, beet & bean burger
• Fig and Farro: buffalo cauliflower, ribollita soup
• Firelake: grilled Alaskan wild salmon, carrot polenta
• Handsome Hog: BBQ chopped salad, whole roasted fish
• Harriet Brasserie: Chickpea ragout, scallop risotto
• Kieran’s Kitchen: Barley veg soup
• Nolo: sprouts & cauliflower starter, chicken tortilla salad
• Nightingale: Shrimp toast
• Red Rabbit Mpls: Roasted cauliflower plate, stuffed acorn squash
• SmackShack: Lobster guacamole, stuffed salmon
• Tavern23: Pad Thai noodles w/ chix
• Tulibee: Kale & apple salad, mushroom risotto
• WiseAcre: CSA Hash, vegetable curry
Find a map of our partners currently offering takeout here:

More from Open Arms

Turkey Day 5K graphic

Turkey Day 5K To Benefit Open Arms

Twin Cities In Motion Dick’s Sporting Goods Turkey Day 5K To Benefit Open Arms Open Arms of Minnesota is proud to be the official charity beneficiary of this year’s Dick’s Sporting Goods Turkey Day 5K, brought to you by Twin Cities In Motion!  The

Read More »
Leah and Quinn Villagomez

Open Arms On KFAI’s Fresh Fruit

Leah Hebert Welles Joins Quinn Villagomez On Fresh Fruit Radio Show Open Arms CEO Leah Hebert Welles joined Quinn Villagomez, host of the radio show “Fresh Fruit” on KFAI 90.3 Thursday, Nov. 2 for a conversation about the exciting events taking place at Open

Read More »
Holiday Treats graphic.

HOLIDAY TREATS!

Open Arms of Minnesota is pleased to bring you a wide array of Holiday Treats to satisfy your sweet tooth this season! This year’s Holiday Treats can be purchased through our online shop via the link below. 

Holiday Treats will be available for pick up at the following times and locations: 

  • Tuesday, December 12 | Minneapolis Kitchen & Campus | 4 – 6 p.m. 
  • Thursday, December 14 | St. Paul Kitchen & Campus | 4 – 6 p.m. 
  • Saturday, December 16 | Minneapolis Kitchen & Campus | 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.