How to hack any menu
Eat, drink, and be mindful of your Budget.
Strategisebeforegoing out
Planning ahead is the secret weapon.
• Scan the menu online and use the app to see how dishes fit in your Budget.
• Read reviews for been-there, ate-that info on portion sizes, can’t-miss eats, and other tips.
• Get creative. Consider swaps, half-orders, sides, and special requests.
• Pre-track your meal; it helps you stick to your plan and save up Points® if needed.
Learn the lingo
If you truly want something, however it’s prepared, have it! Or, split with a friend or take half home. Otherwise, this glossary can help you order a Points-friendly meal. Remember: You can always ask for food cooked in a different way, light on anything, and ingredient swaps.
If the menu says... | Its probably code for... | What to look for instead... |
|---|---|---|
Crispy or crunchy | Deep fried in oil | Grilled or baked |
Pan-fried | Not much lower in Points than deep fried, depending on the oil used | Light on oil, seared or grilled |
Battered, breaded, dipped | Coated in seasoned flour or other ingredients then deep fried | Blackened or crusted (to still get some crunch, but usually for fewer Points) |
Sautéed | Cooked in butter or oil | Roasted, blanched, steamed or pureed (veggies) or cooked with minimal oil |
Smothered | Under a heavy blanket of high-Points sauce | Sauce on the side |
Creamed or creamy | The sauce or dressing is high in fat-and Points | Veggie-or olive oil-based sauces or dressings, roasted (veggies), or sauce on the side |
Glazed | High in sugar-think glazed doughnut | Glaze on the side, braised or poached |
Caramelised | Natural sweetness brought out through cooking with oil or butter | Go light on oil or butter during cooking |
More low-Points codewords: Rubbed, smoked, marinated, stir-fried (ask for minimal oil), dusted, brushed, stewed, toasted, en pappillote (baked in baking paper), au jus, sous vide.
Make simple swaps
Easy tradeoffs that fill you up and save Points for dishes you really want.
Bread: Dip it in olive oil instead of spreading on butter.
Soup: Order a broth-, bean-, or veggie-based soup instead of a cream variety.
Salad: Drizzle on 1 tsp olive oil and red wine vinegar to taste instead of dressing.
Sandwiches: Ask for ¼ an avocado and a fried egg on top instead of mayo or aioli and cheese—and eat it open-faced.
Starters: Try houmous, olives, lettuce wraps, salsa or bean dip, prawn cocktail, oysters, or grilled calamari instead of creamy dips and fried or cheesy starters.
Sides: Go with a salad, roasted or steamed veggies, or swap in a lower-Points side from a different starter instead of rice, chips or potatoes.
Mains: Green-light dishes anchored by a ZeroPoint® food—poached fish, roasted chicken breast, or beans or lentils—or low-Points proteins like lean pork fillet (3 Points per 100g) or sirloin steak (3 Points each per 100g).
Dessert: Look for mini cupcakes, small cookies, or sorbet, ask for a bowl of fruit, or sip herbal tea—or, share with a friend.
Low-Points menu items...that actually aren't
What to watch out for:
The veggie “halo.” Just because a food leans veg doesn’t mean it’s healthier (ahem spinach wraps, sweet potato fries, and cauliflower-crust pizza). Even squash bisque can hide lots of cream and butter. Your best bet: Ask how food is prepared.
Turkey burgers. Only those made from turkey breast mince will be a ZeroPoint protein, so ask your waiter to be sure, or, for a true ZeroPoint patty, go with a grilled chicken or fish sandwich.
Long menu descriptions. The more “dressed up” a dish sounds (with sauces, drizzles, toppings, or finishes) the more those flourishes may add up to extra Points.
Gluten-free foods. Flour, breadcrumbs, pasta, whatever…. If you don’t need to eat GF for health reasons, check Points—the swap may not be better for you or your Budget.
“Prime” cuts of steak. Sounds high-quality, right? It is, but that also means highly marbled (a.k.a. fatty). For a lean cut, go with a fillet or sirloin (hold the butter finisher).