5 Bloke-Friendly Pub Favourites, Made Healthy

Pizza

I love my Friday nights on the couch. At home, watching a movie or the footy, pizza in one hand and what used to be beer but is now more likely to be little Willow in the other. If you’re ordering out, try to go for a healthier option (aka: not the four cheese) with as many veggies as possible or have half pizza/half salad. To step up your health game, DIY pizza with my healthy meat lovers recipe.

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Burger

Who doesn’t love a good burger? So versatile yet so bloody simple. We’ve got a bit of a burger trend going on here in Aus and unfortunately for our waistlines most of these fancy burgs are made with brioche buns and as many greasy fillings as possible. When it comes to takeaway, I prefer to build my own burger, where you can add as many salad fillings as you like, ask them to go easy on the sauces and even get a low-carb bun. Burgers are also so easy to make it home which gives you complete control over how they are prepared. I love to make them in Summer the traditional way or in a big burger salad.

Pasta

With a European fiancé I’m no stranger to a good pasta. Pasta is a pretty simple dish to cook on your own and the sauce options are endless. If I’ve had a pretty carb-heavy day but still want my Bolognese fix I’ll swap my spaghetti for zoodles or half zoodles/half pasta. Wholemeal and spelt spaghetti is another great option if I’m being mindful of carbs.

Parma

God I love a good parma. A pot and parma is never the healthiest choice but it never disappoints. Trade the chips for salad or better yet - make it at home. That way you’re in control of the portions, how much oil is used and how heavy you go on the cheese.

Souvlaki

Contrary to popular belief, souvlakis aren’t just an end-of-night food. I won’t lie, I’m not a stranger to a late night souvlaki. I’ll admit they taste incredible at the time but I’m always left feeling greasy as ever afterwards. The good news is that souvlakis can be made healthy pretty easily. I love to make mine into a souvlaki bowl. I still get all the classic greek flavours but with a fresh twist.

Remember, there’s no point slogging it out in the gym if you undo that hard work with poor nutrition. When we make it ourselves, it’s easier than we think, it saves us money and it means we know exactly what we’re putting into our bodies.