In recent years, light meals have been becoming a new trend in Hong Kong. Light meals seem to be a healthier option for the majority of Hong Kong people who have a lower level of physical activity. However, whether light meals are healthy actually depends on a number of factors. In this article, registered dietitian Frankie Siu shares with us the essential elements of healthy light meals.

Low-Fat Cooking is the Key to Healthy Eating

“Popular among Hong Kong people, croissants and egg tarts are small in portion but very high in trans fat. Intake of these should be limited,” said Frankie. In fact, taking note of the cooking method of a light meal is one of the ways to determine whether it is healthy or not. Healthy light meals can easily be prepared by adopting low-fat cooking methods (such as grilling, steaming and stewing) and choosing ingredients and seasonings with less oil, salt and sugar. A salad with grilled chicken breast paired with low-fat plain yoghurt is an example of a good light meal as cited by Frankie.

Wise Pairing for Balanced Nutrition

Most light meals only contain certain nutrients, which may lead to imbalanced nutrition. For example, vegetable salads are small in portion but can hardly provide adequate protein. Frankie suggested that restaurants provide add-on options on the menu, such as adding meat to a salad or serving rice balls with boiled eggs and vegetables, to provide customers with balanced nutrition and increase their satiety.

Frankie opined that restaurants can even turn light meals into snacks that provide customers with the nutrients lacking in main meals. For instance, to increase the calcium content of light meals, restaurants can add low-fat cheese or fish with edible bones (such as sardines) to sandwiches or include sesame seeds in rice balls.