Healthy Thai food to order: which dishes to choose and how to ask for them
Key takeaways
- Made-to-order plates range from about 250 to over 800 kcal; choose boiled, steamed or salad-style dishes
- Ask for less oil and rice: oil is about 45 kcal a teaspoon, rice about 80 a ladle
- Limit omelettes and crispy fried eggs; rice with minced pork omelette had 808 kcal in the study
Healthy Thai food to order at a made-to-order stall is easy to find if you choose boiled, steamed, salad-style or lightly stir-fried dishes and skip deep-fried food and oily eggs. A lab study by Thailand's Department of Health found about 250 to over 800 kcal per plate: rice with clear tofu and minced pork soup had 263 kcal, rice with stir-fried holy basil chicken 469 kcal, and rice with a minced pork omelette 808 kcal.
In this guide (6 sections)
- How many calories are in a plate of Thai made-to-order food?
- Healthy Thai food to order: which dishes are best for weight loss?
- Which Thai dishes should you limit when losing weight?
- How do you order Thai food so it stays light? Phrases to use
- Made-to-order food every day or clean meal delivery: what is the difference?
- A day of made-to-order meals: how much can the calories differ?
How many calories are in a plate of Thai made-to-order food?
It can differ by more than 3 times, depending on cooking and portion size. The numbers below come from a 2008 study by the Nutrition Division of Thailand's Department of Health, which collected one-plate meals from real food shops and analyzed them in a laboratory.
| Dish (1 plate) | Calories | Protein | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rice with clear tofu and minced pork soup | 263 kcal | 21.2 g | 8.7 g |
| Rice with chicken green curry | 313 kcal | 15.9 g | 7.5 g |
| Rice with stir-fried holy basil chicken (pad kra pao) | 469 kcal | 24.2 g | 14.8 g |
| Pork fried rice | 581 kcal | 22.7 g | 25.2 g |
| Khao man gai (chicken rice) | 619 kcal | 10.9 g | 28.0 g |
| Pad see ew (stir-fried wide rice noodles) | 633 kcal | 16.0 g | 26.8 g |
| Rice with fried egg salad (yam khai dao) | 638 kcal | 19.9 g | 28.5 g |
| Rice with minced pork omelette (khai jiao) | 808 kcal | 27.9 g | 53.2 g |
The report concluded that high-energy dishes came from too much oil and large portions. In the Thai Food Exchange Lists, 1 teaspoon of oil has about 45 kcal and 1 ladle (thapphi) of steamed rice about 80 kcal, so an oily omelette or a heaped plate of rice adds up fast.
Healthy Thai food to order: which dishes are best for weight loss?
Choose dishes that do not need much oil and have clear protein first, then fine-tune them with the phrases in the next section.
- Clear soups (gaeng jued), such as rice with tofu and minced pork soup: about 263 kcal and 21.2 g protein
- Pad kra pao gai with less oil and no fried egg: about 469 kcal in the study, before any egg
- Yam and larb (Thai salads): good protein, but ask for less sweet, as dressings often contain sugar
- Clear noodle soups, such as thin noodles with beef balls (about 245 kcal) or wide noodles with blanched fish (about 336 kcal)
- A side dish with plain rice, such as pork blood soup (tom lueat mu) at about 216 kcal and 30.3 g protein, so you control the rice
Watch the salt in soups. In the same study, a bowl of chicken suki soup had only about 253 kcal but 3,542 mg of sodium, more than the Department of Health's limit of 2,000 mg for a whole day. Eat the meat and vegetables, but leave some of the broth.
For the bigger picture of what to eat across the day, see weight loss food: what to eat.
Which Thai dishes should you limit when losing weight?
You do not have to give them up, but eat them less often while losing weight, because they tend to use a lot of oil or fat. For a favorite dish, change one thing at a time, such as less oil or one less ladle of rice.
- Omelettes and crispy fried eggs. Rice with minced pork omelette had 53.2 g of fat per plate in the study
- Crispy pork (mu krob) and pork belly dishes
- Fried rice and oily fried noodles, such as pad see ew at about 633 kcal
- Khao man gai, at about 619 kcal but only 10.9 g protein
- Dishes covered in thick gravy, such as rad na
Eggs show the difference clearly. A large boiled egg has about 78 kcal. A large pan-fried egg has about 90 kcal according to USDA FoodData Central, and a crispy deep-fried khai dao, the way many stalls make it, usually soaks up even more oil.
How do you order Thai food so it stays light? Phrases to use
Most stalls will adjust your dish if you ask briefly, clearly and politely when you order. Add na kha (women) or na khrap (men) at the end to sound polite.
| Say this | Thai | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Nam man noi | น้ำมันน้อย | Less oil. Every teaspoon of oil you skip is about 45 kcal |
| Khao noi | ข้าวน้อย | Less rice. 1 ladle of steamed rice is about 80 kcal |
| Mai sai nam tan / wan noi | ไม่ใส่น้ำตาล / หวานน้อย | No sugar or less sweet, for stir-fries, salads and dips |
| Plian pen ok gai | เปลี่ยนเป็นอกไก่ | Switch to chicken breast for more protein and less fat |
| Mai ao khai dao | ไม่เอาไข่ดาว | No fried egg, or ask for a boiled egg (khai tom) at about 78 kcal |
| Sai phak yoe yoe | ใส่ผักเยอะๆ | Extra vegetables, so you feel fuller without much extra energy |
| Yaek nam rat | แยกน้ำราด | Sauce or curry on the side, so you control how much you eat |
Eat at the same stall often? Say it clearly the first time and many vendors will remember. If a stall cannot adjust, choose a clear soup or boiled dish.
Made-to-order food every day or clean meal delivery: what is the difference?
Made-to-order food is easy to find and flexible, but you only know the numbers roughly. Clean meals in a pack give you exact numbers for every meal, but need freezer space and heating time. You can use both.
| Point | Made-to-order stall | CleanFit frozen meals |
|---|---|---|
| Calories and protein | An estimate, and it depends on the cook that day | Shown for every dish, 70–330 kcal |
| Rice | On the plate, amount set by the shop | Not included. Add your own to suit your goal |
| Oil and seasoning | You can ask, but results vary | The same every time |
| Convenience | Near your office, nothing to prepare | Needs a freezer, and must be heated until hot all the way through |
| Price | Depends on the shop and area | 21-meal pack averages ฿50 per meal, delivery not included |
In numbers: one CleanFit Ka Pow Kai has 180 kcal and 33 g protein. Add 2 ladles of steamed rice (about 160 kcal) and the meal is about 340 kcal. The pad kra pao gai on rice in the Department of Health study had 469 kcal and 24.2 g protein. Many people eat at stalls for some meals and keep frozen meals for days they want exact numbers. See a sample plan in meal prep for office workers and compare costs in meal prep cost in Thailand.
A day of made-to-order meals: how much can the calories differ?
Different choices can change your daily total by several hundred kcal, as this example from the Department of Health numbers shows.
| Meal | Heavier choices | Lighter choices |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Rice with minced pork omelette, 808 kcal | Rice with clear tofu and minced pork soup, 263 kcal |
| Lunch | Khao man gai, 619 kcal | Pad kra pao gai on rice, no fried egg, 469 kcal |
| Dinner | Pad see ew, 633 kcal | Wide noodle soup with blanched fish, 336 kcal |
| Snacks | - | 2 servings of fruit, about 120 kcal, and 1 glass of low-fat milk, about 120 kcal |
| Daily total | about 2,060 kcal | about 1,310 kcal |
The lighter day suits a woman whose target is around 1,300 kcal. Men, or anyone with a higher target, should add rice or protein, because men should not eat less than 1,500 kcal a day and women not less than 1,200 kcal. Find your target with our TDEE calculator (in Thai). Protein is still low on this day, so add a boiled egg or some chicken breast. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have diabetes or kidney disease, or take regular medication, talk to a doctor or dietitian before cutting calories.
Not sure how to plan your week? Start with the steps in diet for beginners. For meals with exact numbers in your freezer, choose a pack below.
Frequently asked questions
Can I eat pad kra pao with fried egg while losing weight?
Yes, with small changes: less oil, less rice, and no fried egg or a boiled one instead. In the Department of Health study, pad kra pao gai on rice without egg had about 469 kcal.
Is suki soup good for weight loss?
It is not high in calories, about 253 kcal for chicken suki soup in the study, but it had 3,542 mg of sodium per bowl. Eat the meat and vegetables, leave some broth and go easy on the dipping sauce.
Does switching to brown rice cut calories?
Not much per ladle. The Thai Food Exchange Lists count 1 ladle of white or brown rice at about 80 kcal. Brown rice has more fiber, but you still need to watch the number of ladles.
What if the stall will not use less oil?
Pick dishes that do not rely on oil, such as clear soups, clear noodle soups or Thai salads, and ask for less rice instead.
Can I lose weight eating at made-to-order stalls every day?
Yes, if your total energy for the day stays below what you use. Choose boiled, steamed or salad-style dishes, ask for less oil and rice, and weigh yourself once a week.
Written by the CleanFit teamCalories and protein for each CleanFit dish come from our ordering system. Figures for other foods cite the sources named in the guide.
Want to try a pack?
Choose every meal yourself, from ฿44 per meal. Every meal shows its calories and protein, and we deliver across Thailand.