What Are Some Of Australia’s Favourite Takeaway Foods? And Why We Love Takeaway

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It’s no secret Australia likes takeaway food, or taking away food to eat at home, work or elsewhere. On average, Australians make 30.5 million takeaway visits each month. With more eateries than we can count around many a corner in Australia, deciding on and picking our favourite takeaway can be hard.

There’s something liberating about taking away food and eating wherever we please; where, and what, we eat is a personal choice.

At times getting takeaway feels like a win | Weekly Photo Challenge: Victory

At times getting takeaway feels like a win | Weekly Photo Challenge: Victory.

These days we can take away pretty much any dish and cuisine. Just like the debate over choosing our national dish, Australia’s favourite takeaways change from year to year, and from state to state too. Not much of a surprise since our tastebuds change over time and each of us feel differently about different cuisines.

More often than not, Australians warm towards takeaway that isn’t only convenient to take away but easy to eat as well. Australians are known to be laid back; we’re a nation that works hard but plays harder. So no surprise we’re a nation that loves casual dining, loves takeaway such as pizza. In the last few years, pizzerias lead the vote as Australia’s favourite takeaway spots, and popular on Saturday night dinners a home. Burgers come out takeaway tops in Victoria. Fuss-free food we eat with our hands. Fuss-free food that doesn’t take long to prepare as well.

Often Australia loves the kind of takeaway great for eating under the sun. After all, we love the great outdoors: a casual affair, casual eating apt.

Sometimes we might be more than happy to eat the same takeaway over and over again.

Sometimes we might be more than happy to eat the same takeaway over and over again.

A lot of the time Australians have a penchant for takeaway food that is all about meat. Australia certainly is a nation that loves its meat, from succulent Angus beef to tender free-range chicken to sinewy lamb. No surprise we love takeaway pizza and burgers, with BBQ Chicken and Meatlovers topping Australia’s favourite pizzas and to many of us omnivores a good meat patty makes a good burger. And kebabs and fried chicken takeaways whet Australian appetites as well. Just like how ham sandwiches sit well with me.

Some of our favourite takeaways are rather Aussie, and others less so. Apart from pizzas, burgers and fish and chips, Chinese, Italian and Indian ready-to-go are favourites too. Seems that the more multicultural Australia’s population is becoming, the more adventurous our tastebuds are becoming. Sometimes I get takeaway sushi for weekday lunches. Or a chicken panini. Or a ham sandwich.

Takeaway is usually a tasty treat that perks us up. Chances are when we choose to get takeaway, we get a fast-food meal. In 2013, a study shows Australians spend 23% more per month on fast-food compared to the last 4 years.

Other times we might be adventurous and new takeaways put a smile on our face.

Other times we might be adventurous and new takeaways put a smile on our face.

On one hand, takeaway isn’t exactly good for us. But on the other, no reason why we can’t have our favourite-takeaway-comfort food to feel better. As author Michael Pollan said on being mindful about where our food comes from and how it lived:

 “You are what what you eat eats.”

At times getting takeout, or even eating out, gets on our nerves. Get takeout and our wallets become a lighter. Get takeout and we might have to queue and push with the crowds, wait a while for our food. While McDonalds delivery is catching on in Australia, depending on traffic and weather it can take a while for takeaway delivery to arrive. Then again, making our own meals at home can get on our nerves too: mustering the effort to clean up after cooking in the kitchen, coming up with meals just enough for one person if we’re living alone and don’t want to eat the same meal again the next day.

Taking away meals and eating out, we let others prepare meals for us. When we’ve decided on having takeaway or eating out, we surrender our body and health into the care of someone’s hands, trusting we’ll get through the meal alive – a vulnerable experience. While waiting for our takeaway, what we usually tend to worry and think about is getting to where we want to be, or what our food will taste like. Cooking is far from our minds unless we want to replicate the dish we ordered. So is getting sick.

Takeaway foods. They can be comfort foods, and sinful too.

Takeaway foods. They can be comfort foods, and sinful too.

The onus is always on us to make wise food choices. We only see what our ready-to-go food entails when we open the takeout container, ready to tuck in. More often than not, we see and feel the results of our eating habits afterwards, be it a moment after eating or practically a lifetime of eating. Comfort food may not always be comfort food, as food writer Mary F.K Fisher alluded:

“Probably one of the most private things in the world is an egg before it is broken.”

Just as we can bored of home cooked meals, we can get restless from eating takeaway.

How often do you get takeaway food?

230 thoughts on “What Are Some Of Australia’s Favourite Takeaway Foods? And Why We Love Takeaway”

  1. Mabel It is a rare thing for us to have take out (as we call it). when we were younger the story was different and now perhaps we are more focused on our health. also I have more time for cooking. Occasionally we will order pizza but I am afraid we are quite boring in the take away department. 🙂

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  2. There’s not as much to choose from, for vegetarians, but it all looks wonderful for everyone else. Great photos (as usual), and Sock Monkey looks VERY happy! Going out for coffee is my big temptation. I resisted today, but tomorrow? — who knows.

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    • I suppose no-meat salads is a takeaway options for vegetarians. Then again, salads tend to be expensive than a lot of dishes out there, at least here in Australia. Sock monkey loves eating out, the cheeky thing.

      Coffee. Once in a while it’s okay. So is hot chocolate. Good on you, Sandy.

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  3. You keep talking about easy to eat takeaway meals, but your pictures… well… I thought tacos are one of the messiest things to eat! I was never able to eat them without making a mess of things. What’s the trick??

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    • When I have tacos, I like to eat them with a plastic fork and knife. I’d eat the meat and veggies of the taco with the fork, cut some of the corn chip to go with it. One time someone I was eating with looked at how I ate tacos, and commented that I really wanted nachos after all…

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      • Exactly! I would’ve commented the same if I see you eat tacos the way you do LOL! But I’m sure there’s some serious skills involved to eat tacos properly. Them Americans look at me eating tacos as some sort of clown performance all the time! :/

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        • LOL CL. I think you and I will get along very well then. Great sense of humour 😀 Eating tacos, a clown performance? I don’t know. I really must see you eat tacos. When we do catch up in person at some point, we will go for tacos. And order as many as you want. My treat 😀

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  4. A friend of mine had a challenge with her 3 year old child (who is now a 25 year old articulate young women), who would not eat home cooked lunches unless they “looked like take away. She used to make boxes out of cardboard to put the sandwich or noodles in, so the child could have the “take away” experience!

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  5. As you know I am big on healthy eating and clean vegan food. If get takeout it will usually be steamed veggie dumplings or veggie rice paper rolls. I much prefer to cook now so I can be absolutely sure of what goes in my food and regulate salt & fat intake. That being said, Francis love his take out food. From Falafel Burgers to Tofu Wraps to Vegetable Noodles, he is a vegan take out King! I’m finding as I get older, my diet is becoming more and more simple. Fresh fruits, veggies, grains, legumes & tofu. I feel amazing, fit, lean & healthy! Good post to start a discussion & I always appreciate Mr Wobbles making lots of photo appearances! 🙂 🙂 xx

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    • Veggie rice paper rolls are so common, I see them everywhere! But as for veggie dumplings, in all honestly I have yet to see them much anywhere, at least the better tasting and healthy ones. I don’t know if you know any place that serves up good ones that are not oily? Meat dumplings can be very filling for me.

      Simple meals are certainly the best. I don’t put salt into my cooking unless I find it really bland – often the veggies will produce “juice” to give meals their own unique taste 🙂

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      • I agree! Salt is not necessary when you have veggie juice or seasonings/herbs! I go to Dumpling King in Hawthorn which sells veggie steamed dumplings in a steamer basket. They have no oil or salt 🙂

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  6. Your blog has really made me hungry today!

    I like ordering takeout, which is very convenient where I live. Sometimes I like eating at restaurants, sometimes at home, and on a beautiful day it is great to enjoy lunch outside. No matter where I eat, personally I definitely eat way too much restaurant food.

    Next post on cooking…?

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    • I feel that it’s so much easier to get takeout in Asia (takeout – it seems Americans prefer to use this term as opposed to takeaway…). Maybe it’s because of the street food culture over there. I think it’s the MSG in restaurant food that keeps us eating…

      A cooking post? Differences between how Westerners and Asians cook their meals? Very interesting thought…

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  7. Food is a moot point, Mabel. I think variety is the key to eating from a home lunch box. Especially for children. I have a partner that prefers the same thing over and over, but even he got sick of quiche from the freezer ( home made months in advance) when my young one was born! I prefer variety and go through fazes. The more one starts to eat healthy food, the more one wants eat. Takeaway is the same, I think. I only have it for lunch, about once a month, if that, and for dinner, once a fortnight, because hubby wants it. It is hard to resist salty and savoury dishes. Australians eat far too much takeaway and it shows! We must do better! And slowly it is changing with the Paleo diet thing. This is still the land of the sandwich lunch!!! Love the quote about the egg too!

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    • Variety certainly never makes meals boring. And it’s also good in the sense that we get exposed to different food groups and hence get all the nutrients and vitamins our body needs. I mix up my veggies when I’m making dinner, so it never really is a dull meal for me.

      Homemade quiche months in advance? That must certainly be a lot of homecooked food stocked in your fridge. At least you know you never go hungry when you’re home.

      I’m not quite sure about all the fad diets that are going around of late. But at least they are opening our minds up to the different kinds of food out there, and the different ways we can have our meals.

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      • Yes, I agree. The long term implications of the fad diets are as yet unknown. As for the quiches, I made up a whole lot of quiche pastry shells and then each couple of days, I would fill them with a different filling and throw them in the oven. It was both good and bad. Good that we always had homecooked food that required little preparation, but bad that it was a little repetitive after a while. Quiches can be done with so many different fillings. I just have a fussy husband!!!!

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  8. You are making me so hungry with all of these images. Would love to share a taco with Mr Wobbles right now.

    When I lived in New York, I ate every meal out. Mostly because I worked 24 x 7 and was far too exhausted to cook, secondly, because apartments are often small in New York and socializing is done in restaurants, and thirdly, because I hate to cook. Lucky for me, I went sailing with a Captain who loves to cook. He cools, I clean, it works.

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    • I hope you ate healthy in New York, Lisa. When people mention they eat out in the States, I often wonder how often to they go for pizza 😀 You are right. Living in cities, apartments are small and not entirely ideal for hanging out – rather cramped and if you cook, that will probably stink up the place for a while.

      You’d want to be quick eating tacos with Mr Wobbles. The cheeky monkey can fit a lot of tacos in his big belly, and he grabs things fast 😀

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  9. So my husband is a great cook. His food is better than pretty much any take away. And yet, the carry-out option is still one of my favorites. Maybe it’s the addictive cheese on pizza. Maybe it’s the amazing Indian sauces on paneer. Possibly it’s the twice-fried fries that come with a burger.

    But most likely it’s the fact that there are no dishes!

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  10. Hi Mabel,

    Take away food…terrific idea! If it is healthy and readily available…what a blessing! There was a time I detested take away food but then it was not as good as now…it also depends on where you are living. Here in US, food seems to be no headache…no long sessions of cutting and chopping and then cooking at least two dishes everyday twice!! I too was such a freak where it came to freshly cooked food and have spent uncountable hours to provide good, healthy and fresh food to my family.

    Life is so easy now as far as food is concerned. Washed and chopped veggies available so easily, cooked food of all kinds and all tastes…so much to choose from! I wish I could have all this earlier but it never too late! So my big yes for take away food. Nice yummy topic, I could almost smell food.

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    • “it also depends on where you are living” That is so true. I suppose in the regional areas of the US – like in Australia – takeaway is not as accessible and you can’t request for home delivery of food. So true that often homecooked food is fresh food. Many takeaway foods are usually prepared beforehand, perhaps a few days before hand or maybe heated from frozen. You never really know.

      Then again, so many people are into healthy diets these days and there are healthy takeaway options these days. Salads, sushis and rolls are often the more healthier takeaway options. However, I heard that in the States takeaway food portions are quite massive regardless and I’m not sure how good for the body is that 😀

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  11. Love the Sock Monkey…I’m a bit of a health nut, but I do love take out and every once in a while I indulge in the experience. I do tend to do Asian dishes that are more veggie based so that I don’t stray to far into the more forbidden foods like McDonalds.

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    • That is a good choice, choosing Asian veggie based dishes. I loved the steamed variety – always tasty, and healthier. Eating out is certainly hurts the wallet, and I suppose you have to be very well off to do that every day. Though I do takeaway lunches, I try not to spend more than $5 or thereabouts.

      Mr Wobbles loves being featured on my blog.

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  14. I am so hungry looking at your blog lol. Derek and I had burritos this weekend and they sucked big time so I am dying to find a nice Mexican place here where they don’t suck :D. We usually eat (or drink) out once or twice a week. Being vegetarian in a country that thrives on meat, there are very few restaurants I can eat at, but on a plus, the vegetarian meals are healthier lol.

    Just this morning, Derek and I went to grab some breakfast. I had a toasted sandwich on seed bread with halloumi and grilled vegetables. It was super yummy! 😛

    I’m not sure if you use Zomato, but you should 😀 you get invited to all these cool meet-ups if you are on a certain level by writing reviews and taking pictures of food from the restaurants you’ve been to.

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    • Burritos! That is quite a treat, but sad to hear it didn’t taste too good. Good luck in finding that new Mexican place. If not, you can always make your own Mexican food at home 😀 Personally, I prefer burrito bowls over burritos as I feel that the portion is bigger, at least here in Australia!

      That toasted sandwich you and Derek had sounds really delicious. I could eat that right now!

      I do look up places to eat on Zomato (it used to be called Urbanspoon and I’m still used to that!). Love checking out the reviews and it does influence my decision on where to eat.

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  15. Takeaway is also very popular in China. There are lots of companies doing food delivery for a small fee. Fast food chains usually have their own delivery guys (like KFC, McD, Papa John’s and the like). But when I am in the office I prefer going outside and walk a bit, so I go to one of the food courts around this area.

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    • It amazes me how so many major fast-food chains in Asia do takeaway home delivery. Definitely not so in Australia, but then again, our country is big and sometimes it takes a while to find a fast-food or takeaway place if you are living in rural areas.

      I heard McD in China like using recycled oil to cook their foods 😀

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      • Oh, there have been many scandals about recycled oil (actually, it is called gutter oil, even more disgusting!). Not sure which restaurants were affected, but if a big company like McD was doing it, I don’t even want to think what the small street stalls are using xD

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        • Gutter oil, that does sound disgusting! You never really know who does that anywhere really. It sounds like a means to save financials for business but that puts customers’ health at risk!

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  16. Takeaway or takeout in India is a food parcel, if it is personally procured from an eatery or fast food joint, and a home-delivery if it is ordered on phone from home or wherever you are. All your descriptions of those succulent dishes, Mabel, remind me of my younger days of biting into outside food mostly twice a day. Those bachelor days of late nights and rushing to office in the mornings mostly without breakfast; thereafter gorging into an afternoon lunch, as if making up for the morning deficiency, and finally easing into a dinner at a wayside restaurant late in the evening. A lifestyle that changed post matrimony and settling into a home, with eating out in a good restaurant confined to two or three times in a month. And finally now it is a feeling of satiety, having tried out most of everything. Over eleven years ago, I turned completely vegetarian, so presently it is just simple vegetarian food all the way. I do enjoy an occasional dining out but it as much for the company of my sons and / or friends as for any novelty in the cuisine.

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    • “Takeaway or takeout in India is a food parcel” Such an eloquent way to put it. Food parcel. Very creative, and it makes takeaway sound like something special. Which it can be if we don’t eat it often.

      Sounds like you did a lot of gastronomic exploring when you were younger, Raj. It didn’t sound like you tired of eating out at any point. Then again, if we know the good places to eat out or takeaway, we will never really get bored of it. Nice to hear you dine out or takeaway with good company these days – all the more food to get and share all round 🙂

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  17. Wow! I didn’t know that Australians are so big on takeouts. I can’t have takeouts for more than 3 or 4 days a week, I’ll feel I’m msg overloaded. I prefer to cook on my own, somehow felt more empowering to control how I like in my dish. Great article!! 🙂

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    • “msg overloaded”. Love that saying. Don’t know about you, but a lot of the time I get thirsty when eating outside or takeaway food, and have always thought it was because of all the MSG in the food! I am a really lazy cook, and my cooking at home is boiling things in water and then put herbs over it and eat 😀

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      • You mean you make soups? Haha! I do that too! All the time.
        One simple dish I can impart to you is 1 chicken drumstick, a few leafy vegetables and two apples (sliced but not peeled) and throw them in a pot of water, boiled over an hour while you blog and Voilà!

        You have a pretty good soup to go with your bowl of rice. It’s good for your complexion. If you want, throw in a stalk of celery for healthy measures and it’s good for your lungs too!

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        • Soups? Not really. I just like to boil things in a pot because I find that the easiest way to cook things and wash up!

          Apples in a pot with meat? Now that I must try. Thank you for that. It must taste both sweet and savoury. I generalyl prefer noodles over rice 😀

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  18. Takeaways are good for a change of taste, but unless there is a dire necessity I would not want to have more than once or twice a week. They just adds on to the weight very fast. 🙂 Btw, Mabel what are the common veggie takeaway options available in Australia?

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  19. Wow, lots of choices for lunch, Mabel! I normally spend my lunch hour on blogging and eat barley salad (I prepare during the weekend) and some fruits. 🙂

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  20. We take usually once every two weeks takeaway food. Most of the times it is either Döner Kebab (the German version, check out wiki for that one) or Currywurst, both the two biggest takeaway foods in the country. Now also a shopping mall opened In our city with many fast food restaurants so we have still much to try out there 🙂
    Normally we cook ourselves everyday or eat at my parents…

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  21. Kebabs featured a lot on menus; eat in or take away in this part of Turkey. The Turks like red meat and salt a lot.

    I usually cook a meal for myself. There are only so much kebab one can eat.

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      • My Turk colleagues told me that the best Turkish food is found in Istanbul and cities such as Antalya (lots of foreigners here). The former is expensive and the latter is not cheap either.

        We don’t have lots of good restaurants in this sleepy city where I am stationed. It’s a very small city with few foreigners. I have only met two other foreigners. There are no Chinese take always and Indian restaurants here. Even Indian spices such as mustard seeds are not available in the shops. I have to track down soya sauce and oyster sauce soon; the talk of dumplings on your blog has made me salivate.

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        • It seems that eating out is more expensive than eating in in many countries around the world. Sounds like the case where you are. However, eating out and getting takeaway in Malaysia is much more affordable than in Australia…and it tastes better there in Malaysia in my opinion.

          Dumplings? I must write a post dedicated to all things dumplings at some point.

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  22. Australians have great similarities with Indians in this case 😀 Takeaway food has become immensely popular in India in the last few years and, yes, pizza, M’cD, burgers have gained popularity over others. We have some Indian takeaway speciality like Tadka ( a kind of curry made from whole green gram) and roti (hand made bread) Kebabs, some Chinese recipes and much more.

    The takeaways generally taste good, though with an abundance of calorie, but I don’t mind once or twice a week as they satisfy my taste buds immensely 😀

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  23. we’re more on home-cooked food, Mabel, because we have more time to cook now. occasionally, we have food ‘to go’ . great photos and they make me hungry, too! 🙂

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    • I wish I had more time to cook. Maybe when I get older and things become less hectic for me. I trust you make mean home-cooked food that always tastes good 😀 Thank you for your nice words – generally I find taking photos of food challenging.

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  24. The food shots are divine. 🙂 We alternate between takeaway and home cooked meals. But, that changes when we travel. It’s mostly eating out. If we stay at a service apartment, we try to cook a meal or two. 🙂

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    • I’m sure the upside of cooking in a service apartment is that you don’t have to go all out of your way to clean it 😀 Wise choice to alternate between takeaway and homecooked meals. Variety and you try so many kinds of foods and maybe that inspires you to cook more 🙂

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  25. Well analysed. Takeaways are convenient; add to this the fact that we all have our favorite joints…which means we don’t have to think twice before deciding which place and what food item. This no fuss food is particularly suitable for busy office days. As long as I worked in the CBD, I got takeaway lunch twice a week or so, to sit in the park…with pigeons and strangers around me. But on days that I carried food from home as well as packed it for my family, I could have a get together with others in my office lunch room. Some of my offices had nothing but office canteen…self-sufficient but not much variety. Moreover…a foody husband and son’s needs, mine has been a middle path till now. It always meant good amount of cooking but now getting more and more towards takeaway whenever possible.

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  26. I really like the quote about “you r what u eat eats” – so true – and I also like the other quote I learned about first hand – which is “your what u absorb from what u eat” – I think some take out can be so healthy – just depends – and parts of your post made me hungry! The the pour ours toast and juts love how you weaved in that ham sandwich! Side note – I love making grilled ham and cheese sandwiches for guests – or with any lunch meat – but slather the bread with butter in whatever kind of bread we have – usually a trader joes white – or a light whole wheat that is what my son likes but likely not very nutritious bread – anyhow – in just a few minutes a grilled ham and cheese can be whipped up with little mess and it is satisfying (cos it is warm) and gives the person/guest some rich food – that satisfying butter and the protein – mmm and sometimes I will add some soup – anyhow – live the shot of mr w with his takeout — hah!!!

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    • “your what u absorb from what u eat” You said it so clearly, more so than I could ever have. Love it. The more nutritious the food we eat, the more likely we are to gain the right vitamins for our body.

      You too are a fan of grilled ham and cheese sandwiches! To be honest I love the ones with white bread but they aren’t that healthy. So whenever I get one for lunch I ask for multi-grain bread. It is true that this simple sandwich warms the body and heart so long as you don’t overdo the butter or cheese 😀

      Mr Wobbles certainly loves his takeaway tacos. He always loves tagging along when I go for some Mexican 😀

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      • Hey lady – thx for the reply – and actually I do not eat game very often – prefer red meat. And whew – do not even want to start talking absorption – but will just quickly note that many people do not know they absorption issues and they are missing out on nutrients and immune function because of it – digestion, mucosa lining function, enzymes, and metabolism all impact how much a person gets from what they eat (and so does content of food) – but so many folks have candidiasis too – and so that robs absorption and leaves mycotoxins behind well – anyhow – this is not really the space to write too much more – but so many allergies, intolerances, and metabolism problems are related to buildup in the gut.
        And with bread – I used to think I was choosing smart by getting the whole grain – but most bread is perceived as a type of sugar once inside of the body – and the wheat flour used is not what it used to be a hundred years ago – and so that is why folks start to feel better when they’re gluten free – it all depends on what is going on in the gut – I am not advocating gluten free per we – even though brown rice bread can ease the burden in the gut for those who have issues – and a sourdough rye is a good choice for allergy folks – and I believe that butter has a special role in the diet but is made out to be the bad guy.
        You see – for decades I thought the fat free was ideal – but I robbed my body of needed oils and so once I finally got things right – I eat dense and fat (good fat) food and feel satisfied and healthier than ever.
        Anyhow – those tacos you and me wobbles share seem to be nice and balanced – and with some good nutrition! Mmm😊

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        • Love how you ran away with that absorption topic. Spot on. Eating too much greasy and salty takeaway foods can indeed affect our bodies ability to absorb the nutrients it needs. There was a time when I was younger and much more reckless and ate out pretty much every day. I paid the price for it – I got stomach ulcers and that was such a terrible time in my life which left my body unable to absorb all the good things. With medication I healed and I have learnt my lesson – less takeaway food!

          Bread – we certainly have to be careful with that. After all, it is still a processed form of food.

          Mr Wobbles will not stop eating his tacos. The cheeky monkey loves it 🙂

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  27. Takeaway vs Takeout. I’m American, and I call it takeaway. But in movies these days, they usually say Takeout. Either way…I don’t eat it. Never have. I mean, I’ve tried it, just never liked it. It’s almost un-American to say it. And un-Australian, eh?

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    • Very good distinction. Takeaway or takeaway, the words hold the same meaning. You are right. Not getting takeaway or eating takeaway food is in a sense un-Australian…we’re a country that certainly likes eating out when we can.

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  29. I do a lot of takeaways (in fact, almost every week). My favorite being Pizza, which i couldn’t find easily in Aus (not sure why). I feel the kind of lifestyle we all have, takeaway is going to expand a lot in the coming years…not many will have time to dine-in.

    When you mentioned Aus being laid-back, i had smile on my face as i felt the same on my Day 1 in Melbourne…we couldn’t find much options to eat around 8pm. Many had closed down much earlier!

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    • It depends where you are in Australia to find pizza. Plenty of pizzerias in the CBD and in the Italian precinct Lygon Street. That is so true – a lot of places close around 8-9pm in Melbourne. Chinatown is the exception, but there lies many a greasy and salty dish!

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  30. Either I have a meal in a restaurant (usually supper) which is maybe 2-3 times per month and rest of time I cook my meals.

    The takeaway I like best is sushi and sashimi when I’m in Vancouver. There is a Japanese supermarket that makes it on site fresh and at good prices. ‘Course Vancouver has several hundred Japanese restaurants..enough run by Chinese.

    Not surprised about the Aussie love of meat….sounds like Albertans!

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    • Fresh sushi and sashimi rocks my palate. Too bad they are expensive in Australia. For $10, you can get a packet of ten small slices of sashimi. Not cheap at all.

      Very wise of you eat out less frequently. Less salt and less MSG you consume. I still wonder why a lot of restaurants like putting these ingredients into their food. Perhaps to make their dishes “taste better”.

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  32. Takeaway reminds me of a fast moving culture, a working culture and a “I have no time to sit down and eat at a restaurant” culture. So, it sounds a lot like America. I definitely ate takeaway more often in the US and even in Thailand. Here in Cambodia, though, I find myself eating in restaurants and enjoying the experience or cooking at home.

    Although, takeaway is for lunchtime right now. Under my current schedule I’m eating at my desk because I have no time to take a break. What a crime! 😀

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    • “…a fast moving culture, a working culture” Very well said. Takeaway. In a sense, it sounds like a rushed eating experience. Eating for the sake of eating, and not savouring food and appreciating the effort that goes into making the dish.

      Poor you, Lani, eating at your desk. At my current work, we are definitely not encouraged to eat at our desk. At my previous work, however, everyone at at their desks – but that was because we only had a half hour lunch then, only half an hour to go outside.

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      • I think hour lunch breaks are way too short. Never enough time to go anywhere and enjoy your meal.

        It’s okay. I don’t mind eating at my desk because it’s an air-cond environment 😛 and I can get some work done or zone out. The school has a “restaurant” so I just have them bring the food downstairs to my desk – it’s quite nice.

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  34. Sometimes I still have the old habit of saying “takeaway” instead of “takeout” in Canada and they would give me a weird look. I tend to get confused of where/when to use which. To save embarrassment, I would just say “to go” in Canada and that is generally understood 🙂 I prefer to takeaway because otherwise I still have to tip the waiter for the same food.

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    • “To go” sounds like a very American term. We don’t hear that very much in Australia. I always thought “takeaway” was pretty straightforward in meaning. Apparently not. So clever of you to eat out so you can escape tipping. I would totally do that do…well, Mr Wobbles would encourage me.

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  35. Mmmm, those tacos look appetising. I haven’t been such a big fan of tacos, but those look good. I’m noticing you can often get gourmet tacos these days on soft shells, which are pretty yummy. My take away is usually Thai stir fry – the suburb I work in is famous for Thai restaurants and they all have lunch specials. Occasionally I buy crispy fish & chips for dinner at home, or lunch by the sea.

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    • I got those tacos from the Mexican food franchise Guzman Y Gomez, which I’m sure you’ve seen around Sydney. They taste good, but I find the soft shell tacos are much too damp for my liking – the staff like to ladle the sauce everywhere.

      Thai stir fry is always delicious but I’ve got to be sure to request non-spicy. Some of that can get quite hot spice-wise.

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  36. It looks like Mr Wobbles had a good lunch! He looks so cute sitting there and it’s a great photo of him. 😀

    Sometimes we’d just go for fish and chips but that ‘s all. Around here take-aways are very expensive and we have a MacDonalds here as well but I’ve never ever eaten any of their food. Same with Kentucky. They’re expensive and I don’t trust their food skills. 😆

    I do prefer salads and anything with cheese on it. I love cheese! 😀

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    • Mr Wobbles certainly enjoyed his tacos. Like you, he is a cheese fan and he was so happy to discover that the jack cheese on the tacos was shredded to his liking 😀

      Takeaways can be expensive and really wise of you to eat in most of the time. McDonalds and KFC really aren’t that good for us. When I’m out of work and have no choice but to eat out, that is what I go for – they are the cheaper eating out/takeaway options.

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      • I can see he did. He is so lucky. I don’t even know what tacos taste like. LOL!

        That is a fact and around here it’s not so healthy to eat from those places as well.

        Good choice and they look healthier than burgers. 😀

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        • Think of having corn chips with grilled meat and melted cheese. That’s what hard-shell tacos taste like. They also come in soft shell (last photo) but I find those harder to eat, with the meat dripping all over 😀 I haven’t had one for a while, and now I want one!

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          • That’s why I said I would rather have what’s on the inside because I don’t like corn chips, especially not with food, so I most probably won’t like the tacos. My son made us a spaghetti bolognaise dish the one night with corn chips and I couldn’t eat it. LOL!

            I think I would prefer the soft shell, more like a pie crust type.

            Hahahah! So you made yourself hungry. Same here. LOL!

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            • Didn’t know you didn’t like corn chips! But I’m sure you’ll like the meat in the tacos. You could push the corn chips aside, unless they were soaked in the bolognaise sauce, that might have been hard!

              All this food talk has me certainly wanting to go out and buy food 😀

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              • Oh, believe me those soaked corn chips didn’t taste nice at all. I have no idea why I couldn’t eat them like that. LOL! But I am like that with Oregano and other spices as well. I can’t for the life of me eat anything that has spices in it. Only salt and sometimes pepper.

                hahahah! With all this food talk you even have me wanting to go and find a taco stand somewhere! 😆

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  37. Dear Mabel,
    I usually work six and sometimes seven days a week. Therefore, I understand the “supernormal stimuli” of choosing fast food. Cooking at home can consume a lot of our time to prepare and complete “real” dishes. I my self always look for easy-to-made food which will not “eat up” all my time in the kitchen. Noodle, eggs, meat balls, vegetable and mushroom are my favourite ingredients because I can quickly turn them into tasty meal just by spoiling them in a pot full of flavoured broth. After everything is done, I’d like to put them all in a big bowl and eat while using laptop or reading some magazines. I guest the take-away meal is now a modern culture of today urban life 🙂

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    • Work six, seven days a week? That is a lot of work you do, Khan. Hopefully it isn’t too stressful for you D: “Real” dishes. I like how you say that – balanced, well rounded meals that encompass all of the food groups. Like you, I also like to boil my food in a big pot and eat it just like that. Easy to cook (around 10 to 15 minutes), and washing up doesn’t take too long 😀

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      • I’d like to try my best to finance myself and save some money for future use. I guess I am not flexible enough to earn the most payment with the least working effort. Sometimes, it is really stressful for me to spend almost the whole week in my office but there are many people who work harder than me. Astonishingly, they never bemoan about the sweats and tears they spend on work. I learn from these persistent people as much as I learn form you, Mabel. Your words has nurtured my soul whenever I feel down for the stress of works or relationships. I cannot give up while other people keep going on ❤

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  38. Ah Mabel, once again you’ve spurred intense interest on a hot topic! Takeaway here in the US is everywhere and sadly is at least partly responsible for our widespread (pun intended) obesity issue. Most often the foods that are most convenient are the least healthy, but harried working families often have a “need for speed” that precludes their interest in staying healthy. Sadly (or maybe happily) there are very limited takeaway options near my home so we are most often either eating in (my favorite) or dining out (too expensive, too fattening, and too often!!) Great topic this time Mabel!

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    • Takeaway! Always hot and ready-to-go and it’s certainly a hot topic! You are right. Takeaway isn’t always the most healthiest of foods. I hear pizza in the States is just about as popular in Australia, perhaps even bigger in portion compared to over here. Good on you for eating home often. There really is nothing like home-cooked food made with love, no matter how plain it might be.

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  39. Melbourne is incredibly multi-cultural and it definitely shows in the food choices. Of course not only in regards to the restaurants but also take-away options. I felt like in wonderland after we moved here and when putting all our stuff away my husband suddenly mentioned the take-away and delivery options we had. Not only then was it like a little gift from heaven but for sure after the birth of our second child as well as it made life a lot easier.

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  40. Great post, Mabel. 🙂 Last Wednesday night, when I was in Melbourne, I went for a walk and in search of some takeaway dinner in the Swanston Street area. The city was alive with people, out and about, and there were lots of people sitting in the State Library gardens, mostly eating takeaway dinner. There was such a great vibe in this communal taking of the evening meal. I settled for a GF grill’d burger, but I rarely eat takeaways like this – only when I’m away for work usually. But what I usually do at home during the week is use EatFitFood delivery service for dinner because my hubby and I are both working fulltime and studying, so this way we don’t have to spend time thinking about what to have for dinner during the week, shopping and cooking. It’s not cheap, but the meals are calorie controlled and exceptionally fresh and healthy, so it works for us.

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    • Thank you, BB 🙂 So good to hear you enjoyed the lively city of Melbourne. Hope you enjoyed your Grill’d burger – on the few occasions I’ve had their burgers, I’ve enjoyed the thick, juicy patties. I’m sure the city will get more crowded after working hours as we stretch into summer in the coming months.

      Fresh meals are certainly meals good for us, and glad you found that with the food delivery service. I’d rather pay a bit more for healthier food when I’m feeling lazy and don’t want to cook 😉

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  43. What a beautifully written post. I learn something new every time I do come here. I rarely eat out or what we call here “takeout” from a “restaurant”. We eat in our home only whole organic foods and whenever I do eat out, I do not feel well. Food years ago used to be really good in restaurants, even the fast food ones. But lately? Sorry, no. To give you an example … hubby and I went to a new restaurant yesterday where we heard served the best burgers EVER! From all we heard this place served totally awesome food. We went there, we ate, and we were SO disappointed. It was like eating at an ordinary fast food restaurant and sure enough I didn’t feel well afterwards. Perhaps all the hype was about the servers who gave you your food wearing roller skates. I dunno.

    It’s true you know … what you eat is what you are. Since I have been eating organic staying away from processed foods, white flour and complex sugars, I am well. And strong. I encourage you to do the same. Remember as you get older, you will feel the after effects more. Just giving you a word of wisdom here, my friend. (((HUGS))) Amy ❤

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    • So sorry to hear that you and hubby didn’t enjoy the burgers at the burger joint. It must have been a shock to your body system, being so used to eating organic and healthy foods at home. As much as I like burgers, I’ll admit that they aren’t entirely good for our health. I’ve stopped eating McDonalds every other week a while ago, and I must say I feel so much more energetic eating fresh foods such as vegetables.

      “as you get older, you will feel the after effects more” Certainly wisdom indeed, Amy. And thank you for reminding us all of that. Food from all good groups in moderation and lots of water, that makes a healthy diet.

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  44. Mr. Wobbles and tacos…not sure if there could be a better way to enjoy lunch 🙂 The photos you have here are making my stomach rumble, they look delicious. When I am in China, I eat out quite a bit (usually dumplings or noodles), and the only takeaway I do there is a morning egg mcmuffin from McDonalds (love them) 🙂 but they do not yet deliver. In the summertime, when it is really hot in Hangzhou, takeaway meals are very popular as no one wants to be over burners cooking food (especially Chinese)…so these small restaurants deliver incredibly tasty dishes.

    In HK and the USA I very rarely eat out, mainly because I think I started enjoying cooking simply things and prepping a simple lunch when necessary. But there is nothing better than the days when I do eat out and the number of places can be overwhelming ~ but I love it. Wonderful writing and topic Mabel ~ wishing you a great day.

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    • Mr Wobbles is delighted that you noticed him. Food photos isn’t really my forte but I try… Ah, starting your day with an Egg McMuffin from McDonalds. I hope that isn’t every day. But in all honestly, I love their Sausage and Egg McMuffins, and for a while while not working, I had that most days of the week for breakfast 🙂 It’s easy to eat, yes, but at times I might be unlucky enough to get a McMuffin with way too much sauce/grease and that makes a messy takeaway.

      Dumplings again…we really can’t seem to stop talking about them. I might have to do a whole post on that some day 🙂

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  45. Hey Ya Little Sis! HUGS, MWAH! 🙂
    We dont really have take away, especially now with the foods I eat or more, don’t eat. Also, I work in hospitality and a lunch for me is like eating at a fine dining establishment, good wholesome food, so the thought of putting a Big Mac in mouth upsets my senses. And I’ve found my love for cooking too so I can create the healthy version of a take away. But if I did get me some take away, it’d be be something Asian, maybe a Laksa.
    Hope you are having an amazing week little one. 🙂
    Lotsa love and hugs heading your way. Mwah. xoxox

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    • You are SO lucky to be working in hospitality. Not only great dishes with quality ingredients served up but you can certainly have more to pick from. I am sure if I come over you will make me a great meal and I will say it triumphs any takeaway I’ve every had 🙂 Hope you are well and talk soon ❤

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  49. When I was younger, I always considered takeout food as a treat and something I only enjoyed sometimes. Most takeout foods (like pizza, burger, fries, chicken, fish and chips, etc.) may be considered as leaning towards the unhealthy side, so that is why we only enjoyed them occasionally.

    However, times changes and things change with time. Now, there are several takeout options, especially in Taiwan, and there are many healthy options. My husband and I usually enjoy takeout food about once a week and it seems like we usually opt for Thai food (as we know this great, hole in the wall restaurant that makes amazing food).

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    • You and I share the same taste in takeaway food. Eating them occasionally is wise. I can’t seem to stomach eating out as well as I did when I was younger. So that is certainly a reminder to me to eat well.

      Sounds like you and your husband have no shortage of good food to eat in Taiwan, what with the street food and all 🙂

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