A Healthy Wedding Menu That Your Diet Conscious Guests Will Love

In India, food forms an integral part of every occasion; and when the occasion is a wedding , it is surely a “Grand Feast”. At Indian weddings, the food that is served is expected to be very grand and lavish. Nowadays, the spread is not just limited to tried-and-tested dishes from one particular region; but is a buffet that would at times exceed all imagination.

But, then there are some who certainly don’t find themselves too comfortable around this lavish spread. We are talking about those who are health conscious or are on diet. Yes, many people who are watching their weight often end up returning empty stomach from the weddings. As we all know, Indian wedding buffets are not a friendly place for dieters and fitness freaks to be lurking around.

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Well, for all those getting married let me tell you how you can add some diet-friendly options in your menu to please your and your friends' health and taste buds. Here are 3 things you must have at your wedding for the health conscious guests. 

Live counter

Live counters are a blessing. At live counters, you can always sauté your vegetables, add your own seasonings and herbs, and skip the oil totally.

Tandoori counter

Tandoori is any time way better than settling for oily and fried snacks. Tandoori dishes use lesser oil than the other ones. So, set up a tandoori vegetable counter at your wedding.

Salad bar

One place that pleases the health conscious guests the most is a salad bar. Think about some interesting, innovative and yummy salad options, apart from the staple greens, macaroni and chickpeas. Add lots of exotic fruits as well to the spread.

Also Read: 10 Must-Have Mouth-Watering Street Foods In Your Wedding Menu

Healthy and yummy dishes from different cuisines

Your food does not choose you. You choose your food. Every cuisine has loads of foods that are fresh and nutritious. Here are some tasty and healthy dishes from different cuisines that you can add to your wedding spread to make it more inviting and exciting for your health-conscious guests:

Indian Cuisines

• Fresh green salads.
• Tomato soup or shorba with no cream.
• A variety of kebabs- vegetarian ones like tandoori cauliflower, mushroom, broccoli, baby corn, paneer; or non-vegetarian ones like chicken, fish.
• Raitas over dals.
• Phulkas or tandoori roti over others.
• Avoid all gravy items because they are full of cream, butter and oil.

South Indian

• Steamed idlis
• Oil-free dosas
• Oil-free uttapams
• Appams with sambhar
• Grilled fish
• Steamed fish, you could ask for green chutney

Must Read: 5 Extremely Easy And Delicious South Indian Recipes Every Bride-To-Be Can Try

Maharashtrian

Image Courtesy: Tarla Dalal

• Varan
• Patal bhaji
• Koshimbir
• Plain rice

Chinese

• A vegetable soup (preferably a clear soup or lemon grass soup)
• Sautéed greens
• Steamed or sautéed vegetables with a very small portion of steamed rice
• Steamed fish/chicken with lots of vegetables like tofu and mushrooms
• Starters like lettuce wraps

Mexican

• Salad, soup 
• Burritos or fajitas
• Chopped vegetables, with salsa on the side and beans, tossed in it

Must Read: 9 Great Ways To Personalise Your Wedding Menu To Impress Guests

Italian

• Minestrone soup
• Tossed salad with Italian dressing
• Whole-wheat pasta tossed in arrabbiata (tomato) sauce with lots of vegetables, and no cream
• Thin crust whole-wheat pizza with vegetable toppings, and no cheese

Lebanese

• Salads of leaves and tabbouleh
• Baba ganoush, moutabel, aubergine and asparagus dishes
• Fava beans
• Opt for small quantities of avocado and olives
• Pitas made with whole-wheat or lentil rice
• If you want chicken, then go for a small portion, but do avoid red meat.

Delis

• Tossed salad (French, Italian or south-west ranch dressing),
• Sandwiches with whole-wheat bread,
• Whole-wheat pizza lots of vegetables
• If needed then chicken/ turkey/ salmon/ tuna, but no mayonnaise

Thai

• Clear soups such as Tom Yam soup
• Papaya salad, raw mango salad
• Steamed or sautéed vegetables
• Steamed fish, steamed chicken
• Small portion of rice with some Thai curry

Japanese

• Miso soup
• Sushi
• Seaweed salad
• Steamed or sautéed vegetable
• Grilled chicken
• Grilled fish
• Small portion of steamed rice

With cuisines from every corner of the country and world finding a spot in the menu, the food certainly becomes the talking point of an Indian wedding. So, get ready to get better of the wedding menu. Enjoy the weddings without worrying about going back home with an empty stomach. Get smart, get healthy!

Next Read: 5 Fabulous Tips For Indian Couples To Plan A Kids-Friendly Menu At Their Wedding

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