10 Mistakes to avoid when ordering food online

There are pitfalls to having your favorite food joint on speed dial. They have to do with minding your nutrition, interacting with the delivery person, and handling the food once you have it inside the house.

Here's what to look out for.

1. Ordering when hungry

Plan out your order before you get so hungry. Order when it's an hour or minutes away from meal time. If you order when you're starving, you are more likely to be irritable and impatient. In such a state, you are more likely to forget the long process of getting the food to you, and your mood sours.

2. Ordering food which goes bad quickly

Unless you're going to eat the entire order in time, don't get food that will go bad in a short time or become unappetizing. Pizza can easily be consumed later with a bit of refrigeration. However, salad covered in dressing or other 'eat while fresh' food will end up in the trash.

3. Ordering big brands

Big chain restaurants have achieved success and made huge profits because of the consistency in the quality of their food. However, this top-tier service out-competes local restaurants that struggle to stay afloat.

Consider ordering from these small independent food joints from time to time and support a local business.

4. Storing delivery package

Dispose of or recycle the package bags that the containers come in. Keep them away from surfaces in the house. Once the containers are out of the go-to bags, pour the food on your plates and dispose of the containers too.

5. Eating right away

The upside of food delivery is that cutlery is provided most time. Even when it's not, it is easy to pick out a fork or spoon from your kitchen to dig in. Resist this temptation and wash your hands. At any point while eating you are bound to make direct hand contact with the food.

6. Eating from the container

Having your food in the containers sends signals to your brain that there are a lot of food portions to consume. This is how you end up eating too much.

Pouring out the food on a plate will enable you to make portions for yourself. Also, following the right meal protocol of serving and setting the table will put you into the routine of eating what you are used to.

7. Not reheating

Reheating will kill any bacteria or contaminants that may have accessed the food. This is also another reason to order before you get too hungry. If you're too hungry, you might be too impatient to reheat the food.

8. Ordering outside apps/sources

This sounds weird but it happens. Even if you know a place you usually eat, don't order delivery if you cannot go to dine there. Order from a trusted and popular food delivery place and food delivery apps.

9. Cash

Use the cashless option whenever you can. Most delivery people don't come with balance despite the option to let them know to do so. This can be frustrating and waste time as you figure out a different payment method or look for help.

10. Overlooking veggie options

Food delivery is almost simultaneous with fast food. Unless you're looking for veggies or salads, it is easy to miss these options. Take advantage of them to balance out your diet.

10 Mistakes to avoid when ordering food online

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