Choosing a balanced Middle Eastern meal
Use the dishes, portions and ingredients to plan a meal you enjoy, rather than relying on a cuisine label or a weight-loss promise.
Start with the components
Our menu includes vegetable dishes, chickpea dips, rice, bread, grilled mains and sweets. Choose the main you want first, then look at the sides already included. A platter and a wrap can contain related ingredients but serve them in different amounts and formats.
For a varied shared table, compare a vegetable dish with a dip and a main rather than ordering several versions of the same accompaniment.
What a menu description can tell you
A dish description helps you compare ingredients and accompaniments. It does not provide measured calories, sodium or nutrient amounts. A cuisine name alone cannot tell you whether a dish fits an individual nutrition or weight-management plan.
For packaged market goods, compare the serving size and Nutrition Facts label. The FDA explains how these labels and food-group guidance help people make informed choices over time.
Make the order fit the people eating
Read sauces, bread and side dishes before adding extras. If you are sharing, decide how many people will eat and which dishes they actually want. Ask the preparing store about ingredient changes before ordering.
If you need a prescribed diet or support with weight management, use advice from your own clinician or registered dietitian. Yalla’s menu is a food guide, not a medical meal plan.