Most young women eat takeaway dinners at least once a week, prompting calls for them to cook more meals at home.

Fifty-nine per cent of young women ate a takeaway dinner in the week prior to a Newspoll survey for the Dietitians Association of Australia.

And 11 per cent of women surveyed said they had eaten a takeaway three times that week.

Despite this, 76 per cent ranked themselves as good or very good at preparing a healthy meal.

Dietitian Clare Collins urged young women to cook at home more often.

"The problem with traditional takeaways is that they are typically much higher in kilojoules, contain more salt and have fewer vegetables than home-cooked meals," Prof Collins said.

The poll found Asian, Indian and Mexican dishes were the most popular choices, followed closely by takeaways from fast-food chains.

Prof Collins challenged young women to open the pantry and fridge door instead of a takeaway menu.

"It can be fast and easy to cook healthy versions of takeaway dishes at home with a bit of planning ahead and some basic cooking skills."

- AAP