What to order at italian restaurant

MaryKatU

I am going to an italian restaurant this Saturday for my father in law's birthday and there is no nutritional information for the menu. I don't know what I should order. I don't mind going ove my calories a little but I don't want to blow it. Any ideas on what I should eat that wouldn't be too high in calories?

Smittyinthesun

Chicken and spaghetti with marinara, salad ( easy on the dressing) no bread sticks.

Or hit the gym and burn some extra calories before you go !

whateverdamnit

If there's a salad, I would probably go for that.. everything else will be smothered in cheese, oil and sauces.

kevlynm

When I go to my favorite Italian place I always get the Spaghetti Pomodoro, which is basically spaghetti with fresh tomatoes and basil.

Make sure to avoid the bread! Op for a glass of red wine instead

I also only eat half of what I'm served and save the rest for lunch the next day.

Sirenism

Remember that it's okay to have food left on your plate. That is one of my biggest issues when eating anywhere, including home. I was raised that, "The starving children in Africa, so finish your plate." Most servings are 2 to 3x the normal amount you should have. You can probably even ask for a salad plate or a to-go box as your meal is served.

We recently ate at Olive Garden and I ordered the Eggplant Parmigiana, which was about 850 calories, but I only ate half of it. Anything with marinara sauce (not meat sauce) is generally a good option. Cheese filled ravioli is also lower in calorie than most. You might want to check out OG's nutrition menu since they are a Italian to kinda get a feel for a rough estimate.

http://www.olivegarden.com/menus/garden_fare/nutrition_information.asp

Also, don't be afraid to order from the kids/seniors menu. It just means smaller portions and more basics.

milaxx

Start with a salad, no cheese, no crouton, oil & vinegar dressing, then get a pasta with protein like chicken if you eat it. just eat that whole salad first. get a red sauce, no cream sauces. This will fill you up. If you are like me you'll only be able to eat half your pasta dish. Get a seltzer with lime to drink. if you do this right, you may be able to get a small dessert,. I find skipping the cheese, croutons and bread sticks usually leaves me enough calories to eat dessert.