Olive Garden!

RhiannaMae

Don't ever eat their salad! But zuppa toscana soup is actually fairly low in calories; for a milk based soup. And half of a lunch size cheese raviolis w/ meat sauce is only about 300 calories. And no breadsticks, of course! I work there, and you can get fat off their food. Stay away from alfredo sauce, the salad dressing, and the breadsticks!

RhiannaMae

Don't ever eat their salad! But zuppa toscana soup is actually fairly low in calories; for a milk based soup. And half of a lunch size cheese raviolis w/ meat sauce is only about 300 calories. And no breadsticks, of course! I work there, and you can get fat off their food. Stay away from alfredo sauce, the salad dressing, and the breadsticks!

bonnykate

Totally right there with you - HungryGirl.com has some great information on the nutritionals of the food at restaurant chains, and it is downright SCARY!

Thanks for blowing the whistle !

keiko

They have calorie counts for most items on their website. It's one of the reasons I like eating there. I can plan ahead and stay in my calorie count.

nerveracker

yeowch.. man I love some olive garden, but honestly I can say it's been a while since I've been there. Itallian food isnt' known for its slimming effects. Pastas, meat sauces, ravioli, cheeses, oils etc.. Man it sounds yummy. but can't do it! When I go out to dinner I stick some where like Panda Express. They give us that option of acutally healthy and good food cooked the right way. But that's about all the eating out restaraunt type food I do. Otherwise I pretty well just stay home and cook it myself. That way I know what is going into my food and into my body.

annatildy

If it will help anyone else, here's what works for me at Olive Garden.

I usually get soup and salad. I eat one bowl of soup and endless salad. Just order the salad with the dressing on the side. I don't care for much dressing, so I can use just a very small amount and still be satisfied. And I don't eat all of the croutons.

Also, if I think I "must" have a breadstick, you can order that with out the garlic butter too. That helps a little bit. The servers I've had seem to be glad to accommodate.

Good luck!

omid990

yeowch.. man I love some olive garden, but honestly I can say it's been a while since I've been there. Itallian food isnt' known for its slimming effects. Pastas, meat sauces, ravioli, cheeses, oils etc.. Man it sounds yummy.

which is ironic because italians are so thin...:grumble:

rebcolorado

Their mixed grill with veggies instead of the potatoes is pretty low in calories and delicious.

keiko

yeowch.. man I love some olive garden, but honestly I can say it's been a while since I've been there. Itallian food isnt' known for its slimming effects. Pastas, meat sauces, ravioli, cheeses, oils etc.. Man it sounds yummy.

which is ironic because italians are so thin...:grumble:

It's all in portion control. In Italy they eat alot of fresh foods, lots of vegetables. Not as much as the heavy, rich foods.

kayovercomer

What's wrong with their salad?

yeowch.. man I love some olive garden, but honestly I can say it's been a while since I've been there. Itallian food isnt' known for its slimming effects. Pastas, meat sauces, ravioli, cheeses, oils etc.. Man it sounds yummy.

which is ironic because italians are so thin...:grumble:

It's all in portion control. In Italy they eat alot of fresh foods, lots of vegetables. Not as much as the heavy, rich foods.

crystal_sapphire

dont eat most of their food.lol. i worked there for 3 years and omg their breadsticks are crazy in calories and most people eat like 3 before their meal even comes

srsly though, everything in moderation. and i say, if you are going out for a night of splurging - do it right. meh.

crystal_sapphire

yeowch.. man I love some olive garden, but honestly I can say it's been a while since I've been there. Itallian food isnt' known for its slimming effects. Pastas, meat sauces, ravioli, cheeses, oils etc..

actually, when most people go to italy, they lose weight if they go to actual authentic italian restaurants (re: not tourists hot spots). It's because they serve real italian food and the portion sizes are much smaller than north american ones.

italians are not as fat as north americans are or as the class media chef represents them as.

keiko

What's wrong with their salad?

yeowch.. man I love some olive garden, but honestly I can say it's been a while since I've been there. Itallian food isnt' known for its slimming effects. Pastas, meat sauces, ravioli, cheeses, oils etc.. Man it sounds yummy.

which is ironic because italians are so thin...:grumble:

It's all in portion control. In Italy they eat alot of fresh foods, lots of vegetables. Not as much as the heavy, rich foods.

The salad is swimming in dressing. Then add in the croutons. Equals alot of calories for what many thought was a healthy choice.
Like someone else said, get the dressing on the side and skip the croutons.

LauraK216

The Today Show on NBC actually just did a story on salads from restaurants. Many people don't understand that when you order a big salad that's topped with things such as cheese, meat, and rich dressings, you're getting way more calories from that than you would get from many other things, like some steaks, from their menus. A lot of salad portions at restaurants are at least 2, if not 3, servings!!

keiko

I wish all restaurants listed the calories/nutrient info on their menus. We'd all be able to make better choices.

omid990

doesn't new york do that? i'm pretty sure that they passed a law for something along those lines. a lot of restaurants that didn't have their nutrition information available before had to post it to keep their new york locations.

omid990

eek

double post. sorry :ohwell:

keiko

eek

double post. sorry :ohwell:

Yes, NYC does do it. That's why I think it's possible for everyone to do it.

nikii14

LoL..I just went there today (for the first time) for my dad's b-day.
Of course I had soup and salad. They DROWN the salad in dressing. I was disappointed....so I pretty much ate the soup.

Needless to say..I was starving! :ohwell:

LisaZaugg1976

I love olive garden but what I usually do is get salad without dressing and cheese and get lower fat dressing on side

saerah12

When I was pregnant I ate there once a week, I loved it sooo much!! Breadsticks dipped in Alfredo Sauce, YUMMY! :bigsmile: I went from a size 4 before pregnancy to a size 14 after:grumble: I don't eat there any more, to tempting.

Opera_Bound

Let's also consider the fact that in Italy (and Europe in general), they do a LOT more walking than we do (haha, and if they're like me - probably RUNNING for trains!) and 'fast food' isn't exactly that readily available. Not to mention the fact that most of their food is fresh and home grown. Even in the deli's and Tabbachi's, there are a lot LESS processed foods and choices than what's here. They have a lot more of the basics and staple items.

In the smaller towns I spent time in, I never saw a chain restaurant nor a fast food joint. And yes, their portions are much smaller, yet so filling considering it takes about double (sometimes triple) the amount of time to sit down and have dinner there as it does in America. My downfall was the house wine! :laugh: For some reason, wine is cheaper than the bottled water and sodas that they sell! Go figure!

Good advice on the food at Olive Garden - I haven't really eaten there but once since I started my journey here, but I thought the Salad was a good choice! I'll know better for next time! Thanks. :flowerforyou:

kayovercomer

Oh, wow. Yes, on the side would be better. I guess the oil and all. They probably pour it on. Thanks for the nudge.
I love Olive Garden but don't eat there often. I'm usually at the supermarket salad bar, or Subway but most of the time make my own and keep in Ziploc bags throughout the week.
I use Follow Your Heart Veganaise because the soy is so wonderful.

crystal_sapphire

Also i'd like to point out that most italians don't make "creamy alfredo" sauces. like in my italian family in italy, cream sauces are like non existant. olive oil based sauces are, but not alfredo sauce like you see at the olive garden. could just be my family, but i've talked to other friends of mine and same goes for them

my nonna told me her family never made "white sauces"is what she calls them (haaha) and she didn't learn how until she moved to Canada.

I'm pretty sure alfredo sauce is yet another americanized italian fattening version of the food.

jennyeckel

:noway: :noway: :noway: OMIGHOSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH:noway: :noway:

I cannot believe the calories and fat in my beloved chicken scampi..................oh it makes me just sick thinking about it!!:sick: :sick:

WOW thanks for the website to hungry girl it is interesting!

:sad: :sad: I love chicken scampi....:sad: :sad:

but not enough for that many cals and fat ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

jenny

crystal_sapphire

:noway: :noway: :noway: OMIGHOSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH:noway: :noway:

I cannot believe the calories and fat in my beloved chicken scampi..................oh it makes me just sick thinking about it!!:sick: :sick:

WOW thanks for the website to hungry girl it is interesting!

:sad: :sad: I love chicken scampi....:sad: :sad:

but not enough for that many cals and fat ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

jenny

omg chicken scampi is my fav too haha.