Vegetarian Eating at The Olive Garden

bebe3232
bebe3232 Posts: 43
edited September 27 in Food and Nutrition
Ok fellow veg heads what would you eat at the Olive Garden that is tasty and low calorie??? I am going out tonight with some friends for dinner, its my first dinner out since I started this health kick, I am nervous about sabotaging all my hard work. I usually would get the Fettuccine Alfredo which has a shocking 1200 calories in it!!! And Yes even a vegetarian can get FAT :)

Replies

  • nomorefatbitch
    nomorefatbitch Posts: 279
    I like the all you can eat soup, salad and breadsticks. Of course, you would probably have to avoid the soup...

    I get mine withOUT the dressing, because I hate the calorie count! (I have actually slipped some Walden's salad dressing into my purse when I go out, because it has no fat, no sugar, no this, no that - but plenty of flavor!)

    Enjoy. Olive Garden is one of my favorites and I absolutely LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Zuppa Toscano!
  • bruitbizarre
    bruitbizarre Posts: 1
    Soup, salad (the minestrone is vegetarian, I believe), and breadsticks! And it is super affordable, too.
  • christina_theresa
    christina_theresa Posts: 290 Member
    I am a vegetarian as well and I always get the mushroom ravioli with the minestrone soup! If I wasn't able to get a good workout beforehand I usually only eat half of the ravioli and save the rest for lunch the next day. Also, I am not going to lie, this meal is extremely high in sodium so make sure you drink lots of water! :)
  • JMun
    JMun Posts: 409
    I'm a pescetarian (still eats eggs, some dairy and some seafood).

    I crazy love Olive Garden but it is def not a place for healthy eating! LOL
    I would eat Herb grilled salmon. It's high in protein and low in white carbs. But since you're an all out vegetarian your options are limited. I hate how some restaurants don't supply good vegetarian options. Not everything has to be meaty!

    Anyhoo.. tough call.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    I usually get Ravioli di Portobello which is toe-curling good, and was surprised to look it up and see that it's 670 calories. Not tooooo bad, considering.
  • cjjohnson1
    cjjohnson1 Posts: 15 Member
    Hello, I googled the menu for Olive Garden, it gives the nutition info of menu items, ZIKES...... probably not the best choice for dieters, I would order a lunch portion no matter what, then only eat 1/2,(they let you do this anytime of the day), and if you plan on wine with the meal,++.

    P.S. I usually get the eggplant parmesana, thinking it was a better choice......not necessarily!
  • bebe3232
    bebe3232 Posts: 43
    Yes sometimes I get the Ravioli di Portobello and yes that is one of the better choices I was surprised at the calorie count for it as well. I know its not the best place for a dieter but thats where they want to go so I am going and trying to be smart about it.
  • maryrshstattoo
    maryrshstattoo Posts: 206 Member
    Drink a large glass of water before your meal then you will eat less followed up by another large glass of water. Oh and burn some calories before you go! Have fun fellow veg head! :-)
  • 1234lbsgone
    1234lbsgone Posts: 296 Member
    My suggestion is this:

    Minestrone soup is only 100 calories. The salad is 350 but 120 without dressing. Personally, the dressing is the best part. I'd just get it on the side and dip my fork in it. BUT, if you skip the croutons it's only 260 calories per the website. They also have low-fat dressing, just ask your server. If you start with soup and salad, you can fill up enough to pack up half your entre as soon as it is served.

    The Gluten free Pennine Rigate with Marinara is 560 calories.

    Linguine alla Marinara is 430.

    Ravioli di Portobello is 670. Not so bad if you just eat half.

    If you can get the lunch portions which are signifficantly lower in cals for every dish of course. Some restaraunts won't do lunch portions for dinner. I guess it depends on the manager? IDK, They wouldn't do it for me once, but it's worth asking. They are still big enough, IMO, to only eat half. Plus you can alway ask the server to tell the cook not to use oil or butter, that will save you ALOT. Skip the parm cheese too. They can also substitute regular pasta for whole wheat or gluten free which is pretty cool.

    Just remember, those delicious breadsticks are 150 calories each. OUCH! Might be worth the splurge if you pay attention to everything else and get in a good burn that day too. But just one, lol.

    Enjoy!
  • beefluv86
    beefluv86 Posts: 86 Member
    The cappalini pomodoro lunch portion is around 480 calories and its delicious. Beware of the salad dressing, it takes the salad from 120 to 350, maybe replace it with fat free something... or zuppa toscana!
  • jessradtke
    jessradtke Posts: 418 Member
    Depending on what I'd already eaten for the day, I might order a salad and minestrone, a lunch portion of capellini pomodoro, linguine alla marinara, or some restaurants will let me order the mixed grill with an extra portion of grilled veggies instead of meat. My husband and I used to share dishes with a heavier sauce (like the ravioli di portobello - yum!) but now he can't eat wheat, so that's not an option anymore!
  • hdexter85
    hdexter85 Posts: 1
    Just a friendly FYI... Their alfredo sauce is NOT vegetarian. It is made with Chicken Broth.

    I have been a vegetarian for 6 years.... and am currently vegan (almost 2 years now).
    If you need any recipes, or tips on veg friendly restaurants, let me know :happy:
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