What does everyone eat at Olive Garden?

ashleybreanna13
ashleybreanna13 Posts: 249 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm looking at some options including:
Apricot Chicken
Herb Salmon ($20 though, yikes!)
Lasagna Primavera (has squash and zucchini in it, and I've never had those)
Capellini Pomodoro with chicken
Caprese Flatbread
Parmesean Tilapia

And of course, their salad and dressing. All these items are 600 calories or less.
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Replies

  • HealthyWarrior
    HealthyWarrior Posts: 394 Member
    I've had the Apricot Chicken, the Lasagna Primavera and the Capellini Pomodoro with chicken. All super delish but my fave between those is the Lasagna Primavera.
  • Mareebzz
    Mareebzz Posts: 45 Member
    I regularly eat the lobster cannelloni with shrimp - but I usually eat half or even 1/4 of it and take the rest home. That's what I do with ALL their meals because they all have way too many calories/fat/sodium for ONE meal. But if you break any one of their dishes into 2 or 3 meals, they're not bad at all. :)
  • cadaverousbones
    cadaverousbones Posts: 421 Member
    All of the food. I just order whatever I want, get a box and box up half for later. Then I know I am not eating 1000 calories in one sitting.
  • NonnyMary
    NonnyMary Posts: 982 Member
    ha! i just went there sunday!

    ask them for extra sauce because they seem to be skimpy.

    i would go for the apricot chicken. ((i saw that but i wanted pasta so i got pasta and sausage))
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    Stuffed Chicken Marsala. Nomnomnom
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    unlimited breadsticks
  • jharb2
    jharb2 Posts: 208 Member
    lunch portion of portabello ravioli. You can ask for lunch portions anytime
  • spade117
    spade117 Posts: 2,466 Member
    Breadsticks, salad, appetizer, main course and a few bottles of wine. No dessert.
  • arghbowl
    arghbowl Posts: 1,179 Member
    Mmmm carbs...
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    Their stuffed chicken marsala is decent for 800 calories. ~80g protein.
  • ashleybreanna13
    ashleybreanna13 Posts: 249 Member
    lunch portion of portabello ravioli. You can ask for lunch portions anytime
    good to know! Thanks!
  • tmpecus78
    tmpecus78 Posts: 1,206 Member
    buttery bread sticks until I'm sick! :love:
  • grentea
    grentea Posts: 96 Member
    Can I ask an honest question without offending anyone hopefully? I think their food is seriously mediocre. I mean one step above fast food mediocre. Why do people like these chain restaurants so much? I get them all mixed up because they are all the same to me. I feel like I can get the same quality in the frozen food section of the grocery store. It tastes like cafeteria food.
  • daniellemm1
    daniellemm1 Posts: 465 Member
    Chicken parm with too many breadsticks :)
  • Pangea250
    Pangea250 Posts: 965 Member
    I've only eaten there once in the past, oh, 12 years, and that was about 2 weeks ago. I found it not all too good. But I ate whatever I wanted and controlled my portions. I had a steak and fried calamari.
  • Carlyannabelle
    Carlyannabelle Posts: 621 Member
    Don't do the salad, it is way worse than the soups.

    Go for the Zuppa Toscana soup at 170 cals per serving. Their best one I think.
    Close second would be the Pasta Fagioli at 130 cals per serving
    The Minestrone has 100 cals per serving (But I think it is gross)

    Stay away from the Chicken Gnocci soup it has 250 cals per serving.

    The dressing alone has 150 cals per serving and they put a serving on it per person and then some.

    The Linguine Ala Marinara only has 420 cals for the dinner portion ( and you get left overs ) or the lunch has 380.

    Bread sticks are 150 cals a piece.

    Enjoy your dinner!! :o)
  • tavenne323
    tavenne323 Posts: 332 Member
    Soup Salad and Breadsticks. You can get a low-fat/low-cal dressing...or just ask for it on the side. I try to load up on the salad before my soup arrives. I usually get the chicken gnocchi because it's delicious. And no breadsticks until my soup arrives. Oh and a peach bellini....sometimes a tiramisu to go...if I've been "good"
  • awebs89
    awebs89 Posts: 53 Member
    I get the Seafood Brodetto. It is sooooooo good and so filling that I can never eat more than half.
  • Nicholec2003
    Nicholec2003 Posts: 158 Member
    I like the parmesan crusted tilapia.
  • CentralCaliCycling
    CentralCaliCycling Posts: 453 Member
    Pasta fagioli soup and house salad is one favorite but I am not opposed to Fettuccine Alfredo (substituting the fettuccine with angel hair pasta) along with bread sticks, however there is always way to long a wait and I rarely eat there.
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
    We went a week ago and I ordered a tour of Italy (first time but I was indecisive about what I wanted). I planned ahead to eat more salad, by the time my food arrived I could hardly eat a third of it. The rest went home for another meal.

    Seriously, two helpings of salad and then box up at least half of your meal. I have a big appetite and it wasn't hard for me.
  • Pangea250
    Pangea250 Posts: 965 Member
    Can I ask an honest question without offending anyone hopefully? I think their food is seriously mediocre. I mean one step above fast food mediocre. Why do people like these chain restaurants so much? I get them all mixed up because they are all the same to me. I feel like I can get the same quality in the frozen food section of the grocery store. It tastes like cafeteria food.
    I totally agree!
  • bacitracin
    bacitracin Posts: 921 Member
    Water and scorn.
  • ummlovelovesyou
    ummlovelovesyou Posts: 1,024 Member
    I don't go or I gorge on breadsticks haha

    BUT IF I MUST....


    pasta alla marinara. i think around 600 cal for an entire plate!
  • FitCurlysue
    FitCurlysue Posts: 23 Member
    All of the food. I just order whatever I want, get a box and box up half for later. Then I know I am not eating 1000 calories in one sitting.


    I was going to say the exact same thing! I read an article once where they said you really can't eat there for under 1,000 calories and the sodium is awful---but planning is key. So yeah, half the option, get what you want (maybe make sure you have protein in there and not just carby noodles) and enjoy your meal out with friends/family. :)
  • swest222
    swest222 Posts: 455 Member
    I've only eaten there once in the past, oh, 12 years, and that was about 2 weeks ago. I found it not all too good. But I ate whatever I wanted and controlled my portions. I had a steak and fried calamari.

    Not so good? Well this is the problem, you don't go Italian and order steak :)
    That's like going to a great steakhouse and expecting a great Italian meal ... no no no lol
  • suzend
    suzend Posts: 155 Member
    Can I ask an honest question without offending anyone hopefully? I think their food is seriously mediocre. I mean one step above fast food mediocre. Why do people like these chain restaurants so much? I get them all mixed up because they are all the same to me. I feel like I can get the same quality in the frozen food section of the grocery store. It tastes like cafeteria food.
    I totally agree!

    I much rather go to a local Italian restaurant. Of all the chains, this is one of my least favorites. But it's only my opinion!
  • TardisMom
    TardisMom Posts: 35 Member
    I usually get the ravioli de portabello. The lunch portion is reasonable as far as calories and if I box 1/2 to eat later I can have a breadstick or some salad.
  • sunshyncatra
    sunshyncatra Posts: 598 Member
    Can I ask an honest question without offending anyone hopefully? I think their food is seriously mediocre. I mean one step above fast food mediocre. Why do people like these chain restaurants so much? I get them all mixed up because they are all the same to me. I feel like I can get the same quality in the frozen food section of the grocery store. It tastes like cafeteria food.
    I totally agree!

    I agree it is really average food, but I love their salad dressing. I think they put crack in it.
  • amandatapar
    amandatapar Posts: 246 Member
    I love the apricot chicken meal. I don't eat pasta anymore so pretty much everything else is off limits for me.

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