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Olive Garden gift card for my birthday..

mirapaigew
mirapaigew Posts: 107
in Chit-Chat
No thanks to my Mother in Law. lol She thought it was FUNNY to give me a gift card to my favorite restaurant, KNOWING that I am trying so hard to lose weight. She actually laughed when I opened it! Even more reason to dislike her. LOL :x

Any ideas of what I should do? Because most things on their menu are SOOOO sooo heavy.

Replies

  • mirapaigew
    mirapaigew Posts: 107
    Probably the wrong place to post .... I just needed to vent about this. haha
  • legacysh
    legacysh Posts: 464
    Get on line and look at thier menu, decide a head of time what to get, stick to it when you get there. I go there from time to time and there are options...You just have to plan for it!
  • crystal_sapphire
    crystal_sapphire Posts: 1,205 Member
    i worked there and in all honesty there really isn't many "safe choices". there's one called apricot venetian chicken. i hate it but i don't like fruity sauces. you could also get the breadsticks with no garlic butter or dipping sauce. land don't let the dressing on the salad - get it on the side. and only get lunch sized portions of entrees and then split it in half again.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    Regift it or trade it online if you really don't want to go there right now...Mother's Day is coming up, I am sure your mother in law would appreciate the gift card...ha ha
  • mirapaigew
    mirapaigew Posts: 107
    Regift it or trade it online if you really don't want to go there right now...Mother's Day is coming up, I am sure your mother in law would appreciate the gift card...ha ha

    bahahahah I love this idea!!
  • anacsitham5
    anacsitham5 Posts: 810 Member
    Stay away from the salad and breadsticks! Very bad!!! This would be the time to just pass the gift card on to someone else who you need to get a gift for. When is your mother in laws birthday? :)
  • VSgirl2010
    VSgirl2010 Posts: 145 Member
    No thanks to my Mother in Law. lol She thought it was FUNNY to give me a gift card to my favorite restaurant, KNOWING that I am trying so hard to lose weight. She actually laughed when I opened it! Even more reason to dislike her. LOL :x

    Any ideas of what I should do? Because most things on their menu are SOOOO sooo heavy.

    Its your birthday! splerge and have what you want and start over the very next day or the very next meal! Or you could have minestrone soup for 100 calories a bowl and salad with dressing on the side for another 120 cals.
  • ♥_Ellybean_♥
    ♥_Ellybean_♥ Posts: 1,646 Member
    No thanks to my Mother in Law. lol She thought it was FUNNY to give me a gift card to my favorite restaurant, KNOWING that I am trying so hard to lose weight. She actually laughed when I opened it! Even more reason to dislike her. LOL :x

    Any ideas of what I should do? Because most things on their menu are SOOOO sooo heavy.

    You can trade this online for another gift card that you can use, I can't think of the name of the website.

    You can also go to Craigslist and post it up for trade for cash or another gift card
  • Achoooo
    Achoooo Posts: 130
    I would probably look up in advance what wasn't so bad, then I'd try to fit in an extra workout, a shorter, high-inpact one to help compensate. How mean of her to laugh. I'd take it, eat it, and then tell her how excited you were that despite eating there you still managed to lose weight at your next weigh-in.
  • mirapaigew
    mirapaigew Posts: 107
    I'll check out their menu online and see what I can find. Or maybe save it for a "special occasion" when I want to go all out and eat like a piggy. haha


    Does anyone else have MIL problems? lol
  • sweetie89207
    sweetie89207 Posts: 361
    been there done that!...very difficult place to go...my first suggestion is dont eat the salad...its delicious but has 1900 mg of sodium in ONE SERVING!!!! (and 350 cals!) crazy...prolly stick to 1 or two breadsticks cuz they are 150 a pop...and something i saw the other day is that you can get their mushroom ravioli which is super yummy if you like mushrooms and is only like 640 cals i think...a WHOLEEEEEE lot less than the rest of the menu...so maybe that and 2 breadsticks and your outta there with only about 1000 cals...a ridiculous amount less (lots of sodium but i'd suggest just chugging down water while ur there and it shouldnt mess u up too bad)
  • ✿KẙMb529✿
    ✿KẙMb529✿ Posts: 152
    Their minestrone soup is great and is only 100 calories. Also, I love the half portion of eggplant parmesan. Olive Garden is one of my favorite restaurants and I have eaten there a few times while still staying under my calorie goal. They have ALL of their calories listed on the menu, so that makes it easier. I wish every restaurant did that. Good luck!!
  • farmerswife87
    farmerswife87 Posts: 72
    No thanks to my Mother in Law. lol She thought it was FUNNY to give me a gift card to my favorite restaurant, KNOWING that I am trying so hard to lose weight. She actually laughed when I opened it! Even more reason to dislike her. LOL :x

    Any ideas of what I should do? Because most things on their menu are SOOOO sooo heavy.

    Its your birthday! splerge and have what you want and start over the very next day or the very next meal! Or you could have minestrone soup for 100 calories a bowl and salad with dressing on the side for another 120 cals.

    ABSOLUTELY USE IT! It's one meal, it won't kill your progress, enjoy every bite of a delicious meal, and then jump back on track!
  • nereyda08
    nereyda08 Posts: 39
    we went there last week. I had 1/2 the dinner plate of cheese ravioli with meat sauce plate. It filled me up, it was about 450 cal (1/2 the plate) and I still lost weight that week.
  • LyndseyMcKnight7
    LyndseyMcKnight7 Posts: 88
    Last time I went I had the ravioli with marinara sauce, it's 660 calories, but it's a large portion. I even had a breadstick at 150 calories. Don't give up your favorite restaraunt!
  • sarahbear1981
    sarahbear1981 Posts: 610 Member
    http://healthydiningfinder.com/restaurant/?id=496

    That is for olive garden. There are lots of choices. I always use this website when I want to go out to eat. Hope it helps. Now you can laugh right back at the mother in law and enjoy the money you will spend on healthy yummy Italian food.
  • stanvoodoo
    stanvoodoo Posts: 1,023 Member
    I love the chicken marsala and I take half home. When its served I ask the server for a box, put half in it and sit it on the floor, spare chair whatever and every my dinner. The take home is just a good for lunch the next day! Maybe even some salad and A breadstick and you have a feast for lunch or dinner. 2 meals one gift card, the joke is on your Mother In Law........

    Of maybe you and the Hubby can share a meal!!!
  • mirapaigew
    mirapaigew Posts: 107
    Oh man, I'm getting so excited just thinking about it. hahaha I LOOOOVE their pasta fagioli. I usually get the chicken marsala. Their foods aren't the best on sodium.
  • BandMom2
    BandMom2 Posts: 64

    Does anyone else have MIL problems? lol
    You are kidding , right? MIL problems!?!?! Mine hardly even speaks to me or my kids, she only has eyes for her "baby boy"!! GAG! He is almost 50, the middle child, and his "babies" are now teenagers. Whenever she comes over she complains about the food I serve and stays so close to my husband I feel like an outsider in my own home! She LOVES getting him to favore her over me (which he does almost every time) No I PROMISE you, you are not the only one with MIL problems......

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