Italian food
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Interesting argument OP. I live in Italy and cook and eat Italian everyday. We go out to restaurants at least twice a week. Italians are thin. It's rare to see an obese Italian. The statistics say there are more and more, but you sure don't see them on the street. Maybe they stay home. I see thin Italians eating huge pizzas when we go out. The Naples style crust that my husband loves isn't that thin either. I'm not fat--I still would like to lose 15 lbs, but my Italian husband is thin and orders a pizza at least once a week. Sigh. Sometimes I think we're doing it all wrong. I sit there worrying about my calorie intake with my salad, and everybody else is snarfing down great food. Sometimes you just have to let go and enjoy.4
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I can never just eat half portion and box the rest later...I love pasta too much. if you give me a massive bowl, i will inhale it. LOL...why I havent eaten pasta in months.0
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I can never just eat half portion and box the rest later...I love pasta too much. if you give me a massive bowl, i will inhale it. LOL...why I havent eaten pasta in months.
Yeah I make sure to weigh it dry and only cook what I'm going to eat.
My issue with eating half a portion and boxing the rest for later is that for a lot of places, it just leaves too little food afterwards and again, I end up hungry, lol. I haven't ordered pasta in a while though so I have absolutely no idea of how big the average portion is (plus my tastes have changed and I just like whole wheat pasta more now. Plain pasta is too bland for me).0 -
Often at an Italian restaurant I will have a salad with no dressing and an appetizer for the main course. still pretty satisfying and not as much calories. We are going out to a terrific Italian place this weekend after my son's Confirmation and I am going to have this baked gnocchi with mushrooms and gorgonzola sauce...but it's an appetizer and served in a small skillet thing, literally like 4 puffy gnocchi. with a big undressed salad, not too bad. and they do fresh berries with zabligone for dessert--just don't eat the sauce!0
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I avoid Italian restaurants like the plague. Seriously, they don't have any healthy choice... everything's breaded and covered in buttery or oily sauce and has hundreds of calories!
The best option might just be a half plate of pasta with some tomato sauce, but that's not exactly great for protein. Or some ravioli... I'm guessing it's usually around 300 calories a cup... Or ask if you can have some grilled chicken with veggies. Or ask for the sauce on the side and the meat not breaded.
If I go to an Italian restaurant I make sure that I have 1000 calories available frankly, that way I can eat pretty much anything (but obviously dessert will put me over, although most cannolis are 'only' 400ish calories).
If I'm watching calories, I find that a bowl of minestrone and a green salad (holding higher calories options, dressing myself with vinegar and a bit of oil) fits really well. I've also had luck asking for a plate of vegetables and some marinara. It's true that it isn't a lot of protein, but I find both meals satisfying.0 -
ok guys!! so I ate at the italian restaurant...this is what I ate
- Grilled vegetable salad (shared, had a little bit)
- 1 slice of mushroom pizza (it was high quality thin crust pizza, I didnt want it...but it was lunch with ex boss and she literally PUT THE PIZZA ON MY DAMN PLATE!!! how the f do u even deal with that) Anyway I had that one slice...
- Cod fish- this was devine...I think it was cooked in buttery sauce. I didnt touch the sauce...had the fish...
Probably ate around 800 cals. I think I made a smart decesion with the lean protein as I could go without sauce (as I cant un-sauce a pasta).
Thanks for the tips!!! I felt light and slightly hugry after my meal lol...
There's a local Italian place that I really like here and I went with the 'healthy' option too and got fish and veggies. Didn't touch the sauce either (but some was on the fish anyway)... and I was still hungry when I left. It was such a small portion. Ugh. Maybe 100g of fish and not even half a cup of veggies (cooked in butter too). It's so frustrating when that happens (yet you know that you probably had 600 calories too).
For the pizza, ugh. I HATE it when people push food on your like that (I wrote a thread about that last week, lol). I would have said no but because I don't like mushrooms. Just not happening. Lol. But awesome job avoiding dessert, it's my downfall every single time.amusedmonkey wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »booksandchocolate12 wrote: »Actually, the finer the restaurant the broader your choices will be. If you only ever get Olive Garden quality Italian you'll walk away with a poor stereotype in terms of calories.
Exactly. Here are some sample dishes from my favorite Italian restaurant:
Lobster Risotto
Local corn, fava beans, cherry tomatoes
Veal Scaloppine Carciofi
Shrimp & artichokes, lemon white wine sauce
Tuscan Grilled Rib – Eye
Garlic herb rub, lemon zest, grilled to your liking
Black Sea Bass
Evoo, fresh herbs, garlic, lemon
Side dishes include sauteed spinach, sauteed broccoli and wild mushroom saute.
Yes, there are some cheese-laden calorie bombs, but there are plenty of good choices.
Ok I don't really see most of those as lower calorie options... Risotto is often 300-400+ calories per cup, the lemon wine sauce is probably a calorie bomb for the veal (which is braided), and sauteed veggies can be all over the place but you probably have close to 1 tbsp of oil per serving..
So yeah, out of those things, the sea bass is probably the only one that isn't 800 calories...
Unless you're going out and eating specifically off of a low calorie menu, most restaurants aren't going to be particularly low calorie regardless of whether it's Italian or something else.
Most of that is going to clock in less calories than a typical entree at Olive Garden or similar institutionalized franchise slop house so in that regard it's really relative. Most local places I eat at also provide for more reasonable portions, not the mass portions that are typically served at franchise shops...and of course, the quality is far superior.
Personally, 800 calories or so for a nice lunch or dinner doesn't seem unreasonable.
If it's a once in awhile thing even double that is still reasonable, even for a woman. 1700 or so maintenance + 400 calories exercise = 2100 calories. 200 calories for a morning omelette, 300 calories for a chicken salad for lunch, and you are left with 1600 calories. Heck, even having 500 more calories above that is still fine because it would only take one day of deficit to undo that.
Sure, I do that because I don't mind eating at maintenance. But most people on these boards are not eating 2100 calories... far from it.I think we're are talking about corporate Italian American cuisine here; because REAL Italian cuisine is not as calorie dense. But people actually think Olive Garden is an Italian restaurant.
Fettuccini Alfredo and chicken Parmesan are American dishes, for example, and are pretty unknown on "the boot."
Checking the menu ahead of time is a good suggestion. Look for chicken and fish dishes. Marinara's are less calories than meat sauces which are less calories than cream sauces. If you do order a pasta, be mindful of a huge portion.
Ok well in my experience, Italian chains actually have more light options than local Italian restaurants, lol (which probably don't serve real Italian food, but there are a bunch of Italian people in my area, so who knows). Everything's breaded or comes with a sauce. So yeah, I pretty much never go (nor do I go to Olive Garden anyway, but I like Brio occasionally).
I honestly can't remember what real Italian food is like. I know that my Italian friend is always eating pasta though.
This is reasonable, and I understand. The Italian dishes that have migrated across the Atlantic and found their way in restaurants are very calorie intensive. It makes me sad because there are many great tasty and healthy items in Italian cuisine.
My retirement dream is to open an Italian Cafe and wine bar showing Italian cuisine as my grandmother taught me. Believe me, it does NOT have to be a calorie bomb. And I have lost 10 inches on my jeans eating pasta...in the right portions....
Yeah I eat pasta too. I wonder sometimes if the best option at Italian restaurants isn't just pasta with tomato sauce! At least it's easier to eyeball a reasonable portion, you can box the rest for later, and there are not too many hidden calories. So you could have two cups of pasta and sauce for less than 600 calories and it would be more filling than that fish and veggies I had the other day.... Not very macro-friendly though!
Restaurant menus can be tricky. I remember one year when I was trying to get just a few pounds leaner for a 160 mile Bicycle race and was eating at Red Robin. I really wanted the fish and chips, but settled for an exceeding poor chicken stir fry under the assumption that it would be a better option (this was before I carried a smart phone).
When I went home and googled the nutrition information I learned that:
Chicken Stir Fry=1300 Calories
Fish and Chips (No tartar sauce-which I do not like)=776 calories
Fish with Southwest Beans and Broccoli instead of fries=512 calories.
So with the accurate information, I could have had what I wanted and saved 788 calories. Thankfully, that horrendous stir fry is no longer even on their menu anymore; though I don't go to RR hardly ever these days.1 -
ok guys!! so I ate at the italian restaurant...this is what I ate
- Grilled vegetable salad (shared, had a little bit)
- 1 slice of mushroom pizza (it was high quality thin crust pizza, I didnt want it...but it was lunch with ex boss and she literally PUT THE PIZZA ON MY DAMN PLATE!!! how the f do u even deal with that) Anyway I had that one slice...
- Cod fish- this was devine...I think it was cooked in buttery sauce. I didnt touch the sauce...had the fish...
Probably ate around 800 cals. I think I made a smart decesion with the lean protein as I could go without sauce (as I cant un-sauce a pasta).
Thanks for the tips!!! I felt light and slightly hugry after my meal lol...
There's a local Italian place that I really like here and I went with the 'healthy' option too and got fish and veggies. Didn't touch the sauce either (but some was on the fish anyway)... and I was still hungry when I left. It was such a small portion. Ugh. Maybe 100g of fish and not even half a cup of veggies (cooked in butter too). It's so frustrating when that happens (yet you know that you probably had 600 calories too).
For the pizza, ugh. I HATE it when people push food on your like that (I wrote a thread about that last week, lol). I would have said no but because I don't like mushrooms. Just not happening. Lol. But awesome job avoiding dessert, it's my downfall every single time.amusedmonkey wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »booksandchocolate12 wrote: »Actually, the finer the restaurant the broader your choices will be. If you only ever get Olive Garden quality Italian you'll walk away with a poor stereotype in terms of calories.
Exactly. Here are some sample dishes from my favorite Italian restaurant:
Lobster Risotto
Local corn, fava beans, cherry tomatoes
Veal Scaloppine Carciofi
Shrimp & artichokes, lemon white wine sauce
Tuscan Grilled Rib – Eye
Garlic herb rub, lemon zest, grilled to your liking
Black Sea Bass
Evoo, fresh herbs, garlic, lemon
Side dishes include sauteed spinach, sauteed broccoli and wild mushroom saute.
Yes, there are some cheese-laden calorie bombs, but there are plenty of good choices.
Ok I don't really see most of those as lower calorie options... Risotto is often 300-400+ calories per cup, the lemon wine sauce is probably a calorie bomb for the veal (which is braided), and sauteed veggies can be all over the place but you probably have close to 1 tbsp of oil per serving..
So yeah, out of those things, the sea bass is probably the only one that isn't 800 calories...
Unless you're going out and eating specifically off of a low calorie menu, most restaurants aren't going to be particularly low calorie regardless of whether it's Italian or something else.
Most of that is going to clock in less calories than a typical entree at Olive Garden or similar institutionalized franchise slop house so in that regard it's really relative. Most local places I eat at also provide for more reasonable portions, not the mass portions that are typically served at franchise shops...and of course, the quality is far superior.
Personally, 800 calories or so for a nice lunch or dinner doesn't seem unreasonable.
If it's a once in awhile thing even double that is still reasonable, even for a woman. 1700 or so maintenance + 400 calories exercise = 2100 calories. 200 calories for a morning omelette, 300 calories for a chicken salad for lunch, and you are left with 1600 calories. Heck, even having 500 more calories above that is still fine because it would only take one day of deficit to undo that.
Sure, I do that because I don't mind eating at maintenance. But most people on these boards are not eating 2100 calories... far from it.I think we're are talking about corporate Italian American cuisine here; because REAL Italian cuisine is not as calorie dense. But people actually think Olive Garden is an Italian restaurant.
Fettuccini Alfredo and chicken Parmesan are American dishes, for example, and are pretty unknown on "the boot."
Checking the menu ahead of time is a good suggestion. Look for chicken and fish dishes. Marinara's are less calories than meat sauces which are less calories than cream sauces. If you do order a pasta, be mindful of a huge portion.
Ok well in my experience, Italian chains actually have more light options than local Italian restaurants, lol (which probably don't serve real Italian food, but there are a bunch of Italian people in my area, so who knows). Everything's breaded or comes with a sauce. So yeah, I pretty much never go (nor do I go to Olive Garden anyway, but I like Brio occasionally).
I honestly can't remember what real Italian food is like. I know that my Italian friend is always eating pasta though.
This is reasonable, and I understand. The Italian dishes that have migrated across the Atlantic and found their way in restaurants are very calorie intensive. It makes me sad because there are many great tasty and healthy items in Italian cuisine.
My retirement dream is to open an Italian Cafe and wine bar showing Italian cuisine as my grandmother taught me. Believe me, it does NOT have to be a calorie bomb. And I have lost 10 inches on my jeans eating pasta...in the right portions....
Yeah I eat pasta too. I wonder sometimes if the best option at Italian restaurants isn't just pasta with tomato sauce! At least it's easier to eyeball a reasonable portion, you can box the rest for later, and there are not too many hidden calories. So you could have two cups of pasta and sauce for less than 600 calories and it would be more filling than that fish and veggies I had the other day.... Not very macro-friendly though!
Restaurant menus can be tricky. I remember one year when I was trying to get just a few pounds leaner for a 160 mile Bicycle race and was eating at Red Robin. I really wanted the fish and chips, but settled for an exceeding poor chicken stir fry under the assumption that it would be a better option (this was before I carried a smart phone).
When I went home and googled the nutrition information I learned that:
Chicken Stir Fry=1300 Calories
Fish and Chips (No tartar sauce-which I do not like)=776 calories
Fish with Southwest Beans and Broccoli instead of fries=512 calories.
So with the accurate information, I could have had what I wanted and saved 788 calories. Thankfully, that horrendous stir fry is no longer even on their menu anymore; though I don't go to RR hardly ever these days.
Yeah it's happened to me so many times, lol. Thinking you're making a good choice, and it's actually worse.. like salads in most places, or fish tacos. Those are crazy!
For what it's worth, I had the fish and chips at Red Robin last year and it honestly wasn't worth the calories. But I guess I discovered fish and chips in England and I have yet to find any here in the US that is as tasty (or maybe my memory is messed up and it just wasn't that good either).0 -
I live in an Italian neighborhood and have previously spent a month in Florence and a week or so in Rome. I don't find it particularly hard to find options on a menu to fit within my calorie goal, whether I'm losing or maintaining, or whether I'm eating at an authentic place or a more Americanized restaurant. We eat at Italian restaurants about once a week. In Italy, the pasta dish would be a very small part of the multi course meal, the Primi course. The bulk of the meal would come from Secondi - usually roast meat with vegetables.
My go to at my favorite neighborhood spot (Sicilian owner) is a bowl of Italian Wedding Soup, a side salad, and the Shrimp Fra Diavolo appetizer with a glass of Sangiovese and room for a scoop of gelato afterwards. Earlier I advised someone in another Italian thread who was considering pasta with pesto to go with that, adding either chicken or shrimp for extra protein, a side of veggies, and a salad with a glass of wine. I usually take it easy on the bread other than one place that has amazing garlic bread dripping with butter, at that place I skip the dessert.
So many options at Italian restaurants, I find it hard to believe that people can't find something that works for them with any calorie goal.5 -
WinoGelato wrote: »I live in an Italian neighborhood and have previously spent a month in Florence and a week or so in Rome. I don't find it particularly hard to find options on a menu to fit within my calorie goal, whether I'm losing or maintaining, or whether I'm eating at an authentic place or a more Americanized restaurant. We eat at Italian restaurants about once a week. In Italy, the pasta dish would be a very small part of the multi course meal, the Primi course. The bulk of the meal would come from Secondi - usually roast meat with vegetables.
My go to at my favorite neighborhood spot (Sicilian owner) is a bowl of Italian Wedding Soup, a side salad, and the Shrimp Fra Diavolo appetizer with a glass of Sangiovese and room for a scoop of gelato afterwards. Earlier I advised someone in another Italian thread who was considering pasta with pesto to go with that, adding either chicken or shrimp for extra protein, a side of veggies, and a salad with a glass of wine. I usually take it easy on the bread other than one place that has amazing garlic bread dripping with butter, at that place I skip the dessert.
So many options at Italian restaurants, I find it hard to believe that people can't find something that works for them with any calorie goal.
Exactly.0 -
WinoGelato wrote: »I live in an Italian neighborhood and have previously spent a month in Florence and a week or so in Rome. I don't find it particularly hard to find options on a menu to fit within my calorie goal, whether I'm losing or maintaining, or whether I'm eating at an authentic place or a more Americanized restaurant. We eat at Italian restaurants about once a week. In Italy, the pasta dish would be a very small part of the multi course meal, the Primi course. The bulk of the meal would come from Secondi - usually roast meat with vegetables.
My go to at my favorite neighborhood spot (Sicilian owner) is a bowl of Italian Wedding Soup, a side salad, and the Shrimp Fra Diavolo appetizer with a glass of Sangiovese and room for a scoop of gelato afterwards. Earlier I advised someone in another Italian thread who was considering pasta with pesto to go with that, adding either chicken or shrimp for extra protein, a side of veggies, and a salad with a glass of wine. I usually take it easy on the bread other than one place that has amazing garlic bread dripping with butter, at that place I skip the dessert.
So many options at Italian restaurants, I find it hard to believe that people can't find something that works for them with any calorie goal.
Depends on the restaurant though. But yeah, I guess there's always soup and side salad (groan).
I guess my issue is finding a satisfying option for 600ish calories in most places, lol.0 -
WinoGelato wrote: »I live in an Italian neighborhood and have previously spent a month in Florence and a week or so in Rome. I don't find it particularly hard to find options on a menu to fit within my calorie goal, whether I'm losing or maintaining, or whether I'm eating at an authentic place or a more Americanized restaurant. We eat at Italian restaurants about once a week. In Italy, the pasta dish would be a very small part of the multi course meal, the Primi course. The bulk of the meal would come from Secondi - usually roast meat with vegetables.
My go to at my favorite neighborhood spot (Sicilian owner) is a bowl of Italian Wedding Soup, a side salad, and the Shrimp Fra Diavolo appetizer with a glass of Sangiovese and room for a scoop of gelato afterwards. Earlier I advised someone in another Italian thread who was considering pasta with pesto to go with that, adding either chicken or shrimp for extra protein, a side of veggies, and a salad with a glass of wine. I usually take it easy on the bread other than one place that has amazing garlic bread dripping with butter, at that place I skip the dessert.
So many options at Italian restaurants, I find it hard to believe that people can't find something that works for them with any calorie goal.
Depends on the restaurant though. But yeah, I guess there's always soup and side salad (groan).
I guess my issue is finding a satisfying option for 600ish calories in most places, lol.
I make lasagna at home and can't imagine that the ingredients I use or the way I prepare it is vastly different than a restaurant. I use ground beef, ricotta cheese, plenty of mozzarella and parmesan. Nothing altered to make it lower fat. It's not like there's hidden butter or oil like people are concerned about with common restaurant dishes. A decent sized serving of my lasagna is about 400 calories. Even if the restaurant prep method accounts for 50% more calories (and I don't think it would) then that would be 600 cals. I can't imagine saying that a serving of lasagna doesn't satisfy me.
Edited to Add - just checked the Olive Garden calorie count for their lasagna. Classic Lasagna 960 cals. Knowing how large their portion sizes are typically, that would be about two portions for me (maybe more). So 480. Leaves plenty of room for salad (140) and a breadstick (140).
There are other reduced calorie options on their menu too - just trying to come up with an example of a pasta dish that I think would be very filling and work within a reasonable calorie range.1 -
WinoGelato wrote: »I live in an Italian neighborhood and have previously spent a month in Florence and a week or so in Rome. I don't find it particularly hard to find options on a menu to fit within my calorie goal, whether I'm losing or maintaining, or whether I'm eating at an authentic place or a more Americanized restaurant. We eat at Italian restaurants about once a week. In Italy, the pasta dish would be a very small part of the multi course meal, the Primi course. The bulk of the meal would come from Secondi - usually roast meat with vegetables.
My go to at my favorite neighborhood spot (Sicilian owner) is a bowl of Italian Wedding Soup, a side salad, and the Shrimp Fra Diavolo appetizer with a glass of Sangiovese and room for a scoop of gelato afterwards. Earlier I advised someone in another Italian thread who was considering pasta with pesto to go with that, adding either chicken or shrimp for extra protein, a side of veggies, and a salad with a glass of wine. I usually take it easy on the bread other than one place that has amazing garlic bread dripping with butter, at that place I skip the dessert.
So many options at Italian restaurants, I find it hard to believe that people can't find something that works for them with any calorie goal.
Totally true. I have lived in Italy and they generally eat pasta at every meal but only a small portion. They eat a lot of courses over a long period of time. I also fail to see how people are complaining of finding nothing they can eat in Italian restaurants, especially if they're not having apps, bread and/or dessert.1 -
Heartisalonelyhunter wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »I live in an Italian neighborhood and have previously spent a month in Florence and a week or so in Rome. I don't find it particularly hard to find options on a menu to fit within my calorie goal, whether I'm losing or maintaining, or whether I'm eating at an authentic place or a more Americanized restaurant. We eat at Italian restaurants about once a week. In Italy, the pasta dish would be a very small part of the multi course meal, the Primi course. The bulk of the meal would come from Secondi - usually roast meat with vegetables.
My go to at my favorite neighborhood spot (Sicilian owner) is a bowl of Italian Wedding Soup, a side salad, and the Shrimp Fra Diavolo appetizer with a glass of Sangiovese and room for a scoop of gelato afterwards. Earlier I advised someone in another Italian thread who was considering pasta with pesto to go with that, adding either chicken or shrimp for extra protein, a side of veggies, and a salad with a glass of wine. I usually take it easy on the bread other than one place that has amazing garlic bread dripping with butter, at that place I skip the dessert.
So many options at Italian restaurants, I find it hard to believe that people can't find something that works for them with any calorie goal.
Totally true. I have lived in Italy and they generally eat pasta at every meal but only a small portion. They eat a lot of courses over a long period of time. I also fail to see how people are complaining of finding nothing they can eat in Italian restaurants, especially if they're not having apps, bread and/or dessert.
When I was in Italy I ate gelato and drank wine every day. Pizza or pasta every day too. I figure if I can do that for a month and not exceed the top end of my maintenance range, then people should be able to manage the occasional Italian restaurant meal....0 -
I avoid Italian restaurants like the plague. Seriously, they don't have any healthy choice... everything's breaded and covered in buttery or oily sauce and has hundreds of calories!
Lots of Italian restaurants have decent options. There are a number of places where I live with reasonable portion sizes, lots of meat and veg options grilled or with light sauces, seafood (seafood stew is often reasonable calories) delicious greens (rapini, spinach) on the side with lemon and garlic, not over oiled, and pasta with light tomato-based sauces. Most of these will have reasonably low cal pizza options (very thin crust).
Sure, there are also lots of Italian places here that are more giant portions, cheesy sauces, too much oil, or fried ravioli. We have lots of Italian places of all types. But it's not my experience that Italian places are inherently higher cal. I went to local Italian places plenty when losing weight, and I just am careful as to which ones I go to. (Have also eaten in Italy and agree with others comments above, but not all American Italian places are vastly different.)0 -
All of this Italian food talk has me thinking about the apple and brie ravioli I have in the fridge and if I can make it fit in for dinner with a browned butter sauce.0
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lemurcat12 wrote: »I avoid Italian restaurants like the plague. Seriously, they don't have any healthy choice... everything's breaded and covered in buttery or oily sauce and has hundreds of calories!
Lots of Italian restaurants have decent options. There are a number of places where I live with reasonable portion sizes, lots of meat and veg options grilled or with light sauces, seafood (seafood stew is often reasonable calories) delicious greens (rapini, spinach) on the side with lemon and garlic, not over oiled, and pasta with light tomato-based sauces. Most of these will have reasonably low cal pizza options (very thin crust).
Sure, there are also lots of Italian places here that are more giant portions, cheesy sauces, too much oil, or fried ravioli. We have lots of Italian places of all types. But it's not my experience that Italian places are inherently higher cal. I went to local Italian places plenty when losing weight, and I just am careful as to which ones I go to. (Have also eaten in Italy and agree with others comments above, but not all American Italian places are vastly different.)
I believe you, I'm just saying that here, 95% of the time, if I'm looking at an Italian menu, there won't be anything grilled at all. Entrees are typically breaded stuff sauteed with sauce, or pasta (also with sauces, of course).
So maybe I was wrong to generalize because obviously I'm not familiar with how it is in other places, but it's just not always that easy to find lower calorie options at Italian places is what I meant. Obviously you can always ask if they can cook you something plain though, I just hate having to do that (I realize that's my own fault though, I just don't like being put in the 'picky customer' spot).
ETA: there are always wine sauces available and I admit that I have no idea how many calories those are compared to butter, but it's not something I care for anyway.0 -
I avoid Italian restaurants like the plague. Seriously, they don't have any healthy choice... everything's breaded and covered in buttery or oily sauce and has hundreds of calories!
There are hundreds of thousands of places but I guarantee a true Italian high quality restaurant everything on the menu is ealthy and don't use buttery or oily sauce. Going to a true Italian restaurant owned by people from Italy and often with Italian chefs is like having a blissfull experience, experiencing foods from distinctive different regions of Italy, it's like tasting Italian Alps or Mediterranean see and never forget about it.
Anyone visiting NY i can suggest few places!0 -
WinoGelato wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »I live in an Italian neighborhood and have previously spent a month in Florence and a week or so in Rome. I don't find it particularly hard to find options on a menu to fit within my calorie goal, whether I'm losing or maintaining, or whether I'm eating at an authentic place or a more Americanized restaurant. We eat at Italian restaurants about once a week. In Italy, the pasta dish would be a very small part of the multi course meal, the Primi course. The bulk of the meal would come from Secondi - usually roast meat with vegetables.
My go to at my favorite neighborhood spot (Sicilian owner) is a bowl of Italian Wedding Soup, a side salad, and the Shrimp Fra Diavolo appetizer with a glass of Sangiovese and room for a scoop of gelato afterwards. Earlier I advised someone in another Italian thread who was considering pasta with pesto to go with that, adding either chicken or shrimp for extra protein, a side of veggies, and a salad with a glass of wine. I usually take it easy on the bread other than one place that has amazing garlic bread dripping with butter, at that place I skip the dessert.
So many options at Italian restaurants, I find it hard to believe that people can't find something that works for them with any calorie goal.
Depends on the restaurant though. But yeah, I guess there's always soup and side salad (groan).
I guess my issue is finding a satisfying option for 600ish calories in most places, lol.
I make lasagna at home and can't imagine that the ingredients I use or the way I prepare it is vastly different than a restaurant. I use ground beef, ricotta cheese, plenty of mozzarella and parmesan. Nothing altered to make it lower fat. It's not like there's hidden butter or oil like people are concerned about with common restaurant dishes. A decent sized serving of my lasagna is about 400 calories. Even if the restaurant prep method accounts for 50% more calories (and I don't think it would) then that would be 600 cals. I can't imagine saying that a serving of lasagna doesn't satisfy me.
Edited to Add - just checked the Olive Garden calorie count for their lasagna. Classic Lasagna 960 cals. Knowing how large their portion sizes are typically, that would be about two portions for me (maybe more). So 480. Leaves plenty of room for salad (140) and a breadstick (140).
There are other reduced calorie options on their menu too - just trying to come up with an example of a pasta dish that I think would be very filling and work within a reasonable calorie range.
In Italy, lasagna is typically prepared using Béchamel sauce that actually contains butter. Yes, it's a calorie bomb, but delicious
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lemurcat12 wrote: »I avoid Italian restaurants like the plague. Seriously, they don't have any healthy choice... everything's breaded and covered in buttery or oily sauce and has hundreds of calories!
Lots of Italian restaurants have decent options. There are a number of places where I live with reasonable portion sizes, lots of meat and veg options grilled or with light sauces, seafood (seafood stew is often reasonable calories) delicious greens (rapini, spinach) on the side with lemon and garlic, not over oiled, and pasta with light tomato-based sauces. Most of these will have reasonably low cal pizza options (very thin crust).
Sure, there are also lots of Italian places here that are more giant portions, cheesy sauces, too much oil, or fried ravioli. We have lots of Italian places of all types. But it's not my experience that Italian places are inherently higher cal. I went to local Italian places plenty when losing weight, and I just am careful as to which ones I go to. (Have also eaten in Italy and agree with others comments above, but not all American Italian places are vastly different.)
I believe you, I'm just saying that here, 95% of the time, if I'm looking at an Italian menu, there won't be anything grilled at all. Entrees are typically breaded stuff sauteed with sauce, or pasta (also with sauces, of course).
So maybe I was wrong to generalize because obviously I'm not familiar with how it is in other places, but it's just not always that easy to find lower calorie options at Italian places is what I meant. Obviously you can always ask if they can cook you something plain though, I just hate having to do that (I realize that's my own fault though, I just don't like being put in the 'picky customer' spot).
ETA: there are always wine sauces available and I admit that I have no idea how many calories those are compared to butter, but it's not something I care for anyway.
One of my favorite things to do is look at restaurant menus. If you want to share a link of a place that is common to you, I'd love to look and see what there is to choose from. Like I said above, even a half serving of Olive Garden lasagna would be 480 cals and I think would be filling and fit within a 600-800 cal lunch or dinner with the salad/breadstick option too.
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I think we're are talking about corporate Italian American cuisine here; because REAL Italian cuisine is not as calorie dense. But people actually think Olive Garden is an Italian restaurant.
Fettuccini Alfredo and chicken Parmesan are American dishes, for example, and are pretty unknown on "the boot."
Exactly. The main true Italian dish you can find at a restaurant if cooked with true italian ingredients is spaghetti al pomodoro, which is done with spaghetti gragnano pasta, a very high quality type of pasta from a specific area, italian cherry tomatoes (the top ones come from vesuvio area) basil, extra virgin olive oil. Simple as that. Three main ingredients which can make a simple dish a dream or just a nightmare if poor quality substitutes are used. I am hungry now!0 -
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WinoGelato wrote: »lemurcat12 wrote: »I avoid Italian restaurants like the plague. Seriously, they don't have any healthy choice... everything's breaded and covered in buttery or oily sauce and has hundreds of calories!
Lots of Italian restaurants have decent options. There are a number of places where I live with reasonable portion sizes, lots of meat and veg options grilled or with light sauces, seafood (seafood stew is often reasonable calories) delicious greens (rapini, spinach) on the side with lemon and garlic, not over oiled, and pasta with light tomato-based sauces. Most of these will have reasonably low cal pizza options (very thin crust).
Sure, there are also lots of Italian places here that are more giant portions, cheesy sauces, too much oil, or fried ravioli. We have lots of Italian places of all types. But it's not my experience that Italian places are inherently higher cal. I went to local Italian places plenty when losing weight, and I just am careful as to which ones I go to. (Have also eaten in Italy and agree with others comments above, but not all American Italian places are vastly different.)
I believe you, I'm just saying that here, 95% of the time, if I'm looking at an Italian menu, there won't be anything grilled at all. Entrees are typically breaded stuff sauteed with sauce, or pasta (also with sauces, of course).
So maybe I was wrong to generalize because obviously I'm not familiar with how it is in other places, but it's just not always that easy to find lower calorie options at Italian places is what I meant. Obviously you can always ask if they can cook you something plain though, I just hate having to do that (I realize that's my own fault though, I just don't like being put in the 'picky customer' spot).
ETA: there are always wine sauces available and I admit that I have no idea how many calories those are compared to butter, but it's not something I care for anyway.
One of my favorite things to do is look at restaurant menus. If you want to share a link of a place that is common to you, I'd love to look and see what there is to choose from. Like I said above, even a half serving of Olive Garden lasagna would be 480 cals and I think would be filling and fit within a 600-800 cal lunch or dinner with the salad/breadstick option too.
I don't know. A filling portion of my lasagna is about 700 calories. I don't know Olive Garden's lasagna, but the one from Macaroni Grill was 800ish calories and it was just right for me.
I guess it's tough when you're like me and need volume in order not to be hungry 2 hours later - and why I usually go with grilled meat with a lot of veggies, something I've just never seen offered in an Italian restaurant here.
But yeah now I'm craving Italian food!0 -
WinoGelato wrote: »Heartisalonelyhunter wrote: »WinoGelato wrote: »I live in an Italian neighborhood and have previously spent a month in Florence and a week or so in Rome. I don't find it particularly hard to find options on a menu to fit within my calorie goal, whether I'm losing or maintaining, or whether I'm eating at an authentic place or a more Americanized restaurant. We eat at Italian restaurants about once a week. In Italy, the pasta dish would be a very small part of the multi course meal, the Primi course. The bulk of the meal would come from Secondi - usually roast meat with vegetables.
My go to at my favorite neighborhood spot (Sicilian owner) is a bowl of Italian Wedding Soup, a side salad, and the Shrimp Fra Diavolo appetizer with a glass of Sangiovese and room for a scoop of gelato afterwards. Earlier I advised someone in another Italian thread who was considering pasta with pesto to go with that, adding either chicken or shrimp for extra protein, a side of veggies, and a salad with a glass of wine. I usually take it easy on the bread other than one place that has amazing garlic bread dripping with butter, at that place I skip the dessert.
So many options at Italian restaurants, I find it hard to believe that people can't find something that works for them with any calorie goal.
Totally true. I have lived in Italy and they generally eat pasta at every meal but only a small portion. They eat a lot of courses over a long period of time. I also fail to see how people are complaining of finding nothing they can eat in Italian restaurants, especially if they're not having apps, bread and/or dessert.
When I was in Italy I ate gelato and drank wine every day. Pizza or pasta every day too. I figure if I can do that for a month and not exceed the top end of my maintenance range, then people should be able to manage the occasional Italian restaurant meal....
That was one of my favorite things about Italy. Copious amounts of wine with lunch and dinner but everyone was slim and did a full day's work!0
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