Olive garden help

waverly9876
waverly9876 Posts: 605 Member
edited September 2024 in Food and Nutrition
Hey! My friend is coming over tonight and is dying for Olive Garden. It used to be my favorite restaurant and I havent been there in MONTHS. I dont want to be the crazy friend who is altering all the food but does anyone have any good meals that are not too bad and enjoyable. I am not really trying to lose weight anymore, just trying to tone up now and maintain. I am now 124 lbs and even though everyone just says to not worry so much, its hard. Any good meals there that I am not going to feel disgusting after. Thanks!!
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Replies

  • SarahWrittenThin
    SarahWrittenThin Posts: 595 Member
    almost all the meals are over 1000 calories each so I would order whatever you would like and eat half-- make sure you get salad rather than soup and skip the breadsticks.
  • anthony438
    anthony438 Posts: 578 Member
    If you like seafood, go with the Seafood Brodetto - it's got scallops, fish, shrimp and it's 480 calories.

    Also, it's freakin' awesome!!! :drinker:
  • amh218
    amh218 Posts: 1
    I Love OG too! The soup, salad and breadsticks isnt too bad as long as you dont overeat and watch the dressing. You can go to their website and look at the nutrition information for more help. Enjoy!
  • NaomisNest
    NaomisNest Posts: 3 Member
    I second the Seafood Brodetto, it is delicious!
  • jojopel
    jojopel Posts: 348 Member
    Why don't you check out their online menu - that way you'll see the nutritional value of each meal and you'll be able to make an advanced informed decision. :smile:
  • waverly9876
    waverly9876 Posts: 605 Member
    If you like seafood, go with the Seafood Brodetto - it's got scallops, fish, shrimp and it's 480 calories.

    Also, it's freakin' awesome!!! :drinker:

    That sounds AMAZING!!!!!! I used to eat Ravioli di portabella and I just looked it up and its about 670 calories so I either may get those. I am not going to lie, I am having a breadstick
  • kittyloo123
    kittyloo123 Posts: 300 Member
    read the menu nutritional values on line. Do some research before you go, so you won't be swayed with indicision.
  • hyde1977
    hyde1977 Posts: 476 Member
    The nutritional information is on the website!!!! I used it when I went....it was a great help to help you make the right choice...regardless if you are trying to lose weight or not.....the sodium is crazy in most of the stuff...drink lots of water before, during and after....
  • PJilly
    PJilly Posts: 22,289 Member
    http://www.olivegarden.com/Menu/Nutrition/
  • radicalreader
    radicalreader Posts: 207 Member
    I would go to the website and find a couple options that look good.
    I always like to have a Plan B just in case they are out of what I thought I wanted.

    http://www.olivegarden.com/Menu/Nutrition/
  • Laurayinz
    Laurayinz Posts: 930 Member
    Try to get the light salad dressing, or get the pasta e fagioli or minestrone soup (high sodium likely though) rather than a creamy soup.
    Can you get a senior or lunch size portion of whatever?
    Their chicken giardino was touted as being healthy but it's not on the menu here anymore.

    The "Garden Fare" symbol should point to the better items.

    http://www.olivegarden.com/Menu/Garden-Fare/

    Good luck!
  • smeklc
    smeklc Posts: 94 Member
    Hey! My friend is coming over tonight and is dying for Olive Garden. It used to be my favorite restaurant and I havent been there in MONTHS. I dont want to be the crazy friend who is altering all the food but does anyone have any good meals that are not too bad and enjoyable. I am not really trying to lose weight anymore, just trying to tone up now and maintain. I am now 124 lbs and even though everyone just says to not worry so much, its hard. Any good meals there that I am not going to feel disgusting after. Thanks!!

    Ate there last night! All looks good but whoa on Calories. The Olive Garden website lists calorie on nutrution section for most things. You can plan your meal ahead of time. Take note of the house salad----with the dressings is 350 a serving. It looks like you can ask for one with out or maybe on the side then everyone can add what they want.

    I had the venetian Chicken--very good and only about 350. It is with broccoli and asperagus spears. Down side I also had an appertizer, wine and the bread sticks. I did not gain though from a 1,000 calorie meal. But I am being really good today!! :smile:
  • waverly9876
    waverly9876 Posts: 605 Member
    I did check the menu but I was just wondering what some people eat from there since its been so long since I have went.
  • rgprn
    rgprn Posts: 66 Member
    I agree. Now when I go to places like that I split in half and eat the other half at dinner. They almost always give you huge portions of which I use to eat it ALL .... Just because it was there! Then when I got home I was ready to eat again.
  • chubbychristianchick
    chubbychristianchick Posts: 217 Member
    Breadsticks are 150
    soup can be under 100
    you can ask for the lite dressing on the salad
    and there is a Venetian Apricot Chicken for about 450

    Hope that helps! Avoid the peach tea and wine!
  • rgprn
    rgprn Posts: 66 Member
    Why don't you go ahead and look up some of your favorites and make the best choice from what they have to offer.
  • Laurayinz
    Laurayinz Posts: 930 Member
    Seafood Brodetto
    Scallops, shrimp and delicate tilapia with spinach and mushrooms simmered in a light white wine and marinara-saffron broth. Served with toasted ciabatta bread.
    Calories 480
    Total Fat 16
    Sat.Fat 3
    Carbohydrates 35
    Sodium 2250
    Fiber 7
  • deliriumx
    deliriumx Posts: 1 Member
    Lisa Lillian over at Hungry Girl did an Olive Garden survival guide a while back. That might help!

    http://www.hungry-girl.com/newsletters/raw/1478

    Personally, I *love* their minestrone soup. It's only 100 veggie packed calories a bowl and bottomless! But it is pretty high in sodium if you're watching that.
  • waverly9876
    waverly9876 Posts: 605 Member
    Thanks everyone.
  • 1ArmyMom1
    1ArmyMom1 Posts: 94
    The seafood brodetto is only 480 calories and is now my favorite meal there. It's not something I would have ever ordered before counting calories so I was quite pleasantly surprised. It is also very filling. Try to skip the bread sticks and salad if you can. A serving of their salad with all that dressing is 350 calories and the bread sticks are 150. Or do what I did and take 1 scoop of salad and 1 bread stick if you have the calories available
  • cheshire1083
    cheshire1083 Posts: 1
    Whenever I'm going out to eat - especially to a large chain restauarant like the Olive Garden, I get on the company's website and click on the Menu or Nutrition information and plan my meal from there. If I want something that is higher in calories - I tend to skimp the rest of the day and save them for dinner - not sure, if you're supposed to do that, but it works for me.

    Also, ask for the "lunch portion" at Olive Garden - same great taste, but less food, which equals less calories!

    Wine, breadsticks and dessert? Pick one of the three and stick to that, remember each breadstick is around 100 calories. Go for no cheese on your salad.

    Hope this helps! I love the Olive Garden!!!
  • HeyLisa
    HeyLisa Posts: 201
    I wasn't a fan of that seafood dish personally (tasted not fresh to me) but I love the Zuppa Toscona which was 170 calories (was THRILLED a fav was less calories then a "serving" of their salad) and each breadstick with their yum oily topping is 150.

    Next time i'm planning to check out the Venetian Apricot Chicken for 380 total...

    http://www.olivegarden.com/Menu/Nutrition/
  • Laurayinz
    Laurayinz Posts: 930 Member
    Ravioli with marinara would be one of the better "regular" choices, too.
    Cals 660
    Fat 22
    Sat Fat 11
    Sodium 1440
    Carb 84
    Fiber 7

    let us know what you end up with! :drinker:
  • Ultima_Morpha
    Ultima_Morpha Posts: 892 Member
    They have an apricot chicken dish with broccoli that is yummy and calorie friendly. Like others have said....you have to resist the breadsticks and salad (or ask for the to serve dressing on the side).
  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
    Avoid the all you can eat pasta and bread, that's for sure! ;)
  • vitamina19
    vitamina19 Posts: 30
    You can order a lunch sized portion of most items, too.
  • kyodi
    kyodi Posts: 376 Member
    If you like seafood, go with the Seafood Brodetto - it's got scallops, fish, shrimp and it's 480 calories.

    Also, it's freakin' awesome!!! :drinker:

    Just tried this last week. It IS awesome. Also, the Venetian apricot chicken is really good; calorie-wise ask for the lunch portion
  • bluiz13
    bluiz13 Posts: 3,550 Member
    If you like seafood, go with the Seafood Brodetto - it's got scallops, fish, shrimp and it's 480 calories.

    Also, it's freakin' awesome!!! :drinker:

    That sounds AMAZING!!!!!! I used to eat Ravioli di portabella and I just looked it up and its about 670 calories so I either may get those. I am not going to lie, I am having a breadstick

    as them for the breadsticks dry....
  • ohnuts14
    ohnuts14 Posts: 197
    Well, I'm not much help because I'm not a big fan of Olive Garden. I'm always dissapointed with the quality and the taste. But what I do when I go with my friends, is we just order the salad, and they keep refilling it and refilling it, as well as the breadsticks. So we can get stuffed off of salad and it's cheap and we love it. =P I don't really do that for health purposes, I don't know just how healthy their salad really is but it's cheap and I like it, and I'm perfectly content just ordering that. =P
  • jllipson
    jllipson Posts: 646
    We eat there occasionally - I usually save calories for the meal or make it a cheat day - Can't remember what the count is, but I like the Eggplant Parmigiana, I get the pasta but give it to my girls. 1 breadstick, if any, and 1 serving of salad.

    If you're at maintaining, I wouldn't worry about it, just go and enjoy, get back on track tomorrow...
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