olive garden

rure13
rure13 Posts: 86
edited September 29 in Food and Nutrition
So i'm gonna eat at olive garden for lunch and was wondering what the healthiest thing to order is? Thanks
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Replies

  • briabner
    briabner Posts: 427 Member
    The minestrone or the pasta fagioli soup are both good options and salad....try not to eat that many breadsticks. Also they have all their nutritional information on their website so you could check that out too
  • collmullshulaw
    collmullshulaw Posts: 6
    the soup and salad- ask them to put the dressing and croutons on the side and have minestrone soup- they're not too bad for you!
  • thisismynewmindset
    thisismynewmindset Posts: 273 Member
    I went there last week and had the Venetian Apricot Chicken - only 290 calories!! (I did my research online ahead of time and this is the lowest calorie plate - and VERY healthy!)
  • TNAJackson
    TNAJackson Posts: 686 Member
    Stick with the salad and try to stay away from the breadsticks... I was shocked at how bad for you those actually are, especially since they are addicting. I can never eat just one! Soups are good idea, but try to stay away from the cream soups... they seem to be worse than the others calorie wise.
  • godroxmysox
    godroxmysox Posts: 1,491 Member
    i usually have half the cheese ravioli with marinara and a bowl of the chicken gnochi soup....just be careful; the sodium is through the roof!
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Shrimp Primevera has 510 calories for the lunch portion.
    The Venetian Apricot Chicken is 290 but I have no idea what it is.
    Spaghetti with meat sauce is 550 but so is cheese ravoli and yeah, lunch portions on everything.

    The breast sticks have 150 for just one.
  • myomes
    myomes Posts: 1
    You can have speghetti, just make sure you ask for the whole wheat pasta. It's not on the menu, but they have it.
  • godroxmysox
    godroxmysox Posts: 1,491 Member
    Stick with the salad and try to stay away from the breadsticks... I was shocked at how bad for you those actually are, especially since they are addicting. I can never eat just one! Soups are good idea, but try to stay away from the cream soups... they seem to be worse than the others calorie wise.

    the salad is actually worse calorie-wise than most of the soups =\
  • sm_wilson
    sm_wilson Posts: 7 Member
    I love the zuppa toscana soup! very good and 170 calories. one bowl fills me up!
  • ShellyMacchi
    ShellyMacchi Posts: 975 Member
    the sodium in the dishes at olive garden is killer. including the soups and salads even :(
    pick and choose carefully makes it doable but be sure to check out the nutritional info they have online
  • 27strange
    27strange Posts: 837 Member
    Olive Garden is tough its so loaded with calories! I go for the soup and just limit myself to 1 maybe 2 breadsticks. They are like 150 calories a piece! Yikes! The salad is also loaded and I mean loaded with calories. You can order it without the dressing and this helps a ton.
  • dawnblu
    dawnblu Posts: 95 Member
    They have a light italian dressing that is very good. I like it better than the original full fat version. Get it on the side so you don't use as much. The pasta fagoli is low fat and a good source of protein too. Limit to one or two breadsticks and skip the andes mints!!! Those little buggers have 75 calories each! It's a conspiracy I tell you!
  • pamela1129
    pamela1129 Posts: 59 Member
    I ate there last week and had salmon with broccoli florets. Very tasty and not nearly as bad as the pasta they serve. Also, here in WA they have the calorie count in a separate menu you can request. I keep mine in my purse. <<sigh>> LOVE that place.
  • antonio823
    antonio823 Posts: 298 Member
    My suggestion would be to go online to check out their menu, I blew my entire day one time by assuming that my choice was low in calories...
  • Rilke
    Rilke Posts: 1,201 Member
    Why anyone would choose to eat at the Olive Garden is beyond me :P But here:

    http://eatthis.menshealth.com/restaurant_top_swaps/56817
    http://eatthis.menshealth.com/content/healthiest-meal-olive-garden

    Don't touch the breadsticks. Or the salad dressing, unless you're dipping.
  • rure13
    rure13 Posts: 86
    thanks for the info (: it's gonna be hard but i'm probably gonna have to stay away from the bread sticks those things are so addicting
  • murf19
    murf19 Posts: 453 Member
    Olive Garden is bad for cals and carbs. I don't go anynore. I suggest the water!
  • DEE4560
    DEE4560 Posts: 139
    Minestrone soup for an appetizer then the venetian Chicken. Its really good. I believe they total less then 400 calories.
  • _Johanna_
    _Johanna_ Posts: 125 Member
    The salad is TERRIBLE with calories because of the dressing! However, if you ask, they have a low-calorie Italian dressing that you can ask for and it tastes just as good!!
  • stanvoodoo
    stanvoodoo Posts: 1,023 Member
    Their menu is online and easy to read. I also think it is on the menu, at least it is here in Cali.

    I order of Chicken Marsala. No salad or soup. Salad has nothing good for you in it and soup has very little.

    You want to get in the protein so just the chicken and which out potatos for real veggies. Half is more than plenty and I take the rest home for the next day.
  • BRANDYLYNETTE
    BRANDYLYNETTE Posts: 192 Member
    Since you are going ahead of time....do what I do! Look up the menu....then choose two or three things you would like...go ahead and log it in your food diary...check the damage...and you can always delete it if that is not what you want to order! Look up all kinds of things! If you go to to OUTBACK etc.....do the same! It helps when you KNOW what you are in for! : ) Good luck choosing the right thing! : )
  • rure13
    rure13 Posts: 86
    Why anyone would choose to eat at the Olive Garden is beyond me :P But here:

    http://eatthis.menshealth.com/restaurant_top_swaps/56817

    Don't touch the breadsticks. Or the salad dressing, unless you're dipping.
    My mom and grandma want to go, I usually try to avoid eating there though because of all the calories
  • rnprincess
    rnprincess Posts: 103 Member
    My suggestion would be to go online to check out their menu, I blew my entire day one time by assuming that my choice was low in calories...

    Always a good idea to check on line first. Another option with Olive Garden is you can request that your food be prepared a certain way, and you can always ask for a lunch portion-even if it is dinner time and that is always a good way to cut down.
  • mariapuhl
    mariapuhl Posts: 529 Member
    The thing I got last time I was there was SUPER filling and DELICIOUS.... I don't remember what it was called though... it was like a soup, with a lot of different seafoods in it... I'll go look it up.

    *edit* found what it was!
    "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/fat/sat fat/sodium/carb/fiber
    Seafood Brodetto (dinner) 480 16 3 2250 35 7

    So, the sodium is horrible, but omg was it delicious.
  • darconnor
    darconnor Posts: 49
    They have a light italian dressing that is very good. I like it better than the original full fat version. Get it on the side so you don't use as much. The pasta fagoli is low fat and a good source of protein too. Limit to one or two breadsticks and skip the andes mints!!! Those little buggers have 75 calories each! It's a conspiracy I tell you!
    Skip the croutons on the salad
    Order the light dressing. (It comes in a bottle and is always served on the side; don't trust it if they put it on it - it's probably full fat)
    Order the breadsticks without seasoning (garlic, butter, salt)
    Order a lunch portion
    The Seafood Brodetta (see mariapuhl's comment) is really good, too. You don't need breadsticks if you order that; it has a little crotini that comes with it.
    And like pretty much all restaurant food - there is a lot of salt. Drink extra water today.
    I have been working at OG for over 16 years at the home office. It continues to be my favorite place to eat. Enjoy!
  • Rilke
    Rilke Posts: 1,201 Member
    Why anyone would choose to eat at the Olive Garden is beyond me :P But here:

    http://eatthis.menshealth.com/restaurant_top_swaps/56817

    Don't touch the breadsticks. Or the salad dressing, unless you're dipping.
    My mom and grandma want to go, I usually try to avoid eating there though because of all the calories

    Ah yes. I almost got trapped there once for a cousin's graduation dinner. However, we all showed up (all eighteen of us) and were told there was an hour and a half wait. So we drove fifteen minutes to Lamberti's -- the place was founded by an Italian guy who arrived here from Naples in 1963. Now *that* was delicioso.
  • poseyj88
    poseyj88 Posts: 140 Member
    Word of warning: unless you ask for no cheese, remove the croutons, and get the dressing on the side, 1 serving of their salad has more calories than a breadstick. Like double.
  • rure13
    rure13 Posts: 86
    The thing I got last time I was there was SUPER filling and DELICIOUS.... I don't remember what it was called though... it was like a soup, with a lot of different seafoods in it... I'll go look it up.

    *edit* found what it was!
    "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/fat/sat fat/sodium/carb/fiber
    Seafood Brodetto (dinner) 480 16 3 2250 35 7

    So, the sodium is horrible, but omg was it delicious.
    thanks for looking it up, that sounds good I think i'll try this
  • cobarlo14
    cobarlo14 Posts: 582 Member
    I went there last week and had the Venetian Apricot Chicken - only 290 calories!! (I did my research online ahead of time and this is the lowest calorie plate - and VERY healthy!)

    I always look forward to this!!!!

    all the other cretiquing goes without saying - crutons/slad dressing (very sparingly)

    take care!!!
  • ShellyMacchi
    ShellyMacchi Posts: 975 Member
    Since you are going ahead of time....do what I do! Look up the menu....then choose two or three things you would like...go ahead and log it in your food diary...check the damage...and you can always delete it if that is not what you want to order! Look up all kinds of things! If you go to to OUTBACK etc.....do the same! It helps when you KNOW what you are in for! : ) Good luck choosing the right thing! : )

    agreed
    i even gave in and went to red lobster last night against my better judgement (ironic that a fish place is so unhealthy for you, their sodium is through the roof!!!!) but did manage to find grilled salmon and shrimp that was doable.
    though just one of their biscuits had 350mg sodium ... and yet i love them, so ate just one!
    that in itself was a major achievement for me to just eat one! *L*
    good luck on the breadsticks!
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