Dinner at Olive Garden

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tsherm3850
tsherm3850 Posts: 353 Member
in Food and Nutrition
If you don't mind, I would like to toot my own horn for a bit.

We went to Olive Garden last night and I made healthier dinner choices. Normally, I would have had the salad, a breadstick or two and fettucine alfredo with grilled chicken. This time, I did have salad, two servings actually. No breadstick. I ordered angel hair pasta with marinara sauce. When my pasta arrived, they had put meat sauce on it. I was iffy on sending it back, but I did end up send it back for the marinara. Because of the extra salad, I only ate half of my pasta. I ate healthier throughout the day, choosing a light lunch and some fruit. In the end, I did go over my calories by about 30 calories, but I know I did much better than I normally would have done. For that, I'm still happy.

Replies

  • Betsiz17
    Betsiz17 Posts: 95 Member
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    Good job. I'll bet you didn't even feel "deprived":smile:
  • Reesa32
    Reesa32 Posts: 35
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    Great job, I'm not a big olive garden fan (don't care for pasta) but my husband would have not survived, because olive garden is his favorite place to eat. Way to make better choices and staying committed.
  • hiswifetheirmommy
    hiswifetheirmommy Posts: 30 Member
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    Did you guys know Olive Garden has a low-fat dressing for their salad too? You can get the low-fat version and ask for it on the side. Much healthier than the drenched salad they normally bring. The breadsticks & alfredo sauce are my weaknesses there, so I just try to stay away!! :oP
  • LoreleiWalks
    LoreleiWalks Posts: 143 Member
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    What a great feeling! Way to go!
  • sherrirb
    sherrirb Posts: 1,714 Member
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    If you don't mind, I would like to toot my own horn for a bit.

    We went to Olive Garden last night and I made healthier dinner choices. Normally, I would have had the salad, a breadstick or two and fettucine alfredo with grilled chicken. This time, I did have salad, two servings actually. No breadstick. I ordered angel hair pasta with marinara sauce. When my pasta arrived, they had put meat sauce on it. I was iffy on sending it back, but I did end up send it back for the marinara. Because of the extra salad, I only ate half of my pasta. I ate healthier throughout the day, choosing a light lunch and some fruit. In the end, I did go over my calories by about 30 calories, but I know I did much better than I normally would have done. For that, I'm still happy.

    OMG... you passed up on the BREADSTICKS?!?!?!? Now had this been me, my dinner would have been 3 servings of salad and at least 3 breadsticks, one with each serving of salad! I could skip the pasta altogether to be honest, but the breadsticks in their buttery garlic goodness... Wow, I commend you!
  • tsherm3850
    tsherm3850 Posts: 353 Member
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    Fettucine Alfredo was 1400 calories. My whoe day's worth of calories. I love it, but it wasn't worth it to me. I checked their menu online and was shocked at some of the calorie count and sodium for their dishes. I tried to make the best choice and I think I did pretty good.

    Hiswife....Thanks for the tidbit...I did not know they had low-cal dressing for their salads. I'll have to do that next time.
  • Jen2Bfit
    Jen2Bfit Posts: 125 Member
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    Great job! I am not sure I could do that. Bread is my weakness in a big way. I am doomed when I go to either Olive Garden, or worse, Red Lobster and their cheddar bay biscuits. OK, I will stop there, that in itself made my mouth water-haha. Anyhow, that is awesome that you were able to make those healthier decisions. Thanks for posting! :happy:
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
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    Did you guys know Olive Garden has a low-fat dressing for their salad too? You can get the low-fat version and ask for it on the side. Much healthier than the drenched salad they normally bring. The breadsticks & alfredo sauce are my weaknesses there, so I just try to stay away!! :oP
    They don't tell you about the low fat option, but their salad with the 'regular' dressing was featured on some "most unhealthy 'free food' options" list I read a while back. Its really horrible in calories and fat, so good job getting the word out. I feel like a lot of people are duped into thinking they've made a decent choice when they load up on salad there.....
  • maryjay51
    maryjay51 Posts: 742
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    Fettucine Alfredo was 1400 calories. My whoe day's worth of calories. I love it, but it wasn't worth it to me. I checked their menu online and was shocked at some of the calorie count and sodium for their dishes. I tried to make the best choice and I think I did pretty good.

    Hiswife....Thanks for the tidbit...I did not know they had low-cal dressing for their salads. I'll have to do that next time.

    great job with the choices!! ive grown accustomed to no salad dressing for two years now thankfully .. i went to olive garden last month and made the pasta with marinara sauce choice too ..salad with no dressing and had two breadsticks ..ate half the pasta . i was stuffed when i walked out of there ..
  • staceyb2003
    staceyb2003 Posts: 203 Member
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    Yum, I love Olive Garden. I always get the Zuppa Toscana soup it's only 170 calories, sodium is kind of high at 960mg but I think you'll have that when you eat out. Good job!!
  • hiswifetheirmommy
    hiswifetheirmommy Posts: 30 Member
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    They don't tell you about the low fat option, but their salad with the 'regular' dressing was featured on some "most unhealthy 'free food' options" list I read a while back. Its really horrible in calories and fat, so good job getting the word out. I feel like a lot of people are duped into thinking they've made a decent choice when they load up on salad there.....

    Thanks! I totally agree. I used to think, "Oh...it's salad...I can eat as much as I want!" No wonder I got to where I was! I was loading up on salad along with the fettucini! Yikes!
  • TuscanySun
    TuscanySun Posts: 3,608 Member
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    Congrats on the healthier choices!

    If you ever get a chance, try the Venetian Apricot Chicken there...lovely dinner for lower cal's/carbs. So good. I ask for steamed veggies, no butter no seasoning and they're still just as good if not better and the chicken is really really good!
  • fiberartist219
    fiberartist219 Posts: 1,865 Member
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    I also get the Zuppa Toscana. I get it with salad and ONE breadstick. I like to dip the breadstick in the soup! Yum... I'm actually going there tomorrow with friends.
  • npellegrino17
    npellegrino17 Posts: 2
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    I am going tomorrow for a lunch meeting and have been immersed in their website trying to find something healthy.....I am definitely thinking the venetian apricot chicken and a serving of salad with low-fat dressing will be the way to go. It is still dinner sized calories but I will have to be even better for dinner. It is so difficult for me not getting pasta...ugh...and I married an italian but I can literally see the change in my body dropping all the pasta.
  • TequillaLover89
    TequillaLover89 Posts: 260 Member
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    I love the mushroom stuffed shells! Not a fan of the breadsticks
  • aworkma6
    aworkma6 Posts: 31
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    Awesome!!!

    I'm going to the Olive Garden on Sunday night for a family member's birthday. I love looking up the nutrition values ahead of time even though my family makes fun of me for it!
  • Alicia_Monique
    Alicia_Monique Posts: 338 Member
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    Hi, I'm a waitress at Olive Garden and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE read this if you're counting calories! I promise I know what I'm talking about!

    The salad with the normal dressing is nearly 290 calories, and something like 20 grams of fat! One serving is one plate of salad. I know it's really deceiving (it's salad -- it has to be good for me, right?!) so ALWAYS opt for the low fat dressing, with no crutons! Add the cheese if you'd like, because, hey, cheese is yummy!! The lowfat tastes pretty much the exact same as the regular. I don't eat the salad with dressing anymore, I either squeeze lemons onto it, squeeze the juice from the pepperocinis, or just use some balsamic (which we do have!!) it's a much better choice!

    The venetian apricot chicken is fantaaastic! It has 290 calories and I think 5 grams of fat! It's filling and really good! Also, cheese ravioli with tomato sauce (on the side) with no baked cheese isn't too bad either, it's ~480 and some calories, with probably about 15/20 grams of fat!

    I like to order the gluten free options! The gluten free mixed grill is soo perfect to share! And the salad automatically comes with no croutons, and low fat dressing! :)

    I know people don't go to Olive Garden to eat healthy, but every breadstick is 150 calories, 2 grams of fat, and 400 mg of sodium. OUCH!

    I ate at work tonight and had the new lunch sized grilled lemon herb chicken, no sauce, no potatoes, sub asparagus. I squeezed lemons on top. It was suuper good! And really not too bad. There was feta on top, though... but... it was delicious and so worth it!

    Just so you guys, know!!

    ...oh yeah... the sodium at this place is CRAZY. Make sure you keep an eye on those sodium levels.

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