OLIVE GARDEN--help!!

2

Replies

  • Scorpioangel
    Scorpioangel Posts: 951 Member
    I get the linguine with marinara sauce, a breadstick and have the salad with the dressing on the side and ask for the light dressing.
  • jhyan
    jhyan Posts: 59 Member
    I love the mixed grill (skewers of beef and chicken) and instead of the potatoes i get double veggies! Plus I eat a big portion of salad before :)

    Mixed grill is my favorite... very tasty, and pretty decent nutritionally. I don't sub lose the potatoes... too yummy. Get a to go box right when you get your food and put half in it. Then you only eat half (which should be plenty!) and have delish leftovers.
  • imthelobster
    imthelobster Posts: 179 Member
    I'm partial to the Parmesan Crusted Bistecca, myself. 690 cals.
    what is that exactly?

    It's a parmesan crusted 6oz(I think? maybe 8oz) steak with mashed potatoes and asparagus as sides.
  • cweiler4
    cweiler4 Posts: 374 Member
    Salad with no dressing, Apricot Venetian Chicken, Minestrone soup are some good choices.

    No matter what you get Olive Garden dishes are OVERLOADED with sodium. You can get some low cal dishes, but make sure to chug some water the next day or so. :drinker:
  • BarbWhite09
    BarbWhite09 Posts: 1,128 Member
    You can order the smaller size of the dish & then take some home. I love Olive Garden so much...MMM
  • rcillo219
    rcillo219 Posts: 76 Member
    I just had this same issue last week hahaha! I checked the website in a panic but there are actually some decent options. I am not sure about your feelings on seafood but I got the seafood brodetta which is around 480 calories for the whole thing. It is shrimp, scallops, and tilapia in a wine/marinara sauce. It comes in a bowl almost like a soup with two peices of chiabata bread. I had a breadstick instead of the bread it came with. Also, I did not have any of the salad because I had a salad for lunch that day. Another option is the seafood alfredo. A whole plate is 1,020 calories but if you immediately put half in a to-go container it comes to about 500 or so calories. The Apricot Chicken sounds delicious and I actually want to go back soon to try it lol. Good luck and enjoy :drinker: :smile:
  • toabetterlifestyle
    toabetterlifestyle Posts: 230
    last time i went i got the stuffed chicken masala and even with the mashed potatoes it was like 600 i believe? oh and the salad is worse than anything lol because of the dressing. i got the soup with the dumplings in it and it was 200 cals i think. the salad for a small plate is like 350. also the fish is good. and surprisingly the ravioli is like 500 cals.
  • JennaM222
    JennaM222 Posts: 1,996 Member
    Soup, salad, breadstick. One bowl of minestrone, a bowl of salad (with no dressing, ask for it on the side for your personal bowl and decline cheese/ask for no croutons and enter salad manually....lettuce, onion, tomato and then use a single serving of the dressing) and then one bread stick :)

    this!!!!
  • imthelobster
    imthelobster Posts: 179 Member
    As they prep all their food ahead of time in premade packets sized portion I would ask for extra meat and veggies, half the pasta! Hope this helps.

    Ohhh, I didn't know they could do that!
  • BrienJD
    BrienJD Posts: 541 Member
    DON'T EAT THE SALAD!!!!!! (at least not with dressing) You can actually ejoy more if you don't

    Here' what I have when I go

    1/2 lunch portion seafood alfredo
    Zuppa Toscana Soup (sometimes two bowls)
    Breadsticks (3)
    Water with Lemon (or bring your own single serving packs..Crystal light, hawiian punch etc etc)

    That about fills me up.

    I think it's more than 700 cals though:tongue:
  • jamierose86
    jamierose86 Posts: 17
    I love the Apricot Chicken...and the minestrone.
  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
    Get minestrone soup instead of salad. They have decent grilled chicken there. Definitely try to limit yourself to one breadstick or skip them entirely.
  • taliesyn_
    taliesyn_ Posts: 219 Member
    We don't have Olive Garden in the UK, but I have been when on business trips to the US. All I can say is, the very best of luck, enjoy it, consider a "spike" day if your planning allows one - and as others have said here, you can eat healthy. I have always been lucky as I have not been to Olive Garden when trying to reduce!
  • Vyshness8699
    Vyshness8699 Posts: 390 Member
    I'd order whatever you feel like, and ask them to box half of it to go before it gets to the table. Then, you have supper today, lunch tomorrow, and you can eat everything on your plate without worrying :)

    If you're going to eat a lot of breadsticks, though (always my weakness!) choose a meal that's a little less carb-heavy...lean proteins like chicken and fish, etc.

    I agree!!
  • mbgoring
    mbgoring Posts: 2
    The grilled chicken (670 cals). It's yummy. :love:
  • Carlyannabelle
    Carlyannabelle Posts: 621 Member
    Oh also you can ask for the Gluten Free menu and it lists all of the nutrional value of everything. I look at it quite often. My go to meal is usually the lunch portion of the Linguini alla marinara. The dish only has 310 calories. I will have a bowl of either Zuppa Toscana soup - 170 cals or the Pasta fagioli soup - 130 cals. ( I don't really care for the minestrone, but it is 100 cals) Try and stay away from the salad, even with the dressing on the side it can have more calories then the soup. I would also skip out on the bread (I know it is hard) but each bread stick is 150 calories! Also I would suggest the new Skinny Palmogranete Limetta, It comes in the large 20 oz glass and only has 50 calories. It is very good. If you are looking for an alcoholic beverage you could have a glass of wine which is about 130 cals or the palmogranete martini, I think it is around 160-180 calories. I hope this helps have a great dinner!
  • rammsteinsoldier
    rammsteinsoldier Posts: 1,552 Member
    I would give anything to live in a town with an Olive Garden. I love that place. Enjoy!!!!!
  • bzmommy34
    bzmommy34 Posts: 229 Member
    Just keep in mind you can always take 1/2 home to eat tomorrow! Don't feel like you need to eat everything on your plate.

    ^^^^This! And marina sauces are "generally" more friendly than heavy alfredos.
  • mrsscullion
    mrsscullion Posts: 5 Member
    Their salad and minestrone soup are delicious! Just only have 1 breadstick cause they're terrible for you.
  • stacymama5
    stacymama5 Posts: 391 Member
    No Salad!!
  • mbgoring
    mbgoring Posts: 2
    Yay, Jayhawks!!! Woo hoo!:happy:
  • mariapuhl
    mariapuhl Posts: 529 Member
    I haven't read any of this... but there's something I always get now, the seafood bodetto/bodescto... something like that. It's kind of like a seafood stew.... but OMG it is AMAZING and doesn't taste low calorie at ALL.
  • lauryn86
    lauryn86 Posts: 86 Member
    LOL!! It is funny that you ask that because I work at Olive Garden and am knowledgeable with the nutritional information. What do you think you might feel like? Meat, seafood, pasta?? I might be able to help you out.
    probably chicken, shrimp or steak!!
  • JaclynnGail
    JaclynnGail Posts: 204 Member
    Apricot chicken, minestrone soup, and wine!
  • margaretbyrd
    margaretbyrd Posts: 3 Member
    The Venetian Apricot Chicken is 380 calories. It is grilled chicken with asparagus and broccoli and a light sauce made with apricots.
    I thought it was very good.
  • jgondor
    jgondor Posts: 145 Member
    The salad is actually incredibly unhealthy!!

    good to know. thanks!
  • tiffanypardus
    tiffanypardus Posts: 54
    now I want olive garden. I could prob pass on the breadsticks but the salad is a must.
  • mindfulone
    mindfulone Posts: 57 Member
    They will even box half for you and not put it on your plate most places offer that!!!
  • Carlyannabelle
    Carlyannabelle Posts: 621 Member
    LOL!! It is funny that you ask that because I work at Olive Garden and am knowledgeable with the nutritional information. What do you think you might feel like? Meat, seafood, pasta?? I might be able to help you out.
    probably chicken, shrimp or steak!!

    I would have to say, as many others have, the Venetian Apricot Chicken would be the best chioce. The dinner portion is around 390 calories. It comes with 2 chicken breasts, broccoli and asparagus. It has a sweet apricot glaze. (which I don't care for, but you could sub out for marinara sauce and calories would be about the same) Also if you wanted to have dessert you could try one of the strawberry dolcini's with 210 calories. Good luck.
  • mollyonamission
    mollyonamission Posts: 268 Member
    Ok I have to go to Olive Garden tonight for dinner with my in laws. I know I can check their website for nutritional info but I wanted to know what you guys think of the dishes...do you have any low cal faves?? I have about 700 cals left for the day...thanks!!!


    Minestrone soup and tomato linguine its yummy just try to stay away from bread
This discussion has been closed.

Categories