OLIVE GARDEN--help!!

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  • lauryn86
    lauryn86 Posts: 86 Member
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    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.
    yum!!! i will probably have that then!!! Do you know how much cals their salad dressing is on the side? or whats a tasty low cal salad dressing i could have??
  • KLavallee322
    KLavallee322 Posts: 86 Member
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    The salad is actually incredibly unhealthy!!

    I got the soup & salad the last time I was there thinking I was being good. I was SHOCKED when I got home and logged the salad. Don't eat the salad! lol
  • Nopedotjpeg
    Nopedotjpeg Posts: 1,806 Member
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    I would eat the food...with the lesser calories. derp.
  • femmi1120
    femmi1120 Posts: 473 Member
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    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!!!

    Skip the bread, order a salad or broth based soup, and ask them to box up half your entree before bringing it out. If you do this, you should be able to order just about anyhing on the menu and be just fine on cals :)
  • jennylppp
    jennylppp Posts: 11
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    agreed with the salad dressing on the side, but they also have fat free dressing if you request it... also, i think the mixed grill (steak or chicken w/ mixed veggies) is pretty low on the fat/cal side... good luck! their food is hard to resist lol
  • SofaKingRad
    SofaKingRad Posts: 1,592 Member
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    This makes me sad. I want Olive Garden and my wife said no.
  • femmi1120
    femmi1120 Posts: 473 Member
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    I would eat the food...with the lesser calories. derp.

    Not helpful. Why even bother posting?
  • aftergypsies
    aftergypsies Posts: 248 Member
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    You can get lunch sized portions of a lot of their stuff for about half the cals. Their salad with dressing on the side isn't that bad. Soup like Zuppa Tuscana is amazing!
  • thelovelyLIZ
    thelovelyLIZ Posts: 1,227 Member
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    Honestly, I just always get the soup, salad, and breadsticks there. I've been disappointed by too many other dishes there. Their zuppa toscana and minestrone soups are both really good, and not terrible on the calories. Watch the salad and breadsticks though, both are unnecessarily high in calories.

    Other than that, check their website? Like I said, I always order the same thing, so I don't really know.
  • darkmouzy
    darkmouzy Posts: 227 Member
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    mmm I read this and i was like omg i love olive garden haha.

    Just try to stay within your limits but if you go over a little bit don't worry! even it out te next day or try to sneak in a little brisk walk after :)

    Enjoy for me D:!!
  • memcd911
    memcd911 Posts: 230 Member
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    The salad is actually incredibly unhealthy!!

    The salad isn't unhealthy, the dressing is.

    It can be ordered without, or on the side, and they even offer a low fat version of their house dressing.

    There are plenty of things you can find that work there, just know you'll be going over on your sodium. By about a bajillion.
  • Carlyannabelle
    Carlyannabelle Posts: 621 Member
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    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.
    yum!!! i will probably have that then!!! Do you know how much cals their salad dressing is on the side? or whats a tasty low cal salad dressing i could have??

    Well a serving of salad with dressing is 290 calories and serving of salad with no dressing is 130 calories. That is why I susually opt for the soup because it will have fewer in the long run. There is a low fat italian that the OG carries and I think it is 60 cals per serving (1 oz). The OG does have ranch as well but has way more calories. Those are the only dressings they carry.

    Again ask for the gluten free menu as I mentioned before it lists the calories of every app, entree, drink, and sauce. That could sway your decision as well.
  • i_am_losing_it
    i_am_losing_it Posts: 310 Member
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    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 you can even have them put half in a to go container before they bring it out of the kitchen so your not tempted, I use this method often :)
  • mill1295
    mill1295 Posts: 120 Member
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    I get the salmon or tilapia - both aren't too bad.. and one bowl of minstrone no cheese.. water with lemon :D Skip the bread sticks - they taste like cardboard and aren't worth it!
  • mountaingirl222
    mountaingirl222 Posts: 88
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    apricot chicken!
  • GasMasterFlash
    GasMasterFlash Posts: 2,206 Member
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    This makes me sad. I want Olive Garden and my wife said no.
    Wow. Have you checked her email and text messages? She's hiding something.
  • TheAnie
    TheAnie Posts: 180 Member
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    The minestrone soup is awesome. But that 100 calorie bowl of soup has 1020mg of sodium.
  • IronmanPanda
    IronmanPanda Posts: 2,083 Member
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    You can't go to The OG and NOT get bread sticks... that's just wrong.
  • celesteflenory
    celesteflenory Posts: 22 Member
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    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.

    That is very true. Too often the portions are just too large to fit into what we consider a healthy portion. But the whole point of exercising and making healthier choices is so that we aren't limited to only having to eat at home, and we can learn to live with our new lifestyle. I say eat the salad, or ask for a salad without the dressing, be sure to monitor how many bread sticks you eat (those can really add up) and then order what you want, but ask them to put half of it in a box. While you are eating, talk allot. Because I was taught not to talk with my mouth full, I find that if I am engaged in a conversation, I have to take time in between bites of food, and it gives my body time to catch up with the signal that I have eaten enough food.

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