Eating out at Olive Garden tonight..HELP

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  • cburnett2698
    cburnett2698 Posts: 8
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    Salad is always good. . .always be careful with the cheese ( i had mine without the cheese). . .You could also ask for side grilled shrimp or side grilled chicken w/o the oil to top on your salad. Red vinegar or Vinegar dressing is the healthiest. . .Enjoy!
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
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    As others have said... It's really the portion sizes that are killer. Eat half of anything there and you should be ok.

    And yeah, I'd be eating more salad than pasta :)
  • Jersey_Devil
    Jersey_Devil Posts: 4,142 Member
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    i was just there. best thing is soup and salad.
  • iLoveMyPitbull1225
    iLoveMyPitbull1225 Posts: 1,691 Member
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    shrimp primavera, skip salad and breadsticks
  • lporter229
    lporter229 Posts: 4,907 Member
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    I'd ask for my salad with no dressing and take my own in a little container. Then I'd order an entree that sounded appealing but not over the top on cheese and goo and stuff. I'd eat half and take the rest home.

    Enjoy the party!
  • chenrytc2
    chenrytc2 Posts: 48
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    I know I may get killed for this...

    Eat whatever you want! There are some rules to this though. As long as you plan for it throughout the day. Try to eat cleaner earlier in the day to absorb those extra calories. Also, plan to put in extra work (exercise) the following week.

    Let's face the reality of it. It is ALL BAD! Now, enjoy it. Most diets and exercise programs fail. It is not because they don't work or are too hard. They are simply not right for the person doing them. Enjoy the celebration, enjoy the fact someone achieved a goal in life, and more importantly enjoy your hard work. Sometimes we slip, fall, and get hurt. We recover. Sometimes alone, sometimes with help. We (MFP Community) are the helping part.

    The salad is packed with calories because of the "oh so delicious" dressing put on it. My wife and I bought two bottles for home use from Olive Garden. We used it half of the first bottle. After we both decided to lose weight, we could afford to use it because of the calories. With being said, eat what YOU want. Tomorrow is another day and you can put in the work the next day, and the next day, and the next day, ... Get my point?

    Enjoy your night and send a congratulations to the graduate from your friends at MFP!
  • jem33199
    jem33199 Posts: 80 Member
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    I just ate there the other night. It was yummy. I got the all-you-can-eat soup and salad. I got the salad with light italian on the side. I ate the croutons but I'll avoid those the next time. Their light italian dressing is actually quite delicious. I had minestrone soup, which I always enjoy.

    If you want pasta, capellini pomodoro is a good choice.

    Eat slowly, focus on your companions and have a nice time!
  • Byrdsong1920
    Byrdsong1920 Posts: 335 Member
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    I saw someone posted the Olive Garden nutritional link. That was awesome! I go online when I can before I eat out to 'plan' the best I can.

    I use to have anxiety about eating out..I felt like I was out of my 'element'....because I didnt have my food cooler w/ food I prepared the nite before :) But now I try to pull up the food in my phone app before I order. Watch sodium when you eat out. Olive has great salads (watch the dressing) and stick to a grilled or baked fish. Or, maybe this is your meal to enjoy and give your body that food break it needs. I try to have a 'cheat meal' once a week . In all honesty, this is a lifestyle and we have to always be conscious. Just dont deprive yourself or u'll binge.

    Have fun with it and plan the best you can, ahead of time!

    ~happy journey
  • lungti29
    lungti29 Posts: 28
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    Olive Garden is actually very accomodating when it comes to special orders. You can request breadsticks not covered in butter, they will put the dressing for their salad on the side upon request and then you can order a lean protein with maybe a small side of pasta instead of pasta with a small side of protein. Have fun!
  • healthyme155
    healthyme155 Posts: 24
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    DO THE SOUP AND SALAD!! skip the dressing on the salad too. usually when I go I can get away with a breadstick and 2 soups with plenty of salad :) plus, it's one of the best deals!
  • josavage
    josavage Posts: 475 Member
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    I like the apricot chicken and I have salad but no bread sticks.
  • estrange22
    estrange22 Posts: 210 Member
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    Eat a light snack before you go....do not eat the salad unless you get a seperate one with dressing on the side, skip the bread and order something broiled or grilled with nothing creamy. Enjoy whatever you end up with!
  • katiemo13
    katiemo13 Posts: 3
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    Just at there last night with my book club friends. I planned it out ahead of time. I got the cheese ravioli with marinara and ate half of it. I had one bread stick and one serving of salad to go with it. It all added up to just a little over 700 calories. But the sodium was still outrageous!! It is just hard to go out to eat. :(
  • lovelysummerbabe2012
    lovelysummerbabe2012 Posts: 84
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    I would eat whatever I want, Just not to much of it.
    c:
  • rustyguy
    rustyguy Posts: 51 Member
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    A small order of Capellini Pomodoro with a grilled chicken breast.
  • hollyk57
    hollyk57 Posts: 520 Member
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    This post is making me want breadsticks and fettuccine alfredo... boo
    But like the others said, check the nutrition facts on their website. Apricot Chicken, Capellini Pomodoro, Salad and healthy soup like minestrone, skip the bread... Or just workout ahead of time and relax and enjoy yourself
  • poundis
    poundis Posts: 93 Member
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    Pasta e fagioli soup is 130 calories with lots of protein and fiber in it. Minestrone soup is 100 calories per bowl. I went last night and had the Venetian apricot chicken. It was very good and 400 calories. I also thought of having the parmesan crusted tilapia and it is 590 calories. Unfortunately, everything has a ton of sodium in it. They do have a light Italian dressing for the salad but I am not sure of the calorie content. I have a nutrition guide but it is not in there. Enjoy your dinner!
  • crazedcujo
    crazedcujo Posts: 114 Member
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    Feel free to BASH ME GOOD!
    I can take it.:cry:
    ok, here we go
    I never go to a fabulous place like Olive Garden and count calories.
    Call it a "free day" - whatever.
    And I used to go out to eat at least once per day, but now?
    Twice monthly. I am WEAK! I just can't go to Olive Garden and eat some healthy, tasteless dish of Blah!
    I eat like a government mule. LOVE IT!
    Whatever you decide, enjoy and good luck:flowerforyou:

    ^^ agree
  • CharityEaton
    CharityEaton Posts: 508
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    olive garden is AWFUL on the sodium...drink plenty of water ALL DAY!
  • HappieHippie360
    HappieHippie360 Posts: 17 Member
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    i had this same situation earlier in the week...work team meeting at freaking olive garden...lol. so i reminded myself that i was going to focus on enjoying the people and the conversation...i was not there to binge out on pasta. i went to the olive garden website and made my plan...and rehearsed it over and over in my head. here is the thing...i LOVE the breadsticks so i knew i was going to want one so i planned on having ONE. I ordered the soup and salad...asked for the salad with the dressing on the side. I had two bowls of the salad with a very small amount of the dressing on it and avoided the croutons, i put one breadstick on my plate and let it hang out...knowing that i was going to eat it but didnt gobble it down, then i had the minestrone soup, and slowly ate my breadstick with my soup...this was 550 calories...also, all of the listed items are already in the MFP database and match the website.

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