Eating out at Olive Garden tonight..HELP

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!

I would eat whatever I want, Just not to much of it.
c:

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

Feel free to BASH ME GOOD!
I can take it.
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

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.

Don't have the salad, it's WAY more calories than you think because they DRENCH it in dressing. Have one HALF of a bread stick (150 calories) if you must and enjoy the Zupa Tuscana soup... It's like 150 calories I think. I always get the Mushroom Ravioli, it's around 700 calories, but if you eat half (They give you SO much!) it's really more like 350... But If you are satisfied with just soup, I swear, that Zupa Tuscana soup is SO amazing. It has sausage, kale and potatoes in it... sure it's high in salt, but you were planning on drinking a lot of water weren't you?

Venetian Apricot Chicken. 400 calories for the entire dinner plate size. Yummmmmmyyy!
Also.. pass on the salad AND breadsticks. These will BOTH hurt you in the cal department.

Well, if you are eating out at Olive Garden, might I suggest a secluded corner booth?

You've gotten some great suggestions here. You can always look at their online menu and input choices into the MFP database for additional info. I just did it myself for lunch later.

You can reduce the calories on anything by potion control, however the sodium on all the entrees will be tough. If you are going to partake, then by all means enjoy. If you are trying to stay on your target macros if you do partake you may want to eat very light the rest of the day as your sodium will definitely be high.

Whatever you order ask to split it in a half before they serve, and bring the rest to you in a to go box.
I did that with Montana Grill last weekend

^^^^This. I do this all the time, and it works like a charm.

Related: I've also tried simply asking for a 1/2 portion at a reduced price. Most chains cannot accommodate, but most of the local restaurants are really good about it. You don't quite pay 1/2 price, but then again, you're not bringing home 1/2 of a high calorie meal, either.

I honestly wouldn't go.

I try not to criminalize any particular foods, and go with the eat in moderation approach; however, Olive Garden cuisines are loaded with carbohydrates, salts, and sugars. The people that eat this kind of food habitually are usually more than a little overweight. For example, my wife and I went to the Olive Garden on our sixteenth wedding anniversary. She was dying to go, and I was aiming to please her, so I could make it through the day without any unnecessary arguments. When we walked into the establishment, there wasn't a skinny person in the place except for my wife and I. I'm not saying this to joke or make fun, but it looked like an obesity convention. The woman who took us to our table had to squeeze between the tables to seat us. She sounded like Darth Vader in his mask. I ordered chicken with all the fixings on the side, and threw what I didn't eat in the trash. No reason to bring death home.

Olive Garden is gross. I'd pass

To me it's simple. Just go out and enjoy your self. Eat a meal from the menu, and relax. Don't go nuts and order the most glutenous thing on the menu, but don't feel inhibited either. I don't feel that any "diet" is beneficial or realistic if it cannot afford you an occasional meal that is a special engagement. Also, anyone that says Olive Garden is not a good restaurant with good food either doesn't know good food, doesn't like Italian, or has some personal agenda against the restaurant. I love their food.

This is from muffintop-less.tumblr
Her blog is one of my favorite go to blogs for advice, inspiration and motivation


My Tips for Eating Out at a Restaurant When Trying to Stick to Your Diet! (If this is your cheat meal, then obviously some of these things may not need apply).

•Don’t go starving. You are less likely to choose the greasiest, most unhealthy thing on the menu if you don’t go to the restaurant ravenous. Have a small snack consisting of protein about an hour or so before you leave.
•Avoid the bread basket or chips and salsa. It’s easy to mindlessly fill up on the empty carbs before your meal even arrives. The chips and bread can add hundreds of calories to what could have been a low-calorie night out.
•Skip the appetizer. As with the bread basket, it can add hundreds more calories and probably a lot more UNhealthy fats and simple carbs to what could be a healthy night out. If you do pick an appetizer, choose something that isn’t fried or packed with things like full fat cheeses.
•If you order a salad before your meal, be aware that while most side salads ARE low in calories (if they aren’t littered with nuts, dried fruit, cheese or croutons)… most dressings are LOADED with sugar and fat. Avoid creamy dressings like ranch, blue cheese and thousand island. Choose vinaigrettes instead. While vinaigrettes can still be high in calories, fat and sugar, they are the “safer” choice.
•The above-mentioned guideline about side salads applies to regular salads as well. A lot of people assume if they order a salad, they are choosing something healthy and relatively low in calories. Think again! Most salads can pack more calories, sugar and fats than a burger and fries combined! Things like dried fruit, nuts, full-fat cheeses, croutons and other toppings will make what was originally a low calorie, low fat, low sugar bowl of lettuce/spinach and turn it into a mound of calorie overload. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t order a salad, it just means you should be aware that you are not necessarily choosing something that will work with your daily macros/calorie intake.
•Avoid ordering foods that have any of these words before them: breaded, battered, crispy, crunchy, crusted, buttered, cheesy, country-style, creamy, glazed, gooey, honey-dipped, melted, smothered or fried. These are all extremely good indicators of un-healthy, fat, carb and sugar-loaded junk!
•Look instead for options that contain the following: baked, broiled, roasted, fresh, multi-grain, broth, seared, poached, grilled, sautéed, spiced, and steamed.
•Don’t be afraid to ask the server for the nutrition facts menu. California is required to provide one I believe (I see them all over now!) That way you can make an even more specific choice! This way, you can also scope out substitutes for some of the ingredients and/or sides that your meal comes with!
•Also, don’t be afraid to ask for things on the side! Dressings, marinades, high-calorie toppings and adders, syrups and other extras can be more easily controlled if you can put them on yourself! Don’t add salt! I can almost GUARANTEE whatever you wind up ordering will likely come loaded with salt.
•Restaurants are notorious for WAY overdoing the portion sizes. Save half or more of your meal for later! That way you can get two or more meals out of it! You can ask the server to pack half of it up before it even gets to your table. (Or if you have the will-power, eat half and ask for a to go box after).
•Also, consider ordering something to split with a friend, family member or significant other! That way you don’t have to worry about carry the leftovers home and you can both enjoy a lighter dinner!
•Lastly, skip dessert. You’ll be glad you did. Some single slices of cheesecake and other goodies can pack more than 1,000 calories!!!
While you might be thinking “I don’t want to be annoying by asking for all kinds of ingredients on the side”… don’t. If the restaurant had been smart enough to provide healthier options, they wouldn’t have had to worry about people ordering substitutes and giving special instructions. In addition, remember that many people with severe food allergies also must ask the server to have the food prepared sans their allergen! Don’t be shy about speaking up! If it’s a first date or something, I might understand the hesitation… but even still… don’t be afraid to ask nicely for what you want!

Edit: Sorry that was so long!!