Hey ladies!!! I'm going to Olive Garden for lunch with one of my girlies and was wondering what you like to get at Olive Garden that is actually kinda healthy. (This is my day to splurge a little for doing so good on my exercising)

I will tell you I looked up the calories before I went last time- and a serving of the salad is nearly 800 cals & the zuppa toscana soup is 180 cals a bowl- so theres an option for ya right there!! And I believe the breadsticks are about 200 cals each... I may be a little off, its been a while
good luck!

I'm pretty sure you are way off on the salad, unless you meant 80 calories. The breadsticks are about 150 each. You're best options would be the minestrone, the lunch sizes of venetian apricot chicken, capellini pomodoro, or shrimp primavera. Those are under 500 calories, but anything else will be (way) over. They have menus there that list the lower calorie options, just ask for one.

Order the salad dressing on the side - they really douse it and you can save a ton of calories but adding it yourself and going a little lighter!

The menu has little designations for some of the lower-cal options, which I've always found very helpful. If you just want a basic lunch, I love the minestrone, salad, and breadsticks, but they have some decent options for pasta as well.

Enjoy... I am drooling now!

Look for the little olive branch on the menu. It indicates lower fat, healthier menu options. I think I usually go for a shrimp dish w/ angel hair pasta, but the name of it is escaping me just now ) Have fun!

Ok the 800 must have been for the whole salad with each serving of that salad being 200 cals- my bad!

It looks like Olive Garden has finally added nutrition info to their website.

http://www.olivegarden.com/menus/gar...nformation.asp



They have multiple salads listed with calorie ranges from 120 to 850.

I see a Venetian Apricot Chicken that includes grilled chicken breasts in an apricot citrus sauce served with broccoli, asparagus and diced tomatoes. All for just 380 calories! I don't eat chicken, but if I did I'd order it

Seafood Brodetto: Scallops, shrimp and delicate tilapia with spinach and mushrooms simmered in a light white wine and marinara-saffron broth. Served with toasted ciabatta bread. 480 calories and sounds heavenly.

Olive Garden, and a host of others, is more timely than Maggianos.

Are you all aware that Olive Garden makes a light salad dressing...it tastes exactly the same and has way less fat and calories! Also, the minestrone soup is the bomb!!

STAY AWAY! haha jk. I worked there for a year and during my hardest attempt at weight loss.

Venetian apricot chicken.
Salad, no peppers, no olives, no croutons, no cheese. oil and vinegar on the side and just use balsamic?
Dont touch the bread.
No NO NO dessert!

They have all the nutrition facts listed online.
Mussels might not be bad, maybe check that out. And the linguini alla marinara.