Going out to eat while trying to be healthy isn't always easy, especially when you’re on a diet. Chain restaurants are mainly known for bad portion sizes, and pasta is usually out of the question. But some of the healthiest restaurant options are at Olive Garden. In fact, here are some of the best things that nutritionists order at Olive Garden.
7. Stuffed Mushrooms
If you’re not sure a traditional entrée is the best option for you, order an appetizer as your main course. The Stuffed Mushrooms are filled with clams, three types of cheese, and topped with herbed breadcrumbs. It’s less than 400 calories, only has 13 grams of carbs, and offers 15 total grams of protein for the whole plate. This is an excellent option if you love appetizers but don’t want to follow up with more food.
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6. Minestrone Soup and breadsticks
Bread is not the enemy. A lot of times, we think that bread and things like breadsticks throw off our healthy routine, but Rachel Meltzer Warren, RDN, a New York-area nutrition writer, educator, and counselor, and the author of The Smart Girl's Guide to Going Vegetarian says that not the case with Olive Garden breadsticks. The low-calorie minestrone soup leaves room for...
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... a salad and a breadstick, too. “If you stick with one serving of salad, one breadstick, and the soup, you can get out of there for just under 400 calories — pretty impressive for a restaurant meal,” she adds.
5. Grilled Chicken Parmigiana
When you have a choice between fried chicken and grilled chicken, always go for the latter. The restaurant’s Grilled Chicken Parmigiana features cheese and marinara sauce, along with a side of spaghetti. At 760 calories, this meal is 400 calories less than a traditional breaded preparation. The grilled option actually has more protein than the fried version, along with smaller amounts of saturated fat, sodium, and carbs. You can hardly tell this isn’t friend chicken when it’s covered in sauce and cheese anyway. Save yourself the calories (and everything else).
4. Fettucini Alfredo
There are 1220 calories in 1 serving of Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo (Dinner). The calorie breakdown is 55% fat, 32% carbs, and 12% protein. The dish may be higher in sodium and added sugar, so balance out the rest of your day with low-sugar and low-sodium home-cooked meals.
3. Salmon Piccata
“The Salmon Piccata (570 calories) is a top pick at Olive Garden for nutrition and taste,” says Patricia Bannan, RDN, a nationally recognized nutritionist and healthy cooking expert, explaining that the meal provides 45 grams of protein for staying power, as well as essential omega-3 fatty acids. “Research shows EPA and DHA omega-3s in fatty fish like salmon are the most important types of omega-3s for overall wellness, including heart, brain, and eye health,
2. Cod Piccata
Here’s a dish that offers 37 grams of filling protein for 370 calories, one of the lowest entrée calorie counts on the menu. “Since the protein takes longer to digest than carbohydrate-filled meals, it tides you over longer and helps to keep hunger at bay,” The Nutrition Twins said. Lower the saturated fat by asking the kitchen to go lighter on the butter — and do the same with the salt for a lower-sodium dish.
1. Zoodles Primavera
New Jersey–based dietitian Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDE says that the high fiber content of the meal along with the volume of the veggies leaves her feeling satisfied without the excessive calories and carbs that a traditional pasta meal in a restaurant would pile on.
The best part? “After all those veggies, if I want to splurge and have a breadstick (140 calories) or two with my meal, I can do it without any guilt,” she adds.
