With its large portions and unlimited soup, salad, and garlic bread sticks, Olive Garden is one of America’s favorite Italian family restaurants.

However, if you’re watching your weight, you’ll want to pay attention to your portions, choose the Minestrone soup and a low-fat dressing for your salad, and pass on those bread sticks, which can easily add hundreds of extra calories to your meal.

Several low-fat dishes flagged on the menu include the Minestrone soup, with 100 calories and 1.5 gm fat; Venetian Apricot Chicken, with 380 calories and 4 gm fat; Grilled Chicken Spiedini, with 380 calories and 12 gm fat; and Linguine alla Marinara, with 430 calories and 6 gm fat.

Higher-fat entrées to avoid are mostly fried or contain cheesy and creamy sauces or stuffing. They include Chicken Alfredo Pizza, with 1,180 calories and 40 gm fat; Five Cheese Ziti al Forno, with 1,050 calories and 48 gm fat; and Steak Gorgonzola-Alfredo, with 1,310 calories and 73 gm fat.

Best Bets Minestrone Soup Linguine alla Marinara Venetian Apricot Chicken Shrimp Primavera Herb-Grilled Salmon Grilled Chicken Spiedini

Worst Bets Hot Artichoke-Spinach Dip Chicken Alfredo Pizza Five Cheese Ziti al Forno Fettuccine Alfredo Steak Gorgonzola-Alfredo Manicotti Formaggio

vitality suggests

Healthy	Garden Fresh Salad Low-Fat Italian Dressing Chicken Mixed Grill
Healthier	Garden Fresh Salad Low-Fat Italian Dressing Linguine alla Marinara
Healthiest	Minestrone Soup Venetian Apricot Chicken

Nutrition information at www.olivegarden.com

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