Olive Garden’s famous breadsticks are a beloved staple of the popular Italian-American restaurant chain. Warm, soft, and coated in garlic butter, olive oil, and Italian herbs, these breadsticks are served complimentary before meals and are completely irresistible. But how many calories are actually in one of these tasty breadsticks?
A Brief History of Olive Garden’s Breadsticks
Olive Garden first opened in 1982 in Orlando, Florida. The brand was founded by General Mills and based on a similar Italian restaurant chain called Olive Garden Italian Restaurant that General Mills had acquired. At the time, complimentary bread service was not part of the Olive Garden dining experience. It wasn’t until the mid-1990s that Olive Garden began experimenting with warm, freshly baked breadsticks on tables to greet diners. This breadstick service was inspired by a trip that Olive Garden executives took to Italy, where they experienced complimentary bread being regularly served before meals.
The warm, soft, herbed breadsticks were a huge hit with Olive Garden customers. In 1998, Olive Garden launched their Unlimited Breadstick promotion, offering free breadstick refills with dinners. This promotion still exists today and is a key part of the Olive Garden brand. Olive Garden’s breadsticks are now their most iconic menu item. In 2013, the restaurant was serving around 42 million breadsticks per month!
Nutritional Information for Olive Garden Breadsticks
So how many calories are actually in one of Olive Garden’s famous breadsticks? Here is the latest nutritional information for Olive Garden breadsticks:
| Serving Size | Calories |
|---|---|
| 1 breadstick | 140 |
As you can see, a single Olive Garden breadstick contains 140 calories.
Some key details about Olive Garden’s breadstick nutrition:
– Breadsticks are made from a dough containing flour, yeast, salt, sugar, and oil. They are then coated in garlic butter, olive oil, and Italian seasoning before baking.
– A single breadstick weighs approximately 26 grams.
– 140 calories per breadstick comes from 70 calories from fat and 70 calories from carbohydrates.
– Total fat content is 8g, with 4.5g being saturated fat. This comes mainly from the garlic butter topping.
– Carbohydrates total 15g per breadstick, with 1g being fiber and less than 1g being sugar.
– Each breadstick also contains 180mg of sodium.
So while Olive Garden’s breadsticks may taste indulgent, a single breadstick is not too high in calories, fat, or carbs, especially when considering the generous serving size.
Calories in Multiple Olive Garden Breadsticks
While one Olive Garden breadstick is only 140 calories, the calories can add up quickly if you eat multiple breadsticks from the free unlimited refills.
Here are the approximate calories when eating more than 1 breadstick:
| Number of Breadsticks | Total Calories |
|---|---|
| 2 breadsticks | 280 |
| 3 breadsticks | 420 |
| 4 breadsticks | 560 |
| 5 breadsticks | 700 |
| 10 breadsticks | 1400 |
As you can see, the calories scale linearly, with each additional breadstick adding another 140 calories. Just a few breadsticks can quickly add several hundred calories to your meal.
It’s important to practice portion control and restraint when indulging in Olive Garden’s unlimited breadsticks to avoid consuming too many excess calories. Opt for just 1-2 breadsticks or ask your server to pace out the breadstick refills.
Tips for Enjoying Olive Garden Breadsticks in Moderation
Here are some tips to enjoy Olive Garden breadsticks without going overboard on calories:
– Start your meal with just 1 breadstick, focusing on it as an appetizer rather than mindlessly snacking. Savor the flavor.
– Once served your salad or soup, ask your server to hold off on additional breadstick refills until entrées are served.
– Fill up on lower calorie starters like minestrone soup or garden fresh salad with light dressing first.
– When your entrée arrives, consider having just 1 more breadstick for a total of 2. Dip it in your entrée sauces.
– Distract yourself from the breadsticks by enjoying conversation with your dinner companions.
– Ask your server to box up any leftover breadsticks to take home rather than continuing to snack on them.
– Split an order of 5 breadsticks with the whole table. Portion out just 1 per person.
– Satisfy your craving for a breadstick without the calories by requesting a to-go bag when you leave. Discard later if needed.
– Substitute a breadstick for dessert. The sweetness of the garlic butter can satisfy your craving for something sweet after your meal.
With some creativity and restraint, you can definitely enjoy Olive Garden’s signature breadsticks without overdoing it on calories and fat. Savor just 1 or 2 as a special treat.
Healthier Breadstick Options
If you love the taste of Olive Garden breadsticks but want to make a healthier choice, here are some ideas:
– Order a garden fresh salad with light Italian dressing as your appetizer instead of breadsticks. Load up on nutritious vegetables.
– Substitute steamed broccoli or grilled asparagus as a lower calorie side for your entrée instead of unlimited breadsticks.
– Request whole wheat linguine with marinara sauce and ask for half the portion of pasta. Pair it with a protein like grilled chicken or shrimp.
– Olive Garden does offer a “lighter Italian fare” menu with options like Herb-Grilled Salmon and Vitello Portobello mushroom entrees that can be customized to be more calorie and carb conscious.
– Stick to lighter sauces like marinara or lemon butter instead of heavy alfredo or meat sauces. Ask for sauces on the side.
– Enjoy soup or salad and just have 1 breadstick as your entrée instead of a full pasta dish or heavy protein. Soup and salad refills are also unlimited.
With some creative substitutions and smart menu choices, you can definitely still enjoy the flavors of Olive Garden while maintaining your healthy eating goals. Just have the breadsticks in sensible moderation.
Nutritional Values of Popular Olive Garden Menu Items
To make informed choices when dining at Olive Garden, here is a comparison of the nutritional values of some of their most popular menu items:
| Menu Item | Calories | Total Fat | Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fettuccine Alfredo (regular) | 1210 | 77g | 82g |
| Chicken Alfredo (regular) | 1150 | 61g | 77g |
| Spaghetti with Meat Sauce (regular) | 800 | 28g | 105g |
| 5 Cheese Ziti al Forno | 990 | 51g | 112g |
| Herb-Grilled Salmon | 520 | 32g | 36g |
| Minestrone Soup (bowl) | 200 | 3.5g | 25g |
| Garden Fresh Salad with Light Italian Dressing | 80 | 6g | 8g |
As you can see, popular pasta dishes, creamy sauces, and meat-based options tend to be higher in calories, fat, and carbs compared to lighter options like salads, soups, grilled proteins, and tomato-based sauces.
Being mindful of your choices and customizing orders to be lighter can help keep your Olive Garden meal relatively healthy, even when enjoying the irresistible breadsticks in moderation.
The Healthiest Ways to Customize Your Olive Garden Order
Here are some specific tips for customizing your Olive Garden order to be as healthy as possible while still enjoying their delicious Italian fare:
– Order minestrone or garden fresh salad as your appetizer instead of breadsticks. Ask for light Italian dressing on the side.
– Stick to chicken, shrimp or salmon entrees. Avoid heavy dishes like lasagna or eggplant parmesan that are fried or loaded with cheese.
– Request red sauce-based dishes like marinara instead of heavy creams sauces or buttery alfredos. Ask for sauce on the side.
– Opt for steamed broccoli instead of pasta as your side. Load up on low cal veggies.
– Choose whole wheat linguine or zucchini noodles instead of regular white pasta. Ask for half the normal portion.
– Avoid adding extra meatballs, sausages, or bacon bits that can add saturated fat and sodium. Stick to lean proteins.
– Skip the sugary drinks and desserts. Opt for water with lemon instead. End your meal with an Americano if you want something sweet.
– Take at least half your meal to-go. Olive Garden portions are huge, so you’ll likely have leftovers you can enjoy again later.
With some simple customizations and smart choices, you can enjoy true Italian flavor at Olive Garden without sabotaging your healthy eating regimen, even while indulging in a signature breadstick or two.
Low Calorie Olive Garden Dressing Options
Olive Garden’s hearty Italian dressings and sauces can rack up the calories and fat quickly. Here are some lighter dressing options to keep your salad or entrée relatively low calorie:
| Dressing | Calories (per 2 oz serving) |
|---|---|
| Italian Vinaigrette | 140 |
| Reduced Fat Italian | 60 |
| Light Balsamic Vinaigrette | 45 |
| Lemon Vinaigrette | 80 |
| Herb Mix Vinaigrette | 90 |
Some tips for using dressings lightly:
– Ask for all dressings and sauces on the side so you control how much you use.
– Drizzle dressing rather than dunking or pouring directly over your salad or entrée.
– Opt for just a squeeze of lemon or a spritz of light balsamic instead of creamy dressings.
– Mix in some vinegar or water to thin out thicker, richer dressings before drizzling over your meal.
– Skip bread dipping in olive oil or butter. Use a light hand with toppings like Parmesan cheese.
With some simple tricks, you can still add great flavor without all the excess calories found in most creamy dressings and sauces.
Should You Avoid Olive Garden’s Breadsticks If Watching Calories?
Olive Garden’s freshly baked garlic breadsticks are arguably the most irresistible part of the dining experience. But should you avoid them completely if watching your calorie intake?
Not necessarily. Here are some reasonable tips for enjoying breadsticks in moderation on a calorie-conscious diet:
– Don’t avoid breadsticks entirely or you may feel deprived. Have 1-2 and really savor them.
– Use breadsticks as an appetizer only. Don’t continue snacking on unlimited refills with your meal.
– Fill up on lower calorie soups, salads, and veggies first before enjoying a breadstick or two.
– Ask your server to box up leftover breadsticks immediately to avoid mindless munching.
– Take leftovers home and share with others. Enjoy a few breadstick pieces as part of other meals.
– Substitute a breadstick for dessert if you have a sweet craving at the end of your meal.
– Remind yourself that 2 small breadsticks are under 300 calories. It fits into most daily calorie budgets.
– Focus on lighter entrée choices to offset a couple indulgent breadsticks.
So with some restraint and intentional choices, you certainly don’t need to avoid Olive Garden breadsticks entirely. Just enjoy them in sensible moderation as part of an overall balanced diet. Don’t let them sabotage your larger health goals.
Conclusion
Olive Garden’s warm, garlic-y breadsticks are hard for any bread lover to resist. While each breadstick packs a fairly reasonable 140 calories, the calories can add up fast when unlimited refills are involved. Practicing portion control, making healthy menu swaps, and focusing on lighter dressings and sauces can help mitigate the impact of a couple indulgent breadsticks. At the end of the day, it’s about balance. Skip the overboard breadstick binges, and there’s no reason you still can’t enjoy a few of these tasty breadsticks while maintaining overall healthy eating habits. So savor just 1 or 2, and leave the rest behind without regret. Moderation is key for fully enjoying Olive Garden’s unlimited breadstick bonanza.
