By: Tanya Jolliffe, SparkPeople Blogger
7/16/2009 6:49 AM   :  148 comments   :  45,324 Views

• If members of your family have gluten sensitivities, be sure to review the suggested menu items listed at their website to help you identify the best menu options before you head to the restaurant.
  
  
• Portion size is always a key when dining away from home. Eating at lunch time instead of dinner time is one way to enjoy your favorite pasta dish while saving about 300 calories and 15 grams of fat. For example, the dinner portion of Spaghetti with Meat Sauce provides 710 calories, 22 grams of fat and 1340 mg of sodium. However, the lunch portion of the same dish provides only 550 calories, 21 grams of fat and 1040 mg of sodium. If dinner is when you decide to eat out, plan on only eating half of the serving, taking the rest home or sharing the entrée with a friend.
  
  
• Appetizers are typically high calorie and high fat "extras" that can be used as an alternative to an entrée but are best avoided as the start of a meal. If an Appetizer is a must, your best choice would be the Mussels di Napoli which contains only 180 calories and 8 grams of fat but 1800 mg of sodium.
  
  
• Salad and bread sticks are a staple with soups and entrées when dining at this restaurant. Each breadstick with its garlic-butter spread provides 150 calories and 2.5 grams of fat and 350 mg of sodium. The salad with dressing in a typical serving provides 350 calories, 27 grams of fat and 1990 mg of sodium. Care should be taken regarding portion size since these will typically be in addition to a soup or entrée.
  
  
• Soup can be a filling and lower calorie selection especially when coupled with salad and breadsticks. Trying a new taste is safe since most soups offered provide less than 200 calories, 5 grams of fat and 1000 mg of sodium per bowl with the exception of the Chicken and Gnocchi which is slightly higher.
  
  
• Pasta dishes are a staple at this restaurant. Most dinner servings are over 600 calories and 15 grams of fat. One of the best choices would be the Linguine alla Marinara which provides only 430 calories, 6 grams and 900 mg of sodium.
  
  
• Seafood and chicken can provide good choices except when they include rich calorie laden sauces like Alfredo or Carbonara. A good chicken option is the Venetian Apricot Chicken with a dinner portion containing 380 calories, 4 grams of fat and 1420 mg of sodium. If lower fat is more your focus, the Shrimp Primavera is a good choice but does provide 730 calories with only 12 grams of fat and 1620 mg sodium. If lower calorie is more your focus, the Herb Grilled Salmon would be your better choice with 590 calories but 26 grams of fat and only 720 mg of sodium or the Shrimp & Asparagus Risotto with 620 calories, 30 grams of fat but 2530 mg of sodium. It is hard to "get it all" in an entrée, so deciding whether calories, fat or sodium is most important and then using that as your guide might be your best approach when ordering.
  
  
• Children's portions can provide a great aid with portion controlled and lower calorie desires. Don't be afraid to ask your server if the restaurant is agreeable to serving that portion size to adults. The Grilled Chicken with pasta and broccoli is a great choice for 310 calories, 5 grams of fat and only 680 mg of sodium for a complete meal. This is also a great well balanced choice for your children as well.