What to Order at Olive Garden for High Cholesterol

Italian-American chains feel like a minefield when you're watching your cholesterol — cream sauces, cheese, fried starters, and those endless breadsticks. But Olive Garden has more heart-friendly options than it looks, once you know where to steer.

What to look for at Olive Garden

The saturated-fat traps here are Alfredo and other cream sauces, layered cheese dishes (lasagna, parm), and fried appetizers. The sodium runs high across the board. Aim for grilled proteins, tomato-based (marinara) sauces, and the soup-and-salad route, which is one of the easiest heart-smart meals on the menu.

Heart-smart picks

• Herb-grilled salmon — a genuinely good call; fatty fish is heart-friendly. Ask for extra veggies instead of the pasta side.

• Grilled chicken with a marinara-based pasta, not Alfredo.

• Minestrone soup — vegetable and bean based, high fiber, lighter than the creamy soups.

• Unlimited salad, dressing on the side — use a fraction of it; the dressing is where the fat and sodium hide.

Solid runners-up

• Chicken Margherita or a similar grilled-chicken-and-tomato dish.

• A lunch-size portion of any of the above — portion size itself is a heart lever.

What to skip

• Fettuccine Alfredo and any "alla vodka"/cream sauce — the classic saturated-fat bomb.

• Chicken/eggplant parmigiana — breaded, fried, and cheese-layered.

• Fried calamari and stuffed appetizers.

Quick tips

Do soup-and-salad, or a grilled entree with marinara. Cap the breadsticks at one and ask for the dressing on the side. That's the whole game.

Not sure which entree is the smart one? Forage reads the menu and tells you the best thing to order for your heart — at Olive Garden or anywhere — and remembers your good calls. Join the waitlist.

Forage and this guide offer general wellness guidance, not medical advice. Nutrition varies by location and portion — confirm with the restaurant, and talk to your doctor about your diet.