Olive Garden- a little deceiving...

Hello All,

Went to Olive Garden with my hubby to celebrate Valentine's Day. I was excited to find out that they had a NO SUGAR ADDED dessert. So I asked the waitress about it and she said that it does have sugar in it, but that there was no other sugar added to it. WTH???? So, I am glad that I asked questions about the dessert and even happier that I decided NOT to chance it!!

So, here is a lesson in asking questions, especially when you are out!! Lesson learned, now to pass it along to all of you....

The meal and the company made up for no dessert, but I do believe that there is some truly sugar free ice cream in my freezer....mmmmm!!!

TTYL, Beth

good job, so what good did you have .. I soo wanted to go there but knew pasta was too tempting for me .. LOL

I had the stuffed chicken marsala. It is stuffed with cheese and sundried tomatoes and served with mashed potatoes. Ate about half of it and packed the rest. Also had the salad too!!! I love their salad...

They also have some steak dishes and a mixed grill of steak and chicken that looked good! It really helped me to look at the menu before I went so I already knew what I was going to get.

It was really yummy!!!

My hubby had the chicken parm which used to be one of my favs...but I was good with my dish!!
Didn't feel denied at all!! YEAH ME!!!

Beth - I would imagine that there are natural sugars in it from one of the ingredients. NSA ice cream has "sugars" listed in it too. I know Pam has had their chocolate cake that is NSA. It says that it is served with strawberries and a vanilla cream sauce - so the strawberries and cream both have sugar without it having been "added".

ALWAYS better safe then sorry with sugar though! Wouldn't have wanted you to ruin your dinner with dumping!

Liz

The vanilla sauce I come to find out has added sugar in it, so I get with just the fresh strawberries

Liz is basically right on target.  A lot of "no sugar added" foods have sugars in them.  Even unflavored greek yogurt has "sugar" in it - it's the natural milk sugars.

Our rule of thumb of the 2 or 5gm of sugar per serving comes into play with "added" sugars.  Hence why we have to look at the ingredient list and if sugar, molasses, honey, corn syrup etc is on the list, we CAN'T have it...(or shall I say, SHOULDN"T have it) but if those type of things aren't, then it's ok.

I've had the cake.  I've been known to dump on other things before (although I am not as sensitive as some) and I had no problems with it.

According to Patti, the vanilla sauce does have added sugar in it, so I don't get it or get it on the side just for a taste.

Correct Pam, The molten chocolate cake is NSA.  When I asked specifically about the sauce the waitress went to check with the kitchen and said the vanilla sauce DOES have sugar in it.  So I just get the strawberries and cake.  Now mind you, it may take me 3 or more sittings to eat the cake.  It's very rich so I can't eat much of it at a time.

Funny you should ask I asked Liz that same exact ? last summer about apple pie that said no sugar added and also someone ate chocolate cake OMG I would so kill to be able to even have a bite of it but I am so scared to try it for fear of dumping!  Are you telling me Olive Garden has the Molten Choc Cake and its NSA and you did ok with it even thought you had to eat it in three separate servings?  Now that I can live with!

Linda,

Yes, their molten chocolate cake is NSA.  I can't eat it at the restaurant, so I take it home.  I actually don't heat it up, but eat it cold.  It's yummy cold!  I can only eat about 3 bites at a time because it is so rich and I'm afraid to try more than that.  I don't dump on it, but like I said, I only eat it 3 bites at a time.

Yes, I've had it as well with no problems.  It has also taken me 2-3 times to eat it because of the richness