Macaroni Grill offers a variety of menu items inspired by Italian recipes. Like many other restaurants, Macaroni Grill offers many healthy menu options, and also has several selections that are not so healthy. Always ask your server if you have specific concerns about the nutritional content of your meal.
Soups and Salads
The published nutrition information for Macaroni Grill salads includes the salad dressing and, if applicable, croutons. The Caesar salad is the restaurant's lowest-calorie salad. It contains 260 calories, 20 g of fat, 480 g of sodium, 14 g of total carbohydrate, 2 g of fiber and 5 g of protein. The Parmesan-Crusted Chicken contains the most calories. It contains a whopping 880 calories, 58 g of fat, 1650 mg of sodium, 41 g of carbohydrates, 6 g of fiber and 51 g of protein.
The two standard soups at the Macaroni Grill are similar in some aspects, but very different in others. The Amalfi Chicken soup contains 420 calories, 12 g of fat, 45 g of carbohydrates and 4 g of fiber, while the Pasta e Fagioli soup contains 330 calories, 14 g f fat, 39 g of carbohydrate and 9 g of fiber. These two soups differ greatly in the amount of sodium and protein that each contains. The Amalfi Chicken soup contains 1380 mg of sodium, while the Pasta e Fagioli soup only contains 790 mg. With 31 g of protein per serving, the Amalfi Chicken soup contains much more protein than the Pasta e Fagioli soup, which only offers 13 g of protein.
Appetizers
The Mediterranean Olive appetizer contains only 150 calories, 16 g of fat, 910 mg of sodium, 4 g of carbohydrates, 3 g of fiber and 1 g of protein. This may make it an appealing appetizer option for those looking to limit their calorie or carbohydrate consumption. On the other end of the spectrum, the Romano's Sampler appetizer contains over half of an entire day's worth of calories and contains very high levels of fat and sodium. Specifically, this appetizer contains 1,330 calories, 87 g of fat, 2,300 mg of sodium, 90 g of carbohydrates, 7 g of fiber and 48 g of protein. It may be wise to only order this appetizer when eating with a large group of people to prevent you from eating too much of it.
Pizza
The pizzas at Macaroni Grill are not the healthiest options, but are by far not the most unhealthy thing on the menu. Although the exact numbers vary depending upon the specific type of pizza you order, the number of calories range from approximately 700 to 1,000 for the entire pizza. These pizzas typically contain about 20 to 40 g of total fat, 95 to 102 g of carbohydrate, 8 to 10 g of fiber and 39 to 61 g of protein. The sodium content for all four pizza options is high, ranging from 1,490 mg to 2,430 mg of sodium per pizza.
Lower-Calorie Entrees
The Spiedini entrees contain less calories than most other entrees. The Jumbo Shrimp Spiedini is the option with the fewest calories, only 320 for the entire entrée. It also contains 7 g of fat, 1,390 mg of sodium, 31 g of carbohydrate, 7 g of fiber and 33 g of protein. The King Salmon Spiedini is the Spiedini option with the most calories and fat, containing 660 calories, 44 g of fat, 610 mg of sodium, 29 g of carbohydrates, 7 g of fiber and 37 g of protein. Other low-calorie options at Macaroni Grill include the Snapper Acqua Pazza, which contains 400 calories, 13 g of fat, 1,420 mg of sodium, 24 g of carbohydrates, 7 g of fiber and 48 g of protein; and the Lasagna al Forno, which contains 690 calories, 38 g of fat, 1,160 mg of sodium, 40 g of carbohydrates, 3 g of fiber and 42 g of protein.
Higher-Calorie Entrees
Some Macaroni Grill entrees contain almost an entire day's worth of calories, fat grams and sodium in one meal. Although it may be acceptable to indulge in these menu items occasionally, avoid doing so too often. The Mama's Trio entrée is the worst offender, containing 1,520 calories, 102 g of fat, 2870 mg of sodium, 93 g of carbohydrate, 10 g of fiber and 85 g of protein. Not falling too far behind, the Spaghetti & Meatballs with Bolognese sauce contains 1230 calories, 60 g of fat, 95 g of carbohydrates, 13 g of fiber and 72 g of protein. With a whopping 3,040 mg, it also contains the more sodium than any other entree.
Considerations
Some restaurants allow you to order lunch-sized portions of their popular entrees, including the Chicken Marsala, Chicken Scaloppine and Honey Balsamic Chicken. While it is true that ordering a lunch-sized portion can save you some calories, the difference may not be as substantial as you think. For example, the lunch-sized portion of the Chicken Scaloppine contains 1,030 calories, but the full entrée contains 1,090, only 60 additional calories. The amount of fat, sodium, carbohydrate and fiber are quite similar between the lunch- and dinner-sized portions as well.
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