Where are the best salads?

[Pig Pen]

I have lost 45 lbs on WW and initially decided to allow myself to pig out while on vacation.

However, after working so hard to lose, I now think I should at least TRY to maintain some control.

What restaurants have the best SALADS and non-fried foods? DH likes buffets and all-you-can-eats (he's thin as a rail) and, so far, we are planning to eat at Boma's, Trail's End, Biergarten, O'Hana's.

DH is allergic to shellfish so we have to be careful.

[MauraAndIainsDad]

Hi Pig Pen!

I've lost 26 pounds so far on WW as well. I may be at my goal weight just in time for WDW and don't want to put on weight while I'm there (well, maybe not much!) So, I'll be interested in the response you get. I've never had one but everyone seems to like the Cobb Salad at Brown Derby in MGM. I'm not sure what's in it though - you have to be careful with salads!!!

[preshi]

I was thinking of the Cobb Salad too but Cobb salads usually have Avacado, Turkey, Bacon, Egg and Bleu Cheese... and they are usually HUGE! Sounds yummy to me but might not be so good if you are on a strict diet.

[tjmw2727]

in MK has my best fast food salad by far - has chicken and nuts and a wonderful dressing. If you haven't done it yet check wdwig.com for menus - that may help.

TJ

[Cara]

Courtesy of Deb's site, this salad served at the Liberty Tree Tavern at luncy was YUMMY!!!

Colony Salad - Spice-rubbed chicken, Washington apples, sweet pecans and applewood smoked cheddar tossed with field greens in honey shallot vinaigrette $11.79

[Reflection]

Counter service--veggie salad at Pecos Bill (comes already dressed, but you could probably get the dressing on the side) and Chicken Caesar at Pizzafari.

Most of the sit down restaurants offer field greens mixed salad or Caesar, with the option of adding chicken.

[SamSam]

I agree with the above post; veggie salad at Pecos Bill's is delicious and very filling.

[Sandra B.]

I really like the salad at Pinocchio Village Haus (mixed greens, chicken, peaches, blue cheese and walnuts). The salads are made when you order - so they can leave ingredients out for you (I don't like blue cheese - so I asked them to make mine without that).

[BadgerBruce]

We like Cosmic Ray's in the MK for "healthier" food. The chicken caesar salad is good. We like to split the deli stack sandwich & a cup of the cream of chicken with veggies soup-yum! In Epcot's Land food court we enjoy the Land salad/baked potato combo. We take fat-free dressing packets with us & try to order side salads instead of fries whenever possible. As others have pointed out, the MK has a great selection of counter service salads.

[MauraAndIainsDad]

Great idea about taking your own packets of low-fat dressing, BadgerBruce! Why didn't I think of that? :confused:

[barbeml]

We had awesome salads at Tusker House in Animal Kingdom. It is a counter service place, but don't let that put you off. When we were there, they had some delicious healthy options, and there is an outside garden seating area that is delightful. Also, the Sunshine Food Fair in the Land Pavilion in EPCOT has a terrific soup and salad stand. I've had a delicious fruit salad there. (Just try to ignore the intoxicating aroma of chocolate chip cookies from the bakery). Good luck and congrats on the weaight loss!

[travelin' tigger]

Second vote for the Chicken Caesar at Pizzafari...it was yummy!!! :smooth:

[The Disney Bunch]

Congrats on the weight loss!!

Have you tried looking at the Vegetarian DIsney book? They have wonderful suggestions for meals there.

[Grumpy92]

You might want to take a look at the menus on www.wdwig.com/menu/menus.htm

I would suggest the following locations where i have found good salads and healthy meals:
Konas - Poly
Pure & Simple - Epcot
Sunshine Food Fair - Epcot
GF Cafe - lunch, GF
Trails End - FW has a salad bar

You will find every restaurant has a vegetarian dish and the chefs are usually very accomodating to special dietary needs.

[Tink]

I know it is boring, but the side salads that you can get at most counter service places are good. It's your typical salad and you get a choice of dressings. I think that the packets they give you of the fat-free Italian is very good. Those side salads are usually without croutons so they are 0 points.

I am a WW myself and try to eat at least one salad a day, so I don't feel so guilty about eating dessert on vacation.

Also, if you go into someplace and the dressing is on the salad and you want something fat free, just ask. I am don't like any creamy dressing except caesar, so I ask for Italian or vinagrette types and I am usually accomodated.

[SamS]

I second the recommendation of the Pinnochio Village Haus, and nominate the Caesar Salad at
Epcot's Alfredo's (Italy).

[Doctor P]

Pecos Bills at MK has an excellent lime chicken salad, and the Mexican salad entree at San Angel Inn was also quite tasty.

[mickeyluv71]

I've not been to Pizzafari, but the 50's Prime Time has an awesome Chicken Caesar as well! (Course it's probably the same basic critter...just in a different park.)

~Beth

[Pig Pen]

many more choices than I thought. I never knew there was a vegetarian disney book!

You are correct that you have to watch your salads. Some caesar salads are more "points" than a burger and fries!

I will definitely consider these suggestions and will make sure I include them in my trip report!

Thanks.

[pennyplanner]

Okay, don't kill me but Caesar Salad is ANYTHING but a low calorie choice.

It is very, very high in fat despite the greens.

My advice: pick anything but that!!! Think of "grilled" as a healthier option too.

Congratulations on all your hard work and enjoy your trip!

Remember that you will be logging lots of miles while at WDW. Don't forget to figure all that exercise into your accounting.

--penny

[disneyvoice]

I had just reached my WW goal weight right before my DH and I went to WDW two years ago. I did give myself permission to pig out though but since we did so much walking around the parks for the entire week, when I got back and weighed in I had gained a total of .5 pounds!!! So with that said, allow yourself to splurge at least a bit. and as long as you are walking you will at least maintain. I have also very commonly heard that people end up LOSING weight for the same reason.

I think there are some more adventuresome places to find healthy foods and salads. Try Tangerine Cafe or Restaurant Marakesh in Morocco at Epcot. Those are two of our favorite places to eat. They have some yummy salads (an eggplant salad, and few other ones), vegetable cous cous, grilled lamb, beef, and chicken, a lemon chicken dish, tabouli, hummus, etc. For the most part they are all fairly healthy dishes but more exciting than your basic salad. Stay away from the Cobb salad at the Brown Derby!!!! It's yummy but an extremely high fat, high calorie dish. Other places at Epcot have some healthy meals too. The Japanese place has chicken and steamed rice, there are also some healthy things in The Land. The Garden Grill in the Land serves family style food but they have salad and fresh veggies which are hard to find in WDW.

AK has a really good chicken salad at Tusker House (not mayonnaise based) served in a bread bowl (I only ate the top of the bread bowl). The portion size is also very reasonable. I beleive that Flame Tree Barbeque has some reasonably healthy choices as well.

MK has grilled chicken sandwiches at the counter service places. MGM - this was the place that I had the toughest time because we really don't care much for any of the restaurants there. But they do have a Farmer's Market style area on the way toward TOT and RnR. I beleive they have fresh fruit, dill pickles, and there might be a sandwich and salad place.

As long as you keep walking you will be fine. Just make sure that you drink water instead of pop. Honestly, I ate almost nonstop for a week including a few ice creams each day (I did drink pop as well) and only gained .5 pounds which I immediately took back off as soon as we got home.

[Kacey]

I absolutely love the Lime Chicken Salad at Pecos Bill's!!

It's called the Kit Carson Salad and I have to get at least one each trip!! Your husband can fill up on the hamburgers and the huge fixin's bar.

I actually lost weight when I was at WDW because of all the walking we did. I only wish I could lose it as easily at home!:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Congratulations on your weight loss--That is terrific!

I think most Disney restaurants have good lower calorie choices, along with the higher calorie selections.

With your success on WW, you will know what to select from the menus to keep yourself on track! Have Fun!!

[MauraAndIainsDad]

I'm not sure what you think about sushi but I have eaten quite a bit of it while on WW because I love it and it's low in points (about .5 per piece for rolls). There are several options for sushi at WDW (Japan Pavillion, California Grille, etc.)

[Mic]

I am a salad fanatic(I don't understand why I am still overweight?) and I have had salads at several WDW restaurants. I LOVE the side salad at Rose and Crown(I would rather have this than any entree)and it is only $3-4. They offer 2 choices of dressing, and neither sounded low-fat, but I chose the mustard-y
kind and it was delicious. Spoodles used to have a great salad at lunch, but that was done away with alongh with other favorites. I am not sure if it is on the menu for dinner or not(dinner menu was a little too adventurous for my kids). I have had the Cobb salad at both the Brown Derby and Rainforest Cafe at AK, and I think I prefer the one at RC. The side salad at Coral Reef at Epcot was good, too, and was only $6. My 7-year-old ordered 1 as her meal, and the waitress almost did a double take. There is a ham sandwich/salad combo at Chef's deFrance at Epcot for lunch, and my daughter and I usually order this. We like it too much to share, so we have never had room for dessert in France! Also, my daughters and I enjoy the salad at Teppanyaki(Japan) that comes with an entree. Teppanyaki also has vegetarian entrees, and I would assume that grilling would be a healthy way to cook. 'Ohana's has a great salad, too, and would be a great place to eat for someone who had more self control than I posess. It is all-you-can eat, and the first time I ate there I skipped the next 3 meals! They have huge shrimp that my kids love, and the smoked turkey is awesome. I am sure I have had others at WDW, but these are the ones I remember the most. Congtatulations on your weight loss...I considered going on a diet before our trip in Oct., but we are following 5 days at WDW with a cruise on the Wonder...I would so totally blow my diet on the cruise! Good luck!

[BCV23]

I like the Cobb salad at Grabd Floridian Cafe and the simple salads at CG and Mama Melrose. The last two both have a very good balsamic vinegar dressing that is sooooogood. I used to like the Cobb salad at BD but a few years ago the turkey was changed and now is pretty much tasteless to me.

[webray]

The cobb salad at Planet Hollywood is wonderful...best cobb salad I have ever had.

Congrats on the weight loss...and congrats on being strong while in disney and eathing healty..it shouldn't be a problem for you at all.

[CarolA]

I have been on WW and I have to agree a lot of the recommended salads on here are not the least bit low fat or healthy!

One of my Disney tricks last time was to get the kids meal. It was plenty of food and it allowed me to have a more reasonable portion of the food! I would pick this over a cobb or ceaser salad any day! Ceasar salads are just way too fattening for me to enjoy!

[A kid at heart]

I love the chicken and strawberry salad at the plaza restaurant in the Mk!

[cdrn1]

At the French restaurant in Epcot I had a very good salad; I can't remember what it was called but it had field greens, walnuts, and Roquefort cheese. Also, since you are going to Boma, they have a couple vinagrettes that are to die for...my favorite was a cilantro-lime. Boma is the BEST!!

[eeyore0062]

I especially love the Cobb salad and the BBQ chicken salad at the Brown Derby!!!...YUMMY!

[Pig Pen]

while on vacation.

The problem is that my poor digestive tract can no longer tolerate alot of things that I used to be able to eat!

I am thinking that as long as I avoid deep fried foods and attempt to get my veggies, I should be okay.

I will definitely keep all these suggestions in mind!

I am an early riser while DH is a late sleeper so I plan to "power-walk" in the mornings.

I will also write a trip report with my food selections for all you WW folks out there!