Surprised by how difficult the low sodium issue is!

[rizzo0904]

Wow, I just checked out that link. The nutritional data difference between the two soups is incredible! No french onion soup for me!

[GenevieveRaqs]

Originally Posted by Jacquie668

That is the problem with the new site, I just try refreshing a few times and sometimes that works.

Also, nutritional information is not there for all menus and there are menus that are incomplete, but I do think they are trying to improve things by offering a lot more data (easier to find as well). Maybe after a few months the new site and the kinks will be ironed out.

This is correct--the only full-menu nutritional information is for the BOG lunch menu. Has anyone found any other menus that have ANY nutritional info? I haven't yet, but I haven't looked through every menu. Again, I have a feeling this is the direction Disney is going, which will be a great change. I don't expect them to change their menus to reflect various health problems (a huge percentage of our population is diabetic, for instance, but I don't expect Disney to take out all the carbs). But I AM hopeful that they will begin offering the nutritional content so that people can make informed decisions. If you're happy to see the nutritional info being added, PLEASE contact Guest Relations and thank them...and mention that you'd like to see this for EVERY restaurant on property.

By the way, while I do sympathize with the OP--I'm a T1 diabetic, so I also have health challenges when it comes to restaurant eating--I can assure you that if Disney offered dishes that were low-fat AND low-salt, people would not want to eat them, even those with health challenges. I'm not saying there aren't talented home cooks who can make those things palatable to their own tastes, which change after eating a specific diet over time. But restaurant food does not work that way, sadly.

And there's even disagreement now in the medical world over the sodium issue. The single original study that promoted low-sodium as a way to reduce blood pressure and therefore heart disease was riddled with errors. Some evidence shows that limiting sodium intake to current recommended levels may actually have the opposite effect than what we've been told for a couple of decades now. Those of us who deal with health issues certainly have lots of information to sort through!

[karice2]

Originally Posted by rizzo0904

Wow, I just checked out that link. The nutritional data difference between the two soups is incredible! No french onion soup for me!

Not trying to be snarky at all but aren't you glad that you were able to look at that information. You can now make an informed decision about what you choose to eat. I was floored by some of the sodium counts.

I did look at the kids menu and they seemed to be much better with those counts. One item had over 2000 mg. My dad is only supposed to have 2000 for a whole day.

I will be letting guest relations know how appreciated this is. I can understand how some people want to live in the Disney bubble while on vacation, where calories don't count but for some it is a matter of life or death.

[glasslipper]

Originally Posted by GenevieveRaqs

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/di...t/menus/lunch/

There's a link at the top for nutritional content. It includes everything on the lunch menu.

Thanks for the link! It also proves another point, that options one may think are healthy by just researching the menus, aren't always the healthiest options. The quinoa dish and the turkey sandwich are two examples, loaded with sodium! Also if the nutritional facts were available( It would be an amazing app for the new My Disney Experience!) there would probably be fewer requests to speak to the chef. At one TS restaurant, DD and I had to wait for 15 minutes for the Chef because there were 4 people ahead of us with allergies.

[shortchef]

Originally Posted by goofyintoronto

This link didnt work. It says page not found.

The link works! Maybe it's your computer? Pilot error?

This info is great!!!

It is a surprise how much sodium is in prepared food and an ever bigger surprise which items are the very high sodium choices. It is impossible to guess sodium by reading a menu without the info.

Be Our Guest is our one absolute must this trip and I already know which items I can and cannot order. No stress, no bothering the restaurant staff, nice Almost like I'm on vacation!!

May well be that providing this info is the overall best solution for everyone and covers all the issues. I hope Disney expands this! It has to be easier for the restaurant staff too.

[Jacquie668]

Originally Posted by shortchef

The link works! Maybe it's your computer? Pilot error?

It is the new Disney website. The website is still really new and often pages will be 404 or stalling out on loading. I'm sure they'll work out the kinks eventually though.

The 404 page happens ALL the time, if you refresh a few times that sometimes works. Just today I was on the site looking at hotels and hit the 404 error a few times. Refreshing works for me 50% of the time.

[ptlohmysoul]

Thanks for the link! Hope they work out the kinks. The potato leek soup does not list corn as an ingredient, yet warns those with corn allergies that it contains corn. That would make a difference to me since most USA corn is GMO, which I'd rather avoid. I'd like to know if Disney will open an organic restaurant or offer organic food. It certainly would be a first for a theme park, and would increase quality at Disney.

[TDC Nala]

The Wave is the only restaurant I know that mentions anything organic in its menus. Even then it is not a completely organic menu. Organic food appears to cost more. Disney would have to weigh that against guest demand for a fully organic restaurant.

[glasslipper]

Originally Posted by shortchef

The link works! Maybe it's your computer? Pilot error?

This info is great!!!

It is a surprise how much sodium is in prepared food and an ever bigger surprise which items are the very high sodium choices. It is impossible to guess sodium by reading a menu without the info.

Be Our Guest is our one absolute must this trip and I already know which items I can and cannot order. No stress, no bothering the restaurant staff, nice Almost like I'm on vacation!!

May well be that providing this info is the overall best solution for everyone and covers all the issues. I hope Disney expands this! It has to be easier for the restaurant staff too.

It's also impossible to guess other allergens just by reading the menu, who would have thought tree nuts would be an ingredient in many of those entrees?

I Absolutely agree that it is a good solution to disclose the info.! It would be more cost/time efficient for Disney as well. I don't understand why anyone would have an issue against it Seems like a win-win to me

[SweetSpot]

Originally Posted by shortchef

Maybe an example is more helpful than repeating something a thousand times about researching the menu to find info on sodium content. Be Our Guest Restaurant is providing nutritional data and I have found that info but only for one item. It would be GREAT to get it for the rest of the items so if someone has it, please please please post!! The Braised Pork for lunch at Be Our Guest has more sodium in it than a Burger King Whopper.

I have been forced to eat low sodium and watch my carbs since I was a teen and have gone to WDW many, many times and on 11 Disney cruises. Their food is salty, and more salty depending on the night. I've seen the sodium count for the braised pork at Be Our Guest and it is not right. I picked that as my lunch meal and couldn't eat it because it was too salty but I have seen reviews saying the opposite. While I would love to have a sodium, carb, calorie, fat count for anything I could eat these foods are prepared by different chefs on different nights and generally, salt especially, aren't measured strictly every night. Take into account evaporation for sauces and soups and sodium counts change.

It would be a dream for me to eat easily and avoid sodium but I don't think it is a reality in a vacation destination or anywhere other than my house really. I have learned that food does not make or break a vacation and as long as I am getting nourished to keep going I am happy. If you really want to avoid sodium it is possible, you are just really limited.

[KrazeeK120]

Originally Posted by glasslipper

Thanks for the link! It also proves another point, that options one may think are healthy by just researching the menus, aren't always the healthiest options. The quinoa dish and the turkey sandwich are two examples, loaded with sodium! Also if the nutritional facts were available( It would be an amazing app for the new My Disney Experience!) there would probably be fewer requests to speak to the chef. At one TS restaurant, DD and I had to wait for 15 minutes for the Chef because there were 4 people ahead of us with allergies.

I ate the turkey sandwich a couple of weeks ago and I'm not terribly surprised at the sodium content, given that it's served on garlic bread, which is typically a high-sodium type of item at many restaurants. I did go look at the nutritional content and I figure I at least kept my calories under control (especially since I ordered w/o the mustard) and got a lot of protein...

I always feel for people with dietary restrictions. I try to kind of watch what I eat, but when I'm on vacation I can (and do) eat whatever sounds good at the time. I have heard, though, that Disney is very accommodating to those with dietary restrictions, so when all else fails, I'd say to talk to a chef and see what they can whip up for you!

Good luck!

[pigletto]

My husband and I have been slowly but surely changing our eating habits and adopting a healthier lifestyle. While we do want to lose weight it is not our main goal. Our health is. We like our health and we want to be healthy as long as possible. I mention this because sodium seems to be our number one snag. It's is truly mind boggling how much sodium is in some prepared foods. Then we think what we're doing feeding some of these things to the kids
While I can control the amount that is in our food at home, we have difficulty determining what is best to eat while we are out.
We really have come to love a restaurant or take out place that has a nutritional pamphlet available or provides the information online. Then everyone with ANY type of food preference or issue can make an informed choice. I do hope that Disney, and really every food establishment can go this way in the future. Then the fuss and uncertainty is gone. If they don't have what I want or what I can eat, then I know not to eat there. Easy.
I'm all for full disclosure.

[shortchef]

Providing the nutritional info is a really good solution for darn near everybody, whether its people with allergies, people who want to take care of their health, or whatever. Personally, I would prefer to just order something in a reasonable sodium range, whatever the dish is, then to bother the staff to make a custom meal for me.

One meal here or there is one thing, but I cannot eat that much sodium for multiple meals and days. I'd be better off not eating that much fat either.

Another plus to providing the nutritional info may well be that there would be enough pressure for an improvement to the nutritional quality. It would probably be quite a moment for many people to see how much sodium and fat is in the food overall.

[maxiesmom]

Originally Posted by shortchef

Providing the nutritional info is a really good solution for darn near everybody, whether its people with allergies, people who want to take care of their health, or whatever. Personally, I would prefer to just order something in a reasonable sodium range, whatever the dish is, then to bother the staff to make a custom meal for me.

I think it was ABC news who just showed how impossible it is for restaurants to have accurate nutritional info on their menus. Portion size and the difference in quality among the ingredients were the main reasons why. So while a restaurant can post that kind of information, it is not very accurate and should only be used as a guideline.

I also think most people can guess if something on a menu is good or bad. We all know that french fries are not health food. And that broiled fish would be a better option than chicken fried steak. And that a cheese plate at every meal is not a good choice! If it is not a true allergy, a little common sense in picking your food can go a long way.

[shortchef]

Originally Posted by maxiesmom

I think it was ABC news who just showed how impossible it is for restaurants to have accurate nutritional info on their menus. Portion size and the difference in quality among the ingredients were the main reasons why. So while a restaurant can post that kind of information, it is not very accurate and should only be used as a guideline.

I also think most people can guess if something on a menu is good or bad. We all know that french fries are not health food. And that broiled fish would be a better option than chicken fried steak. And that a cheese plate at every meal is not a good choice! If it is not a true allergy, a little common sense in picking your food can go a long way.

Of course there are factors to prevent precision accuracy. A guideline would be most helpful. If you read this entire thread, you will see that you cannot guess if something on the menu is good or bad and that ordinary common sense will not help whatsoever in this drill. That's kind of the whole point!