Surprised by how difficult the low sodium issue is!

[glasslipper]

Originally Posted by KrazeeK120

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!

I thought the turkey sandwich was on a baguette? I have a tree nut allergy and that is one of the allergens in the sandwiches, the bread I imagine. Unless I inquired , I wouldn't have known. My point there was just reading the menu alone would not have helped.

Disney is very accommodating and I have had nothing but positive experiences, I just think disclosing the nutritional info. is a helpful planning tool. I wouldn't expect it too be 100% accurate as far as counts, however, it is nice to have an approximate guideline. Personally, I don't have a sodium heath issue, I just like to eat healthier in general and keep it in moderation at home. We rarely eat out , so I follow a pretty low-sodium,low-fat ,low-sugar and no processed foods diet at home. I eat mostly poultry, seafood ,veggies, fruit, whole grains and beans. On our trip in January, I provided our allergies and the Chefs did a great job! I failed to take in consideration the high sodium levels, figuring, hey, I'm on vacation, I'll be fine splurging a bit...wrong! Honestly, I ate things like grilled salmon and roasted chicken, salads, fruit,and veggies with some snacks mixed in, nothing fried(except for a couple beignets..oops!) and I still I felt miserable practically the entire time! I guess I shocked my system and my body rebelled

We have an August trip scheduled and I am trying to plan for healthier meals so I am not in agony the whole vacation, especially in the summer heat!

[maxiesmom]

Originally Posted by shortchef

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!

I think you can guess a lot of the time. Most people know that any pork product will be high in sodium. And that salmon would be a better choice.

As another poster pointed out, you can't have just one list for the sodium content. You would then have to have one for cholesterol, and one for gluten, one for caffeine, one for sugars, and for most anything imaginable. And they wouldn't be accurate, so then people would be mad about that....they really don't need to give people another reason to sue them over something silly. Have you not seen what is happening to Subway over a foot long that wasn't exactly 12 inches? People would care less that it is near to impossible to give 100% accurate info with regards to the food they are eating.

I don't think an inaccurate list is necessary. If people are concerned they can ask the chef who can easily guide them to the best choice that fits their needs and wants.

[shortchef]

Whether you think so or not, you cannot guess.

Here's a great example just for you: pork tenderloin has the same or slightly less sodium than a chicken breast. Salmon is the same. So much for what most people know.

The nutritional info for Be Our Guest is awesome and many people feel that expanding that project would be even awesomer!!!

That's one list by the way. Not a list for this and a list for that and this and that. Same as Burger King and many others are providing (in many cases by law). There is an example provided earlier in this thread that will show you that the Burger King salad with grilled chicken has a higher sodium count than their Whopper.

Two examples right here that will help you to understand that preparation is a key factor.

I'm not mad. Never sued anybody and dont plan to start anytime soon! And I don't think many of the others on this thread who would be grateful for more information are either.

Information is always a good thing. Mentioning one of millions of frivolous law suits doesn't change that.

[maxiesmom]

Originally Posted by shortchef

Two examples right here that will help you to understand that preparation is a key factor.

I'm not mad. Never sued anybody and dont plan to start anytime soon! And I don't think many of the others on this thread who would be grateful for more information are either.

Information is always a good thing. Mentioning one of millions of frivolous law suits doesn't change that.

Information is a good thing. Bad information is not. If there would be a way to insure whatever Disney listed was accurate, that would be different. There is no way for them to do that. A guideline that is off by a few thousand calories or way off on sodium content is only going to mislead people. And give them a false feeling of security. But I guess some people want that?

And we all know that some less than nice people see Disney as a giant pile of money. And wouldn't hesitate to sue over something like the calories/sugars/salt content listed not being correct.

As far as preparation being key, you are right. However I have never known anyone to order plain pork loin, though I have know people to order plain chicken breast. And that link provided shows that. The pork on the menu is one of the worst things you can order. So yes, you can to an extent guess what foods are better than others.


I don't think Disney needs to provide (not so accurate) nutritional information on all of their food. We will just have to agree to disagree. And please don't think I think that makes you silly, or that it makes me mean. People can disagree and not be mean. It just means we see things differently.

[glasslipper]

Originally Posted by maxiesmom

Information is a good thing. Bad information is not. If there would be a way to insure whatever Disney listed was accurate, that would be different. There is no way for them to do that. A guideline that is off by a few thousand calories or way off on sodium content is only going to mislead people. And give them a false feeling of security. But I guess some people want that?

And we all know that some less than nice people see Disney as a giant pile of money. And wouldn't hesitate to sue over something like the calories/sugars/salt content listed not being correct.

As far as preparation being key, you are right. However I have never known anyone to order plain pork loin, though I have know people to order plain chicken breast. And that link provided shows that. The pork on the menu is one of the worst things you can order. So yes, you can to an extent guess what foods are better than others.


I don't think Disney needs to provide (not so accurate) nutritional information on all of their food. We will just have to agree to disagree. And please don't think I think that makes you silly, or that it makes me mean. People can disagree and not be mean. It just means we see things differently.

A few thousand calories off or sodium content way off isn't realistic. A guideline would keep the counts within an acceptable level, and a disclaimer stating it isn't 100% accurate, but within a certain level is sufficient. To me not having any information is leading one into a false sense of security, ignorance isn't helpful to anyone.
I'd rather not guess, or ignore. Many restaurants inject their meats with a "flavor" solution, should I just guess that Disney does or doesn't? So while you may guess that the "plain" chicken breast is a good choice, many times, it really isn't.
Many would rather be informed, I don't see a problem.

[disnut8]

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.

But this is where I come back in for devil's advocate. If you had a lactose intolerance, how could you find out that information from this?

[glasslipper]

Originally Posted by disnut8

But this is where I come back in for devil's advocate. If you had a lactose intolerance, how could you find out that information from this?

The ingredient list?

[KrazeeK120]

Originally Posted by glasslipper

I thought the turkey sandwich was on a baguette? I have a tree nut allergy and that is one of the allergens in the sandwiches, the bread I imagine. Unless I inquired , I wouldn't have known. My point there was just reading the menu alone would not have helped.

Disney is very accommodating and I have had nothing but positive experiences, I just think disclosing the nutritional info. is a helpful planning tool. I wouldn't expect it too be 100% accurate as far as counts, however, it is nice to have an approximate guideline. Personally, I don't have a sodium heath issue, I just like to eat healthier in general and keep it in moderation at home. We rarely eat out , so I follow a pretty low-sodium,low-fat ,low-sugar and no processed foods diet at home. I eat mostly poultry, seafood ,veggies, fruit, whole grains and beans. On our trip in January, I provided our allergies and the Chefs did a great job! I failed to take in consideration the high sodium levels, figuring, hey, I'm on vacation, I'll be fine splurging a bit...wrong! Honestly, I ate things like grilled salmon and roasted chicken, salads, fruit,and veggies with some snacks mixed in, nothing fried(except for a couple beignets..oops!) and I still I felt miserable practically the entire time! I guess I shocked my system and my body rebelled

We have an August trip scheduled and I am trying to plan for healthier meals so I am not in agony the whole vacation, especially in the summer heat!

It probably technically is a baguette, but when I bit into it, I noticed the garlic flavor. I told my DH I thought it was garlic bread. He gave me that "I think you're crazy" look. I pulled the bread off and showed it to him. Sure enough, it looks like something that came out of the oven at Domino's or someplace.

I think baguette refers to the type/style of bread, not what is put on it.

I'm not complaining as I love garlic bread. But yeah, for someone with sodium issues, it's going to be a problem.

[CuteAsMinnie]

Heart Healthy = less than 1200mg of sodium/day

Low sodium in the restaurant world typically is 800/mg in a single dish x 3 meals is just a tad over that 1200mg/day

I've followed a Heart Healthy Diet for just about 6 months. In these past 6 months, I have not gone beyond 1200/mg/day.

Here are my tips:

- Get the "my fitness pal" ap and start tracking your sodium NOW!
- You'll get a pretty good handle on what to eat and what to stay away from
- #1 hidden sodium culprit is bread. It can easily be avoided at WDW ( and this means bread, buns, muffins, bakery items, etc)
- #2 hidden sodium culprit is salad dressing. bring your own salad dressing of olive oil and balsamic or bring individual olive oil packets (start collecting these from Panera) and then ask for a
lemon. Best salad dressing combo ever...I swear!
- #3 hidden culprit is soup. Can't get away from that so... No soup
- stay away from anything marinated.
- fresh fruit is always available.
- if u must have fries, ask for them it without the added salt (even McDonald's will make them for u)
- when doing TS, note your restriction on the ADR then ask to speak to the chef re: no sodium options. They will be happy to help.
- drink water! This will counter act any increase in sodium you may have.



It's really not that big of a deal. The above has been my experience over the last six months and my entire family has made the switch. I will continue in this course during our upcoming WDW trip. We tend to get nervous when we are faced with a challenge. We must do our research, apply what we have learned and plug along.

I really hope this helped!

[DVCkidsMOM]

I've been eating natural foods at home without added sugar, sodium, or oil and it is hard here at Disney World. Thank goodness that I am at the Beach Club Villas where I have a kitchen. I am hoping that eating most meals here in the room will help mitigate the dietary damage potentially caused by my vacation. Still we plan to eat out some. And I still blow up like a balloon at WDW when I don't expect it and do not have a problem when I thought I pushed it too far.
Seeing the information on BOG proves additional proof that my assuptions regarding menu items are not correct. I would have assumed that the tuna salad had more sodium than the quinoa dish - and I would have been wrong. I would never have imagined the quinoa to have multiple times the amount of sodium as the tuna! It was fabulous reading the common allergen list as well since it lets me know what may pose a problem to my family.
I see no harm in allowing those who want the nutrition information access to that information. The legal folks can determine which disclaimers are necessary. Nutrition information is still useful for comparing menu choices. I hope to see a lot more nutrition information at WDW in the future and I will spend my future dining dollars at those locations. I would spend more dining dollars at disney than at grocery stores if I felt I had that option.

[CuteAsMinnie]

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.

I can't get the link to work???

But....the info IS on the fitness pal ap. Note the turkey sandwich has 2000+ mg sodium because 1) the bread and 2), the moist turkey . Tuna Nicoise is a better choice. Green beans Jardiniere sound great!

[shortchef]

Originally Posted by CuteAsMinnie

Heart Healthy = less than 1200mg of sodium/day

Low sodium in the restaurant world typically is 800/mg in a single dish x 3 meals is just a tad over that 1200mg/day

I've followed a Heart Healthy Diet for just about 6 months. In these past 6 months, I have not gone beyond 1200/mg/day.

Here are my tips:

- Get the "my fitness pal" ap and start tracking your sodium NOW!
- You'll get a pretty good handle on what to eat and what to stay away from
- #1 hidden sodium culprit is bread. It can easily be avoided at WDW ( and this means bread, buns, muffins, bakery items, etc)
- #2 hidden sodium culprit is salad dressing. bring your own salad dressing of olive oil and balsamic or bring individual olive oil packets (start collecting these from Panera) and then ask for a
lemon. Best salad dressing combo ever...I swear!
- #3 hidden culprit is soup. Can't get away from that so... No soup
- stay away from anything marinated.
- fresh fruit is always available.
- if u must have fries, ask for them it without the added salt (even McDonald's will make them for u)
- when doing TS, note your restriction on the ADR then ask to speak to the chef re: no sodium options. They will be happy to help.
- drink water! This will counter act any increase in sodium you may have.



It's really not that big of a deal. The above has been my experience over the last six months and my entire family has made the switch. I will continue in this course during our upcoming WDW trip. We tend to get nervous when we are faced with a challenge. We must do our research, apply what we have learned and plug along.

I really hope this helped!

Thanks for so much helpful info! I have been using the my fitness pal but don't see a sodium section (not the most tech savvy here), any idea what I could or should be looking for?

To add to what you said, the number one sodium offender is preparing food with salt. And restaurants use a ton of it! From the little bit of nutritional info that is avail, it looks like Disney is higher than the average that you mentioned and its likely that you'll get a day's worth of sodium in each meal. Water is very important, you are right, but it will not erase all. Still have to be within a certain level!

[CuteAsMinnie]

Originally Posted by shortchef

Thanks for so much helpful info! I have been using the my fitness pal but don't see a sodium section (not the most tech savvy here), any idea what I could or should be looking for?

After you enter your food choice on "my fitness pal", tap (or click on) that food choice and it shows you the breakdown of fat, sodium, carbs etc. To get your running total for the day, tap (or click on) the home screen)

[shortchef]

This is great, thank you!! It comes up on the IPad but not on the desktop. So, easy enough, I'll use it on the IPad from now on.

[Tricia1972]

I am glad that you found a way to make Disney Dining work for you regarding sodium content!

In general, contacting Disney directly is the best way to achieve food accommodations while on vacation. Another great resource right here is the DisABILITIES forum. My first trip to Disney with my son and his beef allergy, and my mother with Celiac, was a bit nightmarish for planning. Both resources were a huge help!

I am going to move this thread to the DisABILITIES area, and hope that those that regularly read there will be able to help you further.

Good luck on finding low sodium dining at Disney.