Your best Healthy Eating options/substitutions?

[meliss8599]

In trying to eat healthier this trip, what are your favorite healthy eating options at the World at each of the 4 parks? I know there is fresh fruit offered for snacks, but in looking at mostly counter service meals, what do you order and/or what substitutions have you made to make for healthier options?

 

[Trip planner]

At MK-BOG lunch had a quinoa salad that was pretty good. At Cosmic Rays, I also substituted yogurt for the dessert on the DDP. Healthy at Counter service is tough! DH and I usually split meals to cut portion sizes.

 

[jaz0308]

Can't name specific places but we noticed that at many QS spots we could sub steamed broccoli for fries. It was actually nice to eat a veggie once in awhile!

 

[SDSorority]

A few tips in "brain dump" fashion (LOL). You can almost always sub steamed broccoli or some other vegetable (or even the kids meal carrots/apples) for the french fries at most counter service restaurants. Order burgers or chicken sandwiches without the bun. You can get a baked potato or baked sweet potato (better choice) at the counter service area near the Hall of Presidents/Liberty Tree Tavern or a pineapple spear from Aloha Isle. Opt for water over soft drinks. In most of the gift shops, there are allergy-friendly snacks, including "Way Better" chips, which are better for you than regular potato chips. At table service restaurants, don't be afraid to ask for steamed vegetables as a side, and salad dressings on the side so that you can add however much you want.

We are gluten-free, and the next trip we make we will probably be on a restricted eating plan called "autoimmune protocol". ALL of the chefs are super willing to go out of their way to make you a happy customer, so don't be afraid to ask the server to talk to a chef, or even ask the server what THEY would recommend as a healthy option (or modified to be healthy). Each table service restaurant I have been to have always had a DELICIOUS salad as an option. Even if it's on the appetizer part of the menu, 9 times out of 10 it's a huge portion. If it doesn't have meat with it, feel free to ask for chicken or some sort of meat to be added to it.

 

[anniemae]

I like the lighthouse sandwich at CHH. It's hummus, broccoli/carrot slaw, tomato on whole grain bread.

Sunshine Seasons has healthy options, but I have not eaten there.

 

[Klayfish]

Most of the parks have places where you can order a grilled chicken sandwich or a salad, fruit, etc... Cosmic Rays in MK, Commissary in HS, Electric Umbrella in Epcot...not 100% on AK.

Can you pack food? My wife and I are big into exercise and nutrition (she's a bodybuilder). We pack almost all of our own food, so we don't have to worry about finding something. Plus it's a lot cheaper.

 

[bababear_50]

Magic Kingdom
Plaza restaurant (not a true CS but close)
Chicken strawberry salad
15.49

Epcot
I go during Flower and Garden Festival and they have
food booths that I snack around.

DHS
I like the "Trolley Car Cafe (Starbucks)
I usually buy a protein pkg and fruit.
OR
Brown Derby Lounge
http://allears.net/dining/menu/hollywood-brown-derby-lounge/all-day
Derby Cobb salad
9.00


AK
Harambe Market
Tikka Masala Chicken
Served with basmati rice and black-eyed pea, corn and tomato salad
10.99
http://allears.net/dining/menu/harambe-market/lunch-dinner
next trip I want to try the green papaya carrot slaw side
2.99
Hugs Mel

 

[DVCkidsMOM]

Places with side salads used to be able to do a side salad as a snack. Ditto cups of soup or chili. Haven't tried this recently though. Usually fruit can sub for dessert or yogurt if they have it. Don't know how you define healthy, but there are vegetarian options most places. Carrot sticks can sub for fries. I've heard that you can sub a CS meal for three snacks - maybe side salad, carrots and celery w hummus, and yogurt as 3 snacks would appeal more than a "meal?"
MK: baked potato or sweet potato at Liberty Square market as mentioned - bring your own healthy toppings if you don't like it plain or split a turkey leg with it. There used to be entree salads at Pecos Bills. As mentioned, Columbia Harbour House - they even have a CS salmon with veggies plate and yogurt (save for snack later) can be subbed for dessert.
Epcot: Eat at the Land for many very healthy and tasty CS options - it's our fave. We haven't done (because we'll be at CS in the Land), but we thought that there was a sushi option at a CS in Japan. We've split a platter at the CS in Morocco as well.
I generally avoid eating at HS, so no recommendations there
AK: you can get stir-fry veggies at Yak-n-Yeti, but we plan to try the new food areas in the Harambe Marketplace next trip.

 

[SplashMo]

In Epcot - Sunshine Seasons - Healthy options here.
In AK - Flame Tree BBQ

 

[meliss8599]

Thanks everyone for all your great suggestions! A lot of new information. We've never tried Sunshine Seasons, but I do hear great things about it. It's so hard to stop there when the vast array of goodies awaits in World Showcase!

 

[cgattis]

Several folks have mentioned Sunshine Seasons, so just wanted to mention my fave item there--an awesome roasted beet and goat cheese salad....yum!!

 

[DisMommyTX]

If you have decided to order junk food anyway (chicken strips, pizza, etc.), consider sharing an entree or getting a kids meal. The QS don't care whether it is for a child or adult. You get a smaller portion of food plus healthier sides like carrots, apples, grapes and a small drink. Eating a smaller portion doesn't technically make the food healthier, but it will help keep you from overeating, just because it is in front of you.

 

[SplashMo]

In DHS - Fairfax Fare (chicken or pork salad)
in MK - Cosmic Rays may have an option.

 

[TraceyPoppins]

We are a vegetarian family and my husband and I are very nutrition conscious (our teens still want fries and Mickey Bars). The menus for most every restaurant are on the MDE app. I previewed them and chose my meals before we got to the park! At DHS we had veggie wraps from Min & Bills and noodle bowls at HBD. in MK we had veggie burgers at the Plaza and ratatouille at BOG. Disney always has a veg option now (we've all come a long way!) and in *most* cases it is going to be a healthier choice than standard fare. We bring protien bars for filling snacks but of course we splurge on a few treats while we're there

 

[ConnecticutNonna]

Love this thread!
Edited to add: DH loves the character buffets (and regular buffets) so whIle on the DDP we usually do a late brunch, then a signature for dinner... All the buffets, especially breakfast have HUGE amounts of fresh fruits and greens options. Grown right there at WDW.

 

[jsmla]

I'm on a very low fat diet (medical reasons) and try really hard to eat kinda, sorta healthy but often end up brown bagging to the parks for this very reason.

Magic Kingdom
Columbia Harbor House-veggie chili, side of broccoli

Be Our Guest-Nicoise salad

Liberty Square a Market-baked sweet potatoes


Epcot
Sunshine Seasons-roasted chicken and salmon. They'll also serve the salads without dressing if you ask and have oil and basalmic in the condiments area.

Tangierine Cafe-chicken wrap


DHS and AK have regressed in this area as far as I'm concerned. I really liked the quinoa/arugula salad with salmon at ABC Commissary (DHS) and the salads at the kiosk near Dinosaur! but those are gone. There are the salads at Flame Tree BBQ but I haven't tried them yet.

Love, love, love the new substitutions when on a DP. I get side salads, fruit and bottled waters. Sunshine Seasons and the resort food courts have the best sub-out selection. Columbia Harbor House has let me sub out broccoli for the fries in the past. I'm still stuffing fried shrimp down my pie hole but every little bit helps!

 

[SuzaBanana]

We generally eat healthy, even on vacation (because otherwise we feel ill) and my DH decided to go mostly vegan right before we arrived at Disney. So here's what we ate/considered eating for quick service:

EPCOT
Japan - sushi, steamed veggies, curries and edamame @ Katsura Grill
Morocco - falafel, shawarma, veggie platter @ Tangierine Cafe
Sunshine Seasons - LOTS of excellent options
France - chicken pistou sandwich, nicoise salad @ Les Halles
Mexico - Mexican salad, chicken cascabel @ La Cantina

MK
Columbia Harbour House - broccoli peppercorn salad, lighthouse sandwich, grilled salmon
Peco's Bill - southwest salad, chicken fajita platter

AK
Flame Tree BBQ - watermelon salad, turkey sandwich, chicken and mixed greens salad
Harambe - chicken skewer, tikka masala, veggie stack
Kusafiri - turkey sandwich, tomato & mozzarella sandwich
Yak & Yeti - ginger chicken salad, veggie couscous wrap, Asian chicken sandwich

We were pleasantly surprised that with a little research we could all find pretty good options.

 

[margot31]

This is sarcasm all the way.......

There is no such thing as eating healthy as disney world. Its a week (or how every long you are there for) to LET IT GO!!!! Eat what ever you want.

 

[Klayfish]

This is sarcasm all the way.......

There is no such thing as eating healthy as disney world. Its a week (or how every long you are there for) to LET IT GO!!!! Eat what ever you want.

To some degree, I will follow this philosophy. As I said, my wife and I are really into fitness, especially her. We eat healthy most of the time, so I don't even think we could eat junk all week, we'd feel sick. But having said that, I won't lie...I fully plan to eat my fair share of ice cream and other snacks. Typically what I'll do is eat a very clean "base", so my breakfast/lunch and most of dinner is my normal healthy nutrition. But I won't shy away from ice cream or other snacks that we pack for the kids. We will go out to eat a handful of times, and in those cases I order whatever I want, as a treat to myself. My wife...not so much...she'll eat a little, but not as much.

 

[margot31]

To some degree, I will follow this philosophy. As I said, my wife and I are really into fitness, especially her. We eat healthy most of the time, so I don't even think we could eat junk all week, we'd feel sick. But having said that, I won't lie...I fully plan to eat my fair share of ice cream and other snacks. Typically what I'll do is eat a very clean "base", so my breakfast/lunch and most of dinner is my normal healthy nutrition. But I won't shy away from ice cream or other snacks that we pack for the kids. We will go out to eat a handful of times, and in those cases I order whatever I want, as a treat to myself. My wife...not so much...she'll eat a little, but not as much.

My husband and I are kind of the same way. We can't eat everything under the sun there but we just say hey its vaca we are doing plenty of walking more in compared to what we do at home anyway. We don't eat 3 full meals a day but there is nothing wrong with a little fun snack here and there.