Allergies and snacks/Desserts

[Bridge203618]

My DD has a milk and peanut allergy. Now I don't totally keep her from all milk products. If a milk product such as whey is WAY down the list or it says less that 2% in this product at times I let her have it. If it is actual milk I normally do not. I let her have buttercreme frosting on cake and I normally let her have butter in restaurants. I haven't had any problems so far.

I am curious what snacks/desserts would be available for her at the parks and what kind of desserts they may make or have for her at TS places.

Thank you!

 

[hildarumpole]

Most of the TS desserts are unsafe for peanut allergies. My kids usually have to get a fruit cup for dessert, but some places have Divvies chocolate chip cookies, which are dairy and peanut free. We were able to get the Divvies at Chef Mickey and Cape May Cafe. They also gave them some gummies and a safe brownie. At Coral Reef, my DD12 was able to get The Wave and at Mama Melrose she got a flourless chocolate cake that's not on the regular menu. I don't know if they're dairy-free.

Make sure you note the allergies on your ADRs and contact Special Diets (the sticky FAQ thread has info), so chefs are aware of the allergies. They'll talk to you about safe options when you dine.

 

[snorris49]

I'm not sure if the French Meadow brownies are peanut free, but they are gluten and dairy free. I got those a lot on my last two trips. Crystal Palace makes a brownie that is allergy free (dairy, nuts, gluten, etc. at least that's what they told me. I can confirm the dairy and gluten free part of it) I have the recipe they gave me on my blog if you wanted to look at the ingredients.

Itzakadoozie bars are pretty tasty and are dairy free (not sure about nut cross contamination). They are great on a hot day or for dessert. I have heard that Garden Grill serves these for dessert for special diets.

Turkey legs, while not a snack, are gluten and dairy free. Again, not sure about the nut cross contamination. I would think this would be safe though. Maybe if everyone is hungry you could share one! They are huge.

I think the popcorn is actually dairy free. I know it is gluten free, but I've yet to try it.

Divvies cookies, caramel corn, and jellybeans are safe too! They sell those at most resort CS and I know they have them at Main Street Bakery. They are supposed to be milk and nut free!

Dole Whips are gluten free and lactose free, I hear that they have some sort of milk derivative in them, but I'm not sure the percentage.

Sorry I can't give you milk specific snacks. I really don't have any experience with nut allergies, but I'm learning. I'm GF and CF, so I can only speak from my experience with both of them. Good luck! If any place can accomodate you, it's WDW!

 

[momsavealot]

I'm not sure if the French Meadow brownies are peanut free, but they are gluten and dairy free. I got those a lot on my last two trips. Crystal Palace makes a brownie that is allergy free (dairy, nuts, gluten, etc. at least that's what they told me. I can confirm the dairy and gluten free part of it) I have the recipe they gave me on my blog if you wanted to look at the ingredients.

Itzakadoozie bars are pretty tasty and are dairy free (not sure about nut cross contamination). They are great on a hot day or for dessert. I have heard that Garden Grill serves these for dessert for special diets.

Turkey legs, while not a snack, are gluten and dairy free. Again, not sure about the nut cross contamination. I would think this would be safe though. Maybe if everyone is hungry you could share one! They are huge.

I think the popcorn is actually dairy free. I know it is gluten free, but I've yet to try it.

Divvies cookies, caramel corn, and jellybeans are safe too! They sell those at most resort CS and I know they have them at Main Street Bakery. They are supposed to be milk and nut free!

Dole Whips are gluten free and lactose free, I hear that they have some sort of milk derivative in them, but I'm not sure the percentage.

Sorry I can't give you milk specific snacks. I really don't have any experience with nut allergies, but I'm learning. I'm GF and CF, so I can only speak from my experience with both of them. Good luck! If any place can accomodate you, it's WDW!

My kids are peanut allergic and I do remember them having the French Meadow brownies and the Itsakadoozie bars. The chef at Chef Mickey's is fantastic with dealing with allergies!!!

 

[goodem01]

My daughter is peanut and treenut allergic but not dairy. She had a lot of fruit and jello, which was pretty refreshing in the August heat. Divvies were available at the Main St Bakery (only the cookies are a snack credit though) and they had the peanut free brownie at the quick service in the Poly. She also had chips and a dole whip (although I'm not sure about the milk content in that).

The popcorn is NOT safe for peanut allergies -- although they don't use peanut oil they say that part of it could be cross-contaminated.

I suggest you email special diets at Disney -- they will send you info for every park and will put you into contact with the chefs at the various restaurants. I was able to speak with the chefs at Plaza Restaurant (who was the best!) and the Polynesian Luau prior to our visit.

 

[nfceagles]

Definitely contact special diets. Their handouts will give you a lot of ideas. My DS is milk, egg, and peanut allergic. He couldn't have the French Meadow brownies, but I think that was because of egg. Divvies choc chip cookies, were available at a lot of places and the jelly beans and carmel corn were available at Main St Bakery. Itsakadoozie bars were a hit with my kids. Tofutti and Rice Dream ice cream are available at The Plaza Ice Cream Parlor on Main St as well as many TS restaurants. My DS did eat the popcorn. It's dairy free, but the coconut oil it's popped in is made in the same facility as peanut oil. I actually forgot until I was looking through the Special Diets handouts after the fact. He didn't react, so it all depends on how you handle cross-contamination risks. The turkey legs are safe.

At TS restaurants my DS was never served fruit cups. The desserts usually involved non-dairy ice cream, Divvies, choc bars, etc... They never failed to impress DS.

 

[sherabby]

Most TS restaurants have rice dream and soy ice cream...check the ice cream parlor too! Sorbet is another option. If doing counter service ask for a substitution for dessert and sometimes they can acess the Divvies too!

 

[atmail35]

I'm also a little concerned about the dessert availablity for my peanut/tree nut/egg allergic DD.

We are on the DDP and I wonder if that is a mistake on our part since all meals include dessert.

Anyway does anyone know if the Divvies popcorn/jellybeans can be bought as a snack credit on DDP?

I'm disappointed that DD can't have the popcorn in the park so the carmel popcorn might be a nice alternative. Maybe I'll e-mail special diets to ask.

For those with food allergies....how do you go about ordering at CS for the first time? Do you scope it out to see if they have certain things available (like Divvies)? I don't want to waste a lot of time going from CS to CS trying to figure out what they have available.

I feel good about TS, submitted my form to Special Diets and noted the allergies on ADRs but the CS seems a little like a crap shoot...any advice?

Thanks!

 

[clanmcculloch]

We eat most of our CS meals at our resort. It's easiest and I know what I can find where.

One of the attachments that I was emailed by Special Diets just yesterday was a list of allergy foods and where they can be found by park. The document was titled Food Allergy Dietary Reference Sheet. I create a small reference sheet by park which I carry with me so I know when we're touring where we can go and we'll find when we get there.

 

[atmail35]

One of the attachments that I was emailed by Special Diets just yesterday was a list of allergy foods and where they can be found by park. The document was titled Food Allergy Dietary Reference Sheet. I create a small reference sheet by park which I carry with me so I know when we're touring where we can go and we'll find when we get there.

I do have this list. I'll carry it with me and hope I can find what we are looking for without too much trouble!

 

[clanmcculloch]

Take a look at the maps before you head out in the morning and mark these locations right on your map. That way when you're wanting something, you can look at your map to fine the closest locations.

 

[atmail35]

Take a look at the maps before you head out in the morning and mark these locations right on your map. That way when you're wanting something, you can look at your map to fine the closest locations.

great tip, thanks!

 

[sherabby]

I'm also a little concerned about the dessert availablity for my peanut/tree nut/egg allergic DD.

We are on the DDP and I wonder if that is a mistake on our part since all meals include dessert.

Anyway does anyone know if the Divvies popcorn/jellybeans can be bought as a snack credit on DDP?

I'm disappointed that DD can't have the popcorn in the park so the carmel popcorn might be a nice alternative. Maybe I'll e-mail special diets to ask.

For those with food allergies....how do you go about ordering at CS for the first time? Do you scope it out to see if they have certain things available (like Divvies)? I don't want to waste a lot of time going from CS to CS trying to figure out what they have available.

I feel good about TS, submitted my form to Special Diets and noted the allergies on ADRs but the CS seems a little like a crap shoot...any advice?

Thanks!

I do recall Cosmic Rays having a safe dessert for my son...brownie or a choc chip cookie. Also Restaurantosaurous..if it's still called that also had the same dessert options. Every TS that we've been to has always had some option for him. He also has a dairy allergy which makes it even harder. Rice dream and soy ice cream were mostly options for him. At WCC he had his first milkshake made with rice dream and he loved it!

 

[kck182]

This will be our 6th Disney trip with our allergic kiddo who has a lengthy list of foods that we avoid.

I keep a list in my pocket, (I usually laminate this and put it on a jump ring), that includes that CS's in each park that I can get special items. I finally feel like we are getting into a routine and for the most part I always know I can find him somthing in the parks.

We have done the dining plan every time and DS always gets dessert. He generally has Rice Ice Cream but has had Candy Apples and homemade sorbet before as well.

The Dole Whip has sodium cassinate in it and that it located in the MK.

We do tend to eat our counter services in our resorts and sometimes do the "allergy thing" by just eating fruit or FF's in the park if we aren't close to having a Allergy Free Chicken Tender meal and DS wants something else prepared. It's nice since he is getting older that we seem to have more options and he can be more patient.

Have a wonderful trip, it truely is the ONE place that we can go where my son gets to eat out like everyone else.

 

[nfceagles]

Not sure your DDs age and circumstances, but for us the few times we couldn't get a dessert at a CS place, it wasn't a big deal. Since my 4yo DS doesn't get dessert after EVERY meal at home, he didn't think twice about our Cosmic Ray's lunch not including dessert. When there wasn't an adequate option, my DH and I abstained too, never a big deal, it's not like desserts at the CS palces are to die for. And we were stuffing our faces so many other times during our vacation it really wasn't an issue. We had trouble using all of our snack credits, so we could have always picked up a popsicle (at a cart), an ice cream (at the parlor on Main St), or some Divvies at Main St bakery after lunch (the popcorn and jelly beans are not cheap enough to qualify for a snack credit). Or you could use a snack credit to pick up some Divvies in the morning and carry them with you. Did we feel jipped because of the dining plan? No. It wasn't like it was the norm and we were eating our hearts out so much at other times. They also always let us get a side item in lieu of dessert, so we'd grab some grapes or chips to take back to the room with us. Our resort CS always had a couple kinds of popsicles and Divvies.

For CS, I do recommend leaving the kids with dad, either to find a table or even to ride a nearby ride, while you order. It can take a while and plus, your DD won't see all the other options available that she can't have.

Good luck. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

 

[nfceagles]

Oh, and one more tip that worked for us. When we'd eat lunch at the resort, my DH would usually take the kids straight to the room and I would go get lunch to go. That saved us from keeping the kids happy during the wait and allowed me to pick up some of the really cool desserts to hide in the bag until after the kids were down for naps or later in the night after bedtime.

 

[clanmcculloch]

We had trouble using all of our snack credits, so we could have always picked up a popsicle (at a cart), an ice cream (at the parlor on Main St), or some Divvies at Main St bakery after lunch (the popcorn and jelly beans are not cheap enough to qualify for a snack credit).

We've used snack credits for Divvies caramel corn and jelly beans, though it's been a year. We've also gotten them for dessert, again a year ago. This was at our resort so I can't guarantee they'll allow them at the parks but I would certainly ask them to explain why not if they tried to refuse. They're single serving snacks.

 

[atmail35]

Not sure your DDs age and circumstances, but for us the few times we couldn't get a dessert at a CS place, it wasn't a big deal. Since my 4yo DS doesn't get dessert after EVERY meal at home, he didn't think twice about our Cosmic Ray's lunch not including dessert. When there wasn't an adequate option, my DH and I abstained too, never a big deal, it's not like desserts at the CS palces are to die for. And we were stuffing our faces so many other times during our vacation it really wasn't an issue. We had trouble using all of our snack credits, so we could have always picked up a popsicle (at a cart), an ice cream (at the parlor on Main St), or some Divvies at Main St bakery after lunch (the popcorn and jelly beans are not cheap enough to qualify for a snack credit). Or you could use a snack credit to pick up some Divvies in the morning and carry them with you. Did we feel jipped because of the dining plan? No. It wasn't like it was the norm and we were eating our hearts out so much at other times. They also always let us get a side item in lieu of dessert, so we'd grab some grapes or chips to take back to the room with us. Our resort CS always had a couple kinds of popsicles and Divvies.

For CS, I do recommend leaving the kids with dad, either to find a table or even to ride a nearby ride, while you order. It can take a while and plus, your DD won't see all the other options available that she can't have.

Good luck. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

These are all very good tips/points! We don't eat dessert every time either so I guess I shouldn't insist that we gorge ourselves!

The chips/grapes thing is a good alternative too.

 

[MSSANDRA]

Be aware that if you mention milk allergy, the resturants are not going to want to offer you any item that may even have a trace of milk even though your child may be fine with it.

Our DR has oked "made in the same factory as" for our PA DGS. He is not ok with "made on the same equipment" or "may contain traces." Resturants even outside WDW are becomming more aware which is great but they also are more aware of the liablity soooo. I have asked for the exact wording on a product a few times, though most of the time we just avoid "made in the same factory" just to be safe.

 

[DVCDawn]

I'm also a little concerned about the dessert availablity for my peanut/tree nut/egg allergic DD.

We are on the DDP and I wonder if that is a mistake on our part since all meals include dessert.

Anyway does anyone know if the Divvies popcorn/jellybeans can be bought as a snack credit on DDP?

I'm disappointed that DD can't have the popcorn in the park so the carmel popcorn might be a nice alternative. Maybe I'll e-mail special diets to ask.

For those with food allergies....how do you go about ordering at CS for the first time? Do you scope it out to see if they have certain things available (like Divvies)? I don't want to waste a lot of time going from CS to CS trying to figure out what they have available.

I feel good about TS, submitted my form to Special Diets and noted the allergies on ADRs but the CS seems a little like a crap shoot...any advice?

Thanks!

When I order for my PN/TN DD at CS places, I tell the CM taking the order that we have an allergy in the party and s/he gets the manager, who usually comes out with a binder of ingredient listings. This has worked well in the past, however, I don't recommend doing this when it's super crowded. We tend to eat lunch and dinner pretty late as a matter of course, so CS places are generally less crowded when we're there anyway.

That said, I usually review the information given to me by Special Diets prior to our trips pretty carefully and basically plan where we are going to eat CS meals based on the menu.

DVCDawn