Diet Dining at WDW on a budget- Ideas please

[pooh2001]

Here are some of my budget minded diet meals for our next trip to WDW.
I would suggest no cheese or sauce and more veggies.

Please add your suggestions with the TS or CS name.

50's Prime Time Cafe
Appetizers - order 2 for a meal = total cost $14
Chicken Noodle Soup & Cousin Amy's Iceberg Lettuce Wedge, plus unsweetened iced tea

Liberty Tree Tavern
Colony Salad minus the dressing & unsweetened iced tea = total $17

Rainforest Cafe
Tuscan Chicken & water = total $18

What do you suggest ?

 

[BlovesC]

OK, I'll bite! I've added my thoughts on some of your picks. FWIW, I eat very healthy at home (to the tune of over 100 pounds lost!), but I generally order whatever I want when we're at Disney. So I may not have tried some of the healthier menu items we're talking about, but I'm certainly familiar with having to swap items and make healthier substitutions.

If you're really set on eating healthy at Disney you CAN ask for preparation of items to be changed. At TS restaurants, at least, the chefs can be very accommodating to any special dietary requests, not just allergies. They can do more than just remove sauces and sides.

50's Prime Time Cafe
Appetizers - order 2 for a meal = total cost $14
Chicken Noodle Soup & Cousin Amy's Iceberg Lettuce Wedge, plus unsweetened iced tea

Scratch the lettuce wedge; it's covered in full-fat blue cheese dressing and bacon. The dressing alone will amount to more calories than some full entrees on the menu.

I'd substitute the grilled chicken sandwich without cheese, accompanied by a house salad, in its place.

Liberty Tree Tavern
Colony Salad minus the dressing & unsweetened iced tea = total $17

No dressing at all? You might ask them if they have balsamic vinegar they could give you, instead of the oil-heavy vinaigrette they use. There's cheddar on the salad, too.

I'd also look at their catch of the day fish entree and see how it's prepared, and if they can broil or grill it for you.

Rainforest Cafe
Tuscan Chicken & water = total $18

Definitely one of the better things you can order here, I believe. The sauce still packs some fat but it's far less than most dishes. Livestrong lists the c/f for this dish at 525/34.


And below what I think are some healthier options around the park...but again, getting with the chef is likely your best bet at TS places!


MK
Columbia Harbor House (CS); anchors away hummus sandwich w/apple slices
The Plaza (TS); chicken strawberry salad w/dressing substitute
Cosmic Rays (CS); 1/2 chicken (no skin) w/2 veggies, grilled chicken sandwich

Epcot
Sunshine Seasons (CS); roast chicken, tuna salad, grilled fish...lots of choices here if you watch the sides, sauces, and salad dressings and avoid the sandwiches (fatty breads and lots of mayo) and noodles (sauce, sodium)
La Hacienda de San Angel (TS); grilled talapia, flank steak (no beans/rice)
Teppan Edo (TS)
Tangierine Cafe (CS); couscous, tabouleh, chicken shawarma

Animal Kingdom
Yak & Yeti (TS); salmon, tuna, mandarin chicken salad w/dressing on the side
Flame Tree BBQ (CS); 1/2 chicken (no beans/muffin), turkey sandwich
Tusker House (TS); lots of salads, fresh veggies and fruit, couscous, hummus, fish, chicken...a great option if you can keep yourself away from the dessert trays!

I have a strong dislike for the food at DHS and we only ever eat at Sci-Fi and Starring Rolls so I have nothing to offer you for there.

Oh, and when it comes to resort dining, I don't think you can beat Animal Kingdom Lodge. Boma, Jiko, and Sanaa all have amazingly fresh, delicious, but healthy options.

Best of luck to you...it takes a lot of willpower to avoid junk food at the World, especially when you're walking 10+ miles a day. But you can definitely make it happen!

 

[FireDancer]

It is much easier to eat healthy at WDW then you might think. I have no budget-minded specifics but for the most part take a look at any of the trip reports that center on food and do pretty much the exact opposite.

Some generic thing you can do though are asking for different sides (steamed vegetables instead of mashed potatoes for example) and getting your salad without fatty dressings. The biggest thing to watch out for are the portions. Most of what you are served in any restaurant, Disney or not, is much more than one serving. Since taking half home isn't as practical at Disney as it is at home you can either split entrees, order a couple of appetizers instead of an entree, or leave the extra on the plate.

I would look at doing a lunch at Tusker House. It is more budget friendly then Boma (though not as much as your other examples) and you are in control of what and how much you eat. At the buffets use the smaller side plates as opposed to the big dinner plates and make sure only 1/4 of it is covered with a non fruit or vegetable.

Good luck with your trip and with sticking to your diet

 

[pooh2001]

Thank you so much.
I am trying to loose 30 pounds before we go in 11 months.

I try to swim at least 20 laps in our 24 foot round pool each day this summer as long as it is nice in upper NY. Today it is thunder storms
I also walk about a mile each day - it may not be enough exercise, but it is the best I can fit in with my schedule. I will try to add some floor exercises.

I will try to loose 3-5 pounds per month, my best goal.

Keeping healthy is best, especially at my age (53)

 

[cglaura]

Also, don't forget you will be doing a TON of walking. So you can factor that into a meal that might not be all that healthy. One day I walked 11 miles. Granted we were there from rope drop to 1am! What a day, it was a blast though

I lost weight on our last trip and ate burgers, hot dogs, etc...along with salads, wraps and other somewhat healthy options. I just split w/ dd or had the child portion instead. I tried to eat fruit as a snack...usually I saved the grapes that came with the kid meal as an afternoon snack.

And drank water 99% of the time.

 

[pooh2001]

CGLAURA - thank you for your post.
I will still set my goal for 30 pounds off my body before we go to WDW in 350 days!

And thank you for your signature:
The pessimist complains about the wind...
The optimist expects it to change...
The realist adjusts the sails.

I love it!

 

[SCDisneyMom]

Thank you so much.
I am trying to loose 30 pounds before we go in 11 months.

I try to swim at least 20 laps in our 24 foot round pool each day this summer as long as it is nice in upper NY. Today it is thunder storms
I also walk about a mile each day - it may not be enough exercise, but it is the best I can fit in with my schedule. I will try to add some floor exercises.

I will try to loose 3-5 pounds per month, my best goal.

Keeping healthy is best, especially at my age (53)

Good luck to you with your weight loss! I lost 30 lbs. last year before our June 2010 trip. It was the first time I actually enjoyed having my picture taken at Disney. If you eat a healthy diet and exercise, you will definitely lose the weight...it sounds like you are on the right track. I found it difficult to fit exercise in during the work week, but I always aimed for at least 30 minutes a day. I had more time on the weekends, so I would work out for 1 hour on Saturdays & Sundays.

I eat very healthy when I am at home, but I find that I have almost zero willpower at Disney World. We ate mostly counter service meals on our last trip, so I tried to make healthier substitutions when I could...for example, I'd choose apple slices instead of french fries as my side. I don't really drink anything other than water, so that part was easy. I did eat my fair share of Dole Whips & Mickey Mouse ice cream bars that week, though. I just can't say no to them!

As mentioned by others, you will be doing a lot of walking. I was worried that I had gained weight during my trip, but when I stepped on the scale at home, I had lost 2 more lbs! Disney is obviously very good for my figure. The suggestions offered by the previous posters are great; just making simple substitutions and watching your portion sizes will make it relatively easy to stick to your diet. Good luck!

 

[Jen12573]

Good luck to you on your weight loss goals! There are definitely some great, healthy options on all the menus, and when in doubt for dessert, you can almost always ask for fresh fruit. DH did this often on all 3 of our trips and never had problems getting a beautiful bowl of fresh berries or an entire fruit platter to go from 50s Prime Time. We shared it for breakfast the following morning. Ask for sauces and dressing on the side, ask to have your veggies and/or fish steamed without butter and the chefs will almost always accommodate.

Everyone is right about the walking while in Disney. On our last trip I wore a pedometer just to see how much walking we would do in a day. A link to my trip review with pedometer results can be found in my signature. We walked anywhere from 4-7 miles per day!

Good luck!!

 

[saradela]

Here are some of my budget minded diet meals for our next trip to WDW.
I would suggest no cheese or sauce and more veggies.

Please add your suggestions with the TS or CS name.

50's Prime Time Cafe
Appetizers - order 2 for a meal = total cost $14
Chicken Noodle Soup & Cousin Amy's Iceberg Lettuce Wedge, plus unsweetened iced tea

Liberty Tree Tavern
Colony Salad minus the dressing & unsweetened iced tea = total $17

Rainforest Cafe
Tuscan Chicken & water = total $18

What do you suggest ?

Gosh!!!

I hope I had your willpower at Disney......

 

[VikingInMouseEars]

Its always been my understanding that fat content and calories don't count at Disney?? LOL
Really I don't tend to eat healthy when I am in the World but as seen by PPs there seem to be lots of options.

 

[rentayenta]

I suggest eating half or even 1/3 of the portions Disney serves. I'd rather have a little of something fabulous than a plate of something I don't really enjoy. I've lost and kept off 40 lb. I don't do diet food/soda. Plus, by sharing, you'll save $$$. Dry chicken and this and that on the side is not my idea of a vacation. Moderation is key. If you want to make a lifestyle change then it has to be something you can live with. Vacation is no different.

 

[Jakesmom504]

I eat healthy at home and try to workout at least 5 days a week but on our last trip to WDW I came home 8 lbs heavier! Needless to say I don't have much advice as far as what to eat in Disney but just wanted to say Congrats on your weight loss...that's a huge accomplishment! Good luck with your healthy dining in Disney too...you are a much better person than me! I have no willpower at all when it comes to Disney!

 

[Kay1]

You can save money and calories by ordering off the kids' menu at CS restaurants. I agree that portion control is a good idea; no need to clean that plate.

Good luck and have fun.