Do I have to worry about MSG?

[Magpie]

I get migraines from even very small amounts of MSG. Is it safe to assume that most counter and table service meals are going to be MSG-free? Our only two table service meals are at the Biergarten and Crystal Palace, otherwise we were intending to eat on the run, grabbing counter service where ever we happen to be.

 

[dqpowell]

Best bet would be to contact Disney Dining and ask them about it. Here's a good contact e-mail address:

Brenda.Bennett@disney.com

David

 

[Magpie]

Thank you!

 

[CoolDisneyCat]

I'm not trying to sound snarky in the least; I'm genuinely curious... what do you eat? Every restaurant everywhere uses tons of MSG in their food, and pretty much all sauces contain it, so do you just eat very plain food you cook at home? That's certainly a healthy lifestyle than the rest of us.

With the exception of the fine dining places at Disney, I would assume that any sauce, any topping, and virtually anything "flavored" (savory, not sweet) would contain MSG. It's an ingredient included as often as salt or sugar these days, unfortunately. Also, it's a natural by-product of soy ingredients such as soy sauce, so if a dish just lists "natural ingredients" or "natural flavoring" that could mean MSG.

This site is a little, er... militant? With their anti-MSG approach, but you can learn a lot! http://www.msgtruth.org/

 

[Magpie]

I'm not trying to sound snarky in the least; I'm genuinely curious... what do you eat? Every restaurant everywhere uses tons of MSG in their food, and pretty much all sauces contain it, so do you just eat very plain food you cook at home? That's certainly a healthy lifestyle than the rest of us.

With the exception of the fine dining places at Disney, I would assume that any sauce, any topping, and virtually anything "flavored" (savory, not sweet) would contain MSG. It's an ingredient included as often as salt or sugar these days, unfortunately. Also, it's a natural by-product of soy ingredients such as soy sauce, so if a dish just lists "natural ingredients" or "natural flavoring" that could mean MSG.

This site is a little, er... militant? With their anti-MSG approach, but you can learn a lot! http://www.msgtruth.org/

Really? Yikes!

My son is hypoglycemic and my husband is on the South Beach diet. So normally I cook everything at home, and I just read labels to make sure there's no MSG in our salad dressing or anything. We eat a lot of fresh veggies, eggs, cheese, baked fish, chicken and red meat. And that's pretty much it - my son gets a small piece of fruit for dessert, because that's all the sugar he can handle in a day. I sometimes buy orange juice just for myself, when I'm craving something sweet.

On the rare occasions when we do order out, we usually get roasted chicken or burgers with salad - so, MSG is not an issue. I almost never think about it. When I was planning this trip, I was mostly focussed on making sure that my son would find something to eat. MSG didn't occur to me until I saw it mentioned in another thread! Honestly, before I thought of this, I was just excited that I might finally get to eat some *bread* - since we don't have any in the house. Oh... and potatoes! And rice! Maybe even... corn chips? But now I'm worried those might have MSG as well. I bet the bread will be okay, though.

Anyway, I sent a letter of inquiry to the e-mail addy above, and I'll check out the website you recommended. Thanks!

Getting a migraine on this trip would be awful.

 

[Booyakasha]

I'm not trying to sound snarky in the least; I'm genuinely curious... what do you eat? Every restaurant everywhere uses tons of MSG in their food, and pretty much all sauces contain it, so do you just eat very plain food you cook at home? That's certainly a healthy lifestyle than the rest of us.

With the exception of the fine dining places at Disney, I would assume that any sauce, any topping, and virtually anything "flavored" (savory, not sweet) would contain MSG. It's an ingredient included as often as salt or sugar these days, unfortunately. Also, it's a natural by-product of soy ingredients such as soy sauce, so if a dish just lists "natural ingredients" or "natural flavoring" that could mean MSG.

This site is a little, er... militant? With their anti-MSG approach, but you can learn a lot!

FYI - I am extremely allergic to MSG and this is completely untrue. Very few foods have MSG in them and they are getting less and less every year. The problem foods are soup as a lot of non home made stock has MSG although this is getting better. Salad Dressings are also a problem and this is getting better also. Always go with a Vinagarette and stay away from Ranch at all costs. Also chips like Doritos and Cheetoes have a lot of MSG Of course there is the whole Chinese food things but every Chinese restaurant is very aware of this and will eliminate MSG from your food.

That being said it will be interesting to get Feedback from Disney on this. I think if you stay away from the above or specifically ask they will be able to tell you at any TS restaurant.

B.

 

[Magpie]

FYI - I am extremely allergic to MSG and this is completely untrue. Very few foods have MSG in them and they are getting less and less every year. The problem foods are soup as a lot of non home made stock has MSG although this is getting better. Salad Dressings are also a problem and this is getting better also. Always go with a Vinagarette and stay away from Ranch at all costs. Also chips like Doritos and Cheetoes have a lot of MSG Of course there is the whole Chinese food things but every Chinese restaurant is very aware of this and will eliminate MSG from your food.

That being said it will be interesting to get Feedback from Disney on this. I think if you stay away from the above or specifically ask they will be able to tell you at any TS restaurant.

B.

I sent an e-mail, so I'll be sure to share any info I get here!

Thanks for the reassurance - what you say is pretty much in line with what I've experienced. Commercial soups, chips, salad dressings, meat sticks, pepperoni, bacon, etc... But it's easy to read the ingredients and find versions that don't have any MSG.

I thought maybe it might be different in the US, but if it's not then that's a relief!

 

[Booyakasha]

I sent an e-mail, so I'll be sure to share any info I get here!

Thanks for the reassurance - what you say is pretty much in line with what I've experienced. Commercial soups, chips, salad dressings, meat sticks, pepperoni, bacon, etc... But it's easy to read the ingredients and find versions that don't have any MSG.

I thought maybe it might be different in the US, but if it's not then that's a relief!

That would be great if you could post any information you get. I have become really good avoiding MSG over the last 15 years. It is really not that hard. I have never been "suprised" by any in any of the Disney restaurants.

If I can be of any help let me know.

B

 

[CoolDisneyCat]

Like I said... militant. You kind of have to take what you read there with a grain of salt (heh, no pun intented...) and just use common sense. Read labels, etc, which obviously anyone sensitive to MSG would do.

I, too, am interested in the response you get from Disney.

 

[Magpie]

That was fast!

I just got a reply in my inbox, which says in part:

We don't use MSG in any of our food preparations other than the natural process that normally occurs. The only areas I would suggest to say away from are Asian and Participants.

In addition, I also got a very useful handout:

WALT DISNEY WORLD®
Food & Beverage

Dietary Request Information

On behalf of the WALT DISNEY WORLD® Food & Beverage Team, we are committed to making your stay as magical as possible as we strive to offer a wide range of food products for all of our Guests.

In our table service restaurants, we have a staff of trained chefs who will strive to meet your requests by adapting current menu items or developing items to fit your needs. In our quick service areas, we provide a wide range of items that likely will accommodate most dietary requests. Nevertheless, due to the cultural authenticity and cooking techniques of our Food & Beverage locations it is sometimes difficult to alter menus in certain locations.

Although we can take care to accommodate specific requests during the cooking and preparation process, due to the large number and ever changing variety of culturally authentic ingredients and suppliers used in many of our restaurants, we are unable to ensure that all prepackaged or prepared ingredients do not contain particular items of concern. Therefore, we ask that if you or someone in your party has a food allergy or other condition which might result in a severe reaction to a particular food ingredient or food additive, please use extreme caution in meal planning and contact us for assistance and dining suggestions. As always, although we strive to provide as much information to you as possible, the decision of whether to consume any particular product is up to you based on your evaluation of the particular circumstances.

Listed below is some helpful information when planning your time with us. Attached are some product specifications that may assist you as well. Please feel free to contact any of the below listed email addresses should you require any additional information.

We look forward to you having a safe and magical visit with us.

Table Service Restaurants

When making a reservation, please notify the reservation agent of any dietary requests so that it may be noted. Upon arrival to the restaurant, please ask to speak to the chef, manager, or the person in charge on duty to discuss your dietary requests. Special items are available with advance notice, and arrangements may be made by calling the phone number that was provided when making your reservation. Please allow for additional dining time for any special requests to ensure that your requests are met safely.

Call 407-WDW-Dine or 407-939-3463 to make your reservations.




Quick Service Restaurants (Counter Service)

Please ask to speak to a manager upon arrival and they will be happy to assist you. Locations are able to adapt their menu items slightly, but please allow additional time for any special requests made without advance notice.

DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM® Theme Park

The locations listed below have menu items or products that may meet most dietary requests.

Restaurantosaurus (located in DinoLand U.S.A.)
Flame Tree Barbecue (located between Asia and DinoLand U.S.A.)
Harambe Fruit Market

If you need additional information contact Disney’s Animal Kingdom Special Diet line at 407-938-3288 or by e-mail at wdwakspecialdiets@email.disney.com

Disney-MGM Studios

The locations listed below have menu items or products that may meet most dietary requests.

Sunset Ranch Market
Backlot Express
Studio Catering Company
ABC Commissary
Toy Story Pizza Planet

If you need any additional information contact the Disney-MGM Special Diet line at 407-560-3551 or by e-mail at wdwstspecialdiets@email.disney.com.

Epcot®

The locations listed below have menu items or products that may meet most dietary requests.

Liberty Inn (located at The American Adventure in World Showcase)
Sunshine Seasons (located in the Land Pavilion)

If you need any additional information, contact Epcot Special Diet line at 407-560-6395 or by e-mail at wdwecspecialdiets@email.disney.com

MAGIC KINGDOM® Park

The locations listed below have menu items or products that may meet most dietary requests.

Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café (located in Tomorrowland)
Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Café (located in Frontierland)
Main Street Bakery
Toontown Farmer’s Market and Liberty Square Market
Pinocchio’s Village House (Fantasy Land)
If you need additional information contact MAGIC KINGDOM Park Special Diet Line at 407-824-5967 or by e-mail at wdwmkspecialdiets@email.disney.com.

DISNEY CRUISE LINE®
DISNEY CRUISE LINE® can accommodate a variety of special dietary requests, including gluten, diabetic, vegetarian, low-fat, low-sodium and Kosher meals. Please submit any special dietary requests in writing to our Special Reservations Department at least four (4) weeks prior to your sail date. Once onboard, any dietary requests should be directed to your Head Server.
Please visit our web site at www.disneycruise.com or phone Disney Cruise Vacations at 1-800-951-7735.
Frequently Asked Questions

Can nutritional information be provided for menu items?

Unfortunately we do not have, and therefore we cannot provide you with accurate or reliable nutritional information, and we would not want you or any other Guest to rely on what could only be our "best guess." We can however, attempt to work within your dietary requests and suggest some menu alternatives and solutions that may satisfy your needs. We strive to provide all our Guests a magical experience by offering a wide array of dining locations, experiences and menu options, and we trust that among all those selections you will find menu items that meet your needs.

Are organic products available?

Organic products that meet the USDA’s organic food requirement are in very limited supply. We are always trying to improve upon our existing product line of traditional and/or organic food offerings. Our food procurement standards include a vendor approval process that is designed to consistently achieve high quality products. Introducing a new food product or vendor requires multiple approval steps, regardless of the claims attached to individual foods. We will forward your suggestion to our special dietary needs manager and our procurement department for further consideration. In the meantime we’re optimistic you will find our existing product lines acceptable, and we would be happy to review additional existing options with you.

Can products from home be prepared by Disney chefs?

No. State Law prohibits our Culinary Cast Members from preparing, cooking, or reheating any foods brought in by our Guests, so we will not be able to heat or reheat any food item that is not prepared by us.

Can food be brought into WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort and Theme Parks?

Guests are allowed to bring food items, such as snacks or foods that do not require heating, into any WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort. If you have items that need to be refrigerated, please ask the front desk Cast Member to have a refrigerator placed in your room. Please check with the front desk to see if there is a charge for use of the refrigerator.

Guests are allowed to bring food items, such as snacks or foods that do not require heating, into any WALT DISNEY WORLD® Theme Park. Just inform a Security Cast Member checking the bags that you have food allergies and they will gladly allow you to bring in these items.

And also included was a "dietary request reference sheet" listing what's currently available at quick service locations in the parks. But it's in table format, so I can't copy and paste it here. There's nothing in there about MSG, it's mostly gluten, lactose and nut listings. Looks like there's a number of sugar free options, though, so my son should be happy!

Thanks, everyone!

 

[Booyakasha]

Great Thanks.

BTW what is Participants.

B.

 

[Magpie]

Great Thanks.

BTW what is Participants.

B.

Good question! I was assuming she can't vouch for non-Disney owned restaurants, like the Rainforest Cafe. I'd have to ask them directly (not an issue, since I wasn't planning to eat there anyway).