Eat This, Not That - Disney Version

[MickeyFan84]

We're heading to the World next month and while I don't plan to deprive myself in any way, I also don't want to wreck the diet any more than necessary. So how about a Disney version of Eat This, Not That? How do we get all of the enjoyment with none of the guilt? Post your favorite swaps at Disney restaurants and also let us know which items are TOTALLY worth the splurge!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) If you do not want to wreck a diet, just eat less.
2) Substituting on a menu isn't the way.
3) Especially if you want the dining experience and the enjoyment.
4) Chefs go through great lengths to CREATE dishes.
. . . they usually start with the protein
. . . they add complimentary sides for texture and taste
. . . they add contrasting side for texture and taste
5) Now, people come by and substitute.

NOTE: I have been in the kitchen at a WDW signature restaurant many times when the waiter comes in with the order and mentions the substitutions. Frequently the chef or even the line cook sneers at the choices. The dining guest never gets to appreciate the total experience! What a shame. (By the way, we are majority investors in two restaurants. In the fine dining house, we allow only limited substitutions, so the items still compliment the meal. No complaints yet!)

 

[MickeyFan84]

I totally agree and didn't really mean substituting within dishes. I was referring to something more along the lines of the book Eat This, Not That where the idea is to order items that are just as flavorful and satisfying while being more healthful choices overall.

 

[acourtwdw]

Spiltting the meals is the easiest and tastiest way for us. We will spilt everything from the appy to the dessert. WDW portions tend to be a lot and we would end up either wasting food or being so full all we want to do is take a nap

 

[LisaInNc]

What arrogance of those chefs and line cooks have! Their palate might want their food a certain way. I might prefer it a little different. I am the customer and I am paying for the meal so if I don't want mushrooms in it or I wish to substitute a starch that is my choice.

Ever watch Top Chef? That food is judged by serious foodies and world renowned chefs, one might really think something is spot on and another doesn't care for it so it's just not my ignorance of food.

 

[lookslikefun]

I like the idea of this thread. I'm a novice, though.
My only contribution would be to stop at the Harambe (sp) fruit cart near the safari at AK rather than wasting a snack on something less worthy.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

The more you walk, the more you can eat. I always speed up my metabolism when I'm at WDW. The trouble is not when I'm there, it's when I come home.

We certainly split. We also don't go wild at the buffets. We especially make a point to share snacks. I DO want to taste all the WDW treat foods, but I also don't want an enitire ice cream cone or Dole whip. (Keep your hands off my Mickey bar though! )

Eating more veggies and more fruit. Make a point of looking for fruit items. They can be hard to find. Ask if you can sub any veggies or even rice for greasy potato options. I don't care what the chef thinks. I don't want au gratin potato! The chef also has no idea what food allergies I have, or whether I'm on a low cholesterol diet.

The Norway bakery has a delicious sugarless mousse. I don't know if it's low calorie, but you'd never know it's no sugar. Another treat at this bakery- fruit tarts. Last year's version was a simple tart cup, partially dipped inchocolate and filled with fresh berries. Okay, so maybe not exactly low cal, but the berries weren't covered in any sauce, and we didn't eat ALL of the pastry shell.

It also helps to keep an eye out for the really bad things - funnel cakes, fried cream cheese danish french toast (yes, they areally have this...at CRT. It's cheese danish that's dipped in batter and fried! Yuck!) Fried Snickers bars.

Always request salad dressing onthe side, then apply the minimum.

Drink water! Start every meal with full a glass of water.

 

[toledo13]

GREAT IDEA! At CS, I always get grapes or carrots instead of chips. I generally only eat half of the bun with my sandwiches, and dip my fork in salad dressing rather than have it on the salad.

 

[MickeyFan84]

The Norway bakery has a delicious sugarless mousse. I don't know if it's low calorie, but you'd never know it's no sugar. Another treat at this bakery- fruit tarts. Last year's version was a simple tart cup, partially dipped inchocolate and filled with fresh berries. Okay, so maybe not exactly low cal, but the berries weren't covered in any sauce, and we didn't eat ALL of the pastry shell.

This is exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about! I LOVE the Schoolbread in Norway but I would probably also love the fruit tart. Like I said - no deprivation planned so maybe I'll have the schoolbread once during my trip this time and try the fruit tart another day.

Portion control by splitting items (especially snacks) is also a great idea. Those first few bites are usually the best anyway so maybe we'll try splitting some goodies that we usually get for each person.

Veggies or fruit instead of fries is another good option. I'm usually craving such things anyway after a few days of park food. I'm going to look over our ADR's and CS plans and see what restaurant specific ideas spring to mind. Thanks for the great ideas - keep 'em coming.

 

[beansmom]

There's GUILT at Disneyworld?????

 

[bbangel]

1)

NOTE: I have been in the kitchen at a WDW signature restaurant many times when the waiter comes in with the order and mentions the substitutions. Frequently the chef or even the line cook sneers at the choices. The dining guest never gets to appreciate the total experience! What a shame. (By the way, we are majority investors in two restaurants. In the fine dining house, we allow only limited substitutions, so the items still compliment the meal. No complaints yet!)

Wow. I have to substitute items at almost every meal I eat out. I have so many issues with what I can and can't eat. I'm usually fully aware that the meal I'm eating isn't what the chef had planned, but at least it won't make me sick. I don't like the idea of people sneering at the choices I have to make. I have a hard enough time eating out, I don't need to be judged too.

 

[lemondog]

At Aloha Isle, get a Pineapple Dole Whip instead of Chocolate or Vanilla. It's less fattening, and about 100x better too!

 

[lemondog]

Wow. I have to substitute items at almost every meal I eat out. I have so many issues with what I can and can't eat. I'm usually fully aware that the meal I'm eating isn't what the chef had planned, but at least it won't make me sick. I don't like the idea of people sneering at the choices I have to make. I have a hard enough time eating out, I don't need to be judged too.

Ditto. My DH is deathly allergic to mushrooms. We have to substitute those out, obviously. If the chef (or investor) sneers at our choice, or we miss the whole experience, that's his/her own problem. And if I ever caught wind of it, trust me that restaurant would never see another dime of my money again. VERY offensive!

 

[Kath2003]

Water/diet coke instead of coke/sprite can literally save a thousand calories a day...

Cocktails: anything with coke can be substituted for diet coke. The worst cocktails are those with lots of sweetened fruit juices, or cream.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I agree with RustyScrapper on this one. I know this isn't what the OP was talking about doing, but since his post recieved a lot of comments. . . I think it's best to try the items they way they are intended to be served, especially if you go to one of the signature restaurants. Obviously I don't mean for you to do this if you're allergic to something, but otherwise, what's the harm?

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Water/diet coke instead of coke/sprite can literally save a thousand calories a day...

Cocktails: anything with coke can be substituted for diet coke. The worst cocktails are those with lots of sweetened fruit juices, or cream.

Agreed. There are so many calories in soda, of course, the artificial sweetners in diet aren't good for you either, so water is the best choice, especially in Florida.

 

[Wild4Walt]

If you're going during the Food and Wine fest - so if you stop by this fabulous Epcot event, share.

Sharing these samplings will give you a small taste ( about 2 oz ) without completely blowing your diet. Your resort will have a guide so you can pick out what you want to taste prior.

Stay away from alcohol as much as possible since it is always empty calories.

Drink lots of water.

Be choosy about the things you splurge on. There are some great sugar free ice creams out there in WDW now and you can save a lot of calories by going that route. You can also do frozen yogurt, but you won't save as many calories.

Stay away from fries. The amount of calories is horrible! I have seen low salt chips around WDW. They aren't as short on calories, but less sodium means less bloating.

 

[marciemouse]

It's my vacation, so I want ICE CREAM! But I'll usually have a Mickey Bar instead of a hot fudge sundae...most of the time anyways!

 

[septbaby]

The biggest: drink water instead of the sodas and sweet drinks.

Do lots of walking at WDW, so it won't matter so much.

Eat when you're hungry ie. snacking has a place and the choices at WDW

Fried is the last way to have something cooked, but on vacation treat yourself. I've come up with a rule: I love french fries, but if they aren't so good I simply won't eat them. I cannot afford to waste those bad calories on bad fries. Sent some back today and actually the steamed veggies I got were really good.

Enjoy the simple and fabulous desserts and snacks. Simple: Mickey bar, you could choose those fruit bars, but I can only get a Mickey bar at WDW and won't deny that simple treat a few times during my stay.

One not six. I got one pretzel doctored up the way I wanted at Goofy's. Didin't have another while there, but over the course of a couple of days loved that one. I'm a bit weird, I can nurse a pack of M&Ms for a week.

If you chose to share desserts get one decadent and sorbet or fruit for the other. Another trick I used twice, I had a kids dessert, great taste, simple recipe smaller portion.

We shared a pizza combo meal. I ate the side salad and our 6yo was ridiculously happy to "tear up" the pizza. I was surprised at the freshness and flavor of the side salad. I didn't even bother to add dressing and it was filling. Left me more room for that packaged carrot cake. I downed it all with water from the fountain machine. That water is filtered, similar to the Dasani water.

Florida is still known for fruit, so eat that if it grabs you too.

We did serveral buffets so you can make repeated healthy choices and grab a taste of those "I really shouldn't" items. So you get to be bad, but not too bad.

 

[aubriee]

1) If you do not want to wreck a diet, just eat less.
2) Substituting on a menu isn't the way.
3) Especially if you want the dining experience and the enjoyment.
4) Chefs go through great lengths to CREATE dishes.
. . . they usually start with the protein
. . . they add complimentary sides for texture and taste
. . . they add contrasting side for texture and taste
5) Now, people come by and substitute.

NOTE: I have been in the kitchen at a WDW signature restaurant many times when the waiter comes in with the order and mentions the substitutions. Frequently the chef or even the line cook sneers at the choices. The dining guest never gets to appreciate the total experience! What a shame. (By the way, we are majority investors in two restaurants. In the fine dining house, we allow only limited substitutions, so the items still compliment the meal. No complaints yet!)

Excuse me, I don't like potatoes anyway they are cooked. I'm not allergic to them. I just don't like them. You're telling me that if I want the steak and lobster at Narcoosee, then I should just go ahead on let them put the potatoes on my plate, even though I wouldn't touch them and would just prefer more broccoli? Or if I was at a CS, I should let them put fries on my plate (that I wouldn't touch), when I could have fruit that I do like? Same thing with English peas. I hate those little buggars. No way, am I touching them. If I saw a dish on the menu that looked really good, except it had English peas on it, then I should just go ahead and order it as is and leave the English peas untouched on my plate, instead of ordering a vegetable that I do like?