Eating Healthy in WDW...possible?

[disney0704]

Im a health nut I was wondering if there are healthy options for snacks and stuff on the menu?

 

[solferino]

I think it can be done- especially if you take the time to look at the menues posted here http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/dining.htm to get an idea of what's available and making plans based on that.

 

[Aimros]

I know there is a lot of places you can get fruit as snacks...I love fruit, so getting it is just as good as ice cream to me. For example, on our last trip while boyfriend ate a Dole Whip, I had a pineapple spear...so good!

 

[Pixiedust34]

Many of the counter service places offer carrots or grapes as a side instead of french fries.

 

[nbodyhome]

I'm doing the free dining this year - I don't eat as much on property otherwise, unless it's to get a slice of pizza or something quick (I like kids meals also because they have the applesauce and grapes).

I do plan to ask for my meats to be cooked in olive oil instead of butter if possible. If that can't be done (I don't see why not, though), then at least less butter. Disney isn't very good at giving out nutritional information - which I would like to have (to know how much sodium, etc. also is in dishes). There are options that seem healthier than others, so you can get by. I would say to go ahead and bring any healthier snacks you may like from home (or get them at the grocery after arrival).

 

[Anie87]

I must say, good for you for eating healthy while you're there! I'm definitely known among friends and family to be a health nut. I hardly ever venture from salads with vinaigrette dressings on the side or salmon, fruit, veggies, etc... But the one thing I'm looking forward to most (Okay, second after the rides/entertainment!) in WDW is kicking that out the window and having one week without counting calories or eating only salads! Fried foods and desserts, here I come!

 

[suzimar57]

here at home, for me, it's all fruit, veggies, whole grains, lots of water, fish and (sometimes) lean meats

so....

when i go to disney, bye bye healthy food!

bring on the good stuff!

(because once i'm home again, it's back to sensible eating!)

 

[shesellschevys]

Im a health nut I was wondering if there are healthy options for snacks and stuff on the menu?

Which resort will you be staying at? We just returned from the Wilderness Cabins at the Fort Wilderness Campground - the fully equipped kitchens enabled us to to cook a nutritious breakfast and we alternated between making our own lunches and dinners. Bringing our own groceries (from Canada!) made a lot of sense AND saved us time & money.

This way, the occasional meal "out" wasn't killing our diets. When you're on vacation, you have to sort of 'pig out' every now and then.

One place we found some really great lunches were the 2 waterparks: Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach - if you get the chicken wraps there, you can't go wrong and the kids meals came with red seedless grapes and a side of veggies & dip!

HTH, Janette

 

[Vijoge]

Im a health nut I was wondering if there are healthy options for snacks and stuff on the menu?

Absolutely! The first time we went to WDW I was on a very strict diet due to gallbladder disease. There were plenty of healthy items to choose from and I never went hungry or felt deprived.

 

[scanne]

I would love to be able to stick to my healthy eating plan in WDW, but I do find it difficult. I just love cheeseburgers and I indulge in them very infrequently. However, I do find all the fruit stands and snack on fruit while in the parks. I've seen all kinds of fruit - apples, oranges, pineapple, grapes, watermelon, bananas, strawberries. I also think Disney is trying to offer more healthy options to its guests. One thing that helps for us is that we stock our hotel room with healthy breakfast items like Cheerios and yogurt. That way, we don't eat the heavy, greasy breakfast foods like eggs and breakfast meat.

I hope I can make better choices this year...I have to remember how good the salads are and try not to go for that darn cheeseburger!

 

[MissMet]

you definitely could do it, but WHY?

Just kidding.

Coming from someone who's "dieting" 80% of the year, I couldn't do it. What's WDW without a turkey lug, dole whip, bacon cheeseburger, chocolate crepe, EVERYTHING at Cantina de San Angel, mickey ears, 'Ohana...

...and the list goes on.

 

[nbodyhome]

I've lost 80 pounds (over 4 years) and I do allow myself some extras on any vacation. In Paris (a few weeks ago), each morning I had a pastry. But I did make sure to eat plenty of fruit, and not to overeat on too much other junk. At Disney I do a LOT of extra walking, biking, etc. - just as on any vacation - so I can afford extra calories. I just like to make sure a lot of it's healthy too (better fuel for all that exercise).

Each person is different. I stock up on fruit and healthy snacks when I'm staying elsewhere. I don't diet, I just try to eat mostly healthy and stay active.

My personal stash in Paris (the boxes are squeezable pouches of applesauce, and much of that came home with me):

And what was across the street:

I can't wait to go back!

 

[MickeyNicki]

I think so, there are fruit and veggies snacks at all the parks now, lots of salads on the CS menus.....

 

[Cool-Beans]

Very possible. I have traveled with all kinds of people and you can pretty much eat any way you please. I went with a friend who is a Vegan - no meat, no dairy - not even a muffin, because it has milk in the batter - and she did great.

I eat almost nothing that is good for me while I'm there, but if you want to, you can!!!!

 

[The Sweetness]

IMO, if you **want** to eat healthy, you can. ANYWHERE. Whether you are at Burger King, 7-11, a 4 star restaurant, or walking around the MK. If you look for healthy ops, you will find them. Its all in the choices you make

 

[rohan]

At Epcot in the American section they have salads w/grilled chicken that are very good. And some of the Japanese area eateries have very healthy food. But at any of the four parks you can find salad. But bring with you healthy snacks with you so you don't get tempted by the good stuff. We bring our own breakfast, like fat free muffins and fruit. And then we eat later in the day so we eat at only one place (having something good) and then eat sandwiches when we get back to campground for dinner. That way we feel we are not eating bad all day. But you should have some fun & splurg at least once a day. You walk all the time while at the parks. Have fun.

 

[nbodyhome]

For me, it's impossible to eat as healthy out as I do at home. Disney can do healthy really well when they want to - I was at a conference there (4 nights) in December 2005, and they had steamed veggies, meat not overdone in butter and sauces, very fresh salads with plenty of cucumbers, carrots, etc. I was like "why don't they do this in the restaurants"?

When I do free dining in September, I plan to see if they can make dishes more healthy. But it will never be as healthy as what I cook here, because I don't add extra salt, I broil chicken with olive oil, steam a lot of different kinds of veggies, and make bread with mostly whole wheat flour. I don't eat a lot of salads normally, there are a lot of salads that have more fat and calories than a larger burger.

Anyway - I hope Disney does better with this in the long run, I think they are trying anyway. I like the soups in the Land, but they may be high in sodium/calories, I should ask if they have recipe cards.