Healthiest food options? I need help!

[todzwife]

We leave in a little over a week and I haven't had sugar or grains in weeks. I'm afraid if I add them back in I'll be very sorry...I need HEALTHY options. Who has the best salads? Grilled chicken etc. Thanks!!!!

 

[ParkHopper1]

Eating healthy is doable with the right choices...unless your will power completely breaks down! I try to eat healthy and avoid grains at the park just so I don't feel like crap the whole trip. Here are some of my favorites:

BBQ Chicken Stuffed Baked Potato from Harbour Galley
Chicken and/or asparagus skewers at Bengal BBQ
Chicken Nachos from White Water Snacks
Citrus Fire Grilled Chicken from Rancho del Zocalo
Fresh Catch of the day at Riverbell Terrace
Quarter Chicken at French Market
Mediterranean Skewers at Paradise Garden Grill

 

[whoever]

A BALANCED diet is HEALTHY. Sugar and grains are part of a BALANCED and HEALTHY diet. Now that I've dispelled with the healthy vs. not thing, if you want to go straight paleo or something, just grab a turkey leg now and then.

 

[LisaT91403]

I like the Field Greens salad at Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta in DCA. I get it without the blue cheese, and add chicken. Yum.

The Vegetarian Chopped Salad at River Belle Terrace is okay...I add some carved turkey to it.

 

[avalovesminnie]

I had a dinner salad at Flo's that was good. Also the salad at Rancho Zocalo was tasty. If all else fails bring your own food.

 

[corinne76]

Following this! While I agree that a balanced diet is healthy, I also try to avoid refined sugars and grains because they spike my blood sugar and I feel like crap. I also have allergies to dairy, gluten, soy, eggs and almonds. So my idea of a healthy diet for me probably isn't the same as someone else who has no issues.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Avoiding grains at DLR is easier than avoiding refined sugar since sugar can hide in so many things, like sauces and condiments. Given the context of eating at a theme park, Disney does a pretty good job of offering healthier options (i.e. healthier than the options at other theme parks). But, understandably, they are still catering to the majority of guests who don't follow special diets. You can study the menus on allears.net to see what your choices are, then ask to see the ingredient binder at each dining location (there should be one under the counter) to make sure you won't be in for any unpleasant surprises. Lastly, always bring in something portable that you know you can eat so that you have something in case of emergency.

 

[ebenmax]

I've been scouring for organic items at DLR and keep coming up empty. I too do not have sugar, gluten, dairy, soy, corn. I will eat brown rice but that is the only grain. If you don't need organic if seems like there are many meat and veggies offerings. Plus, I know WDW will alter entrees to fit your needs. Hopefully DLR will accommodate you as readily.
For now, I'm planning to shop at Whole Foods and attend a farmers' market...bring in my own meals and hope to find a surprise on a menu or two.
I think you will be fine!! The DISers will give you great advice! Wishing you the best!

 

[agamble]

Agree about the hiding sugar, it's in most prepared food, which is what Disney will be using. My mother is gluten free (not siliacs) and whenever she "indulges" she has a bad reaction, something you don't want while on vacation.

What about Mexican? There's a place at both parks. They both offer salads, and I believe they have enchiladas where you could eat the meat and toss the tortilla. I also had the salad at Flo's (it's turkey), and it was good. There are a lot meat and veggie options where if there's bread it's just a side you could toss or give to your traveling companion.

 

[Epek]

Jolly Holiday had some yummy salads, but the sugar content might be too high for you? I feel like they're healthy, but I don't know for sure.

 

[Pinocchio #1 Fan]

Earl of Sandwich at Downtown Disney has some great salads. If you take the monorail over it's just a few short steps from the Downtown Disney station

 

[todzwife]

Thank you to those who gave helpful ideas. I'm not going to be worrying so much about hidden sugars in meat this time around I'm just hoping I can find veggies for each meal. I like salad but not twice a day! I am going to do a bun free hamburger at hungry bear- and treat myself to sweet potato fries... And I remember the chicken at Cocina cucumunga was good.

 

[dreamseeker9]

I've been reading reviews and searching for more fruits & veggies. Here's what I've found so far (to be put to the test when I visit in June!):
DCA - Flo's V8 Cafe - citrus turkey salad
DCA - Fairfax Market - fruits and healthy snacks
DCA - Pacific Wharf Cafe - Sonoma chicken & apple salad
DL - Tiki Bar or Tropical Imports - pineapple spears
DL - Hungry Bear - Big Al's chicken salad
DL - Jolly Holiday - quiche, salad
DL - Toon Up Treats - fruits and healthy snacks
DL - Cafe Orleans - Crescent City salad
DLH - Trader Sam's - chicken lettuce wraps, shrimp tacos
GCH - Storytellers Cafe - lobster Cobb salad

No clue about sugar content. I'm sure at many table restaurants, you could ask for them to substitute veggies for rice or potato.

 

[SplashMo]

The French Market in Disneyland is my standby for healthy like food. With a park hopper you can eat there even when in DCA for the day. The food is a bit adult (not likely to please young kids). However you can all eat at the French market tables and bring food from more than one place... For example the Salmon is not Wild, etc... But you should find salmon and a salad. Check the menus before going... You should also be able to get a cheeseburger without a bun at most places..

 

[GenGen22]

They have meat skewers and veggie skewers at Bengle BBQ, also they have fruit stands with fresh fruit in both Disneyland & CDL

 

[rms123]

We were successful doing whole30 there a few months ago. We did send an email to the allergy line (I do have true allergies as well so please don't bash) and made reservations at table service for lunch and dinners. Our best meal by far was at cafe Orleans. The veggie ragout with blackened chicken. The chef had made a sauce just for us with no sugar in case we ordered it. Carthay circle was also not bad - steak salad. Not as successful at carnation or storytellers. Carnation we had a bunless hamburger with an egg. Storytellers I had a plain piece of fish and plain veggies. They made no effort to dress them up with spices.

 

[beachdreamr1229]

Just wanted to point out that a lot of the salads, which some people consider healthy, run around 900 calories or so. For a salad. Unless of course you ask for it without the dressing and certain toppings.

Anyway, it's difficult to find food at DLR that's completely healthy. It would help to know if you're paleo, if you have certain food allergies, and what your definition of "healthy" is. That being said, the Bengal BBQ kabobs are good, there are plenty of stands with fresh fruits, and I agree with others that you can go to a Mexican restaurant and ask for no tortilla (but, most of the meats are cooked in sauces, which probably have refined sugars or something else you shouldn't eat in them).

I'd bring your own food honestly. Then you don't have to worry about it.

 

[SplashMo]

I have a similar eating style... At DL I avoid grains but allow sauces (with their sugar) and a dole whip or two. Of course sauces can be made with flour in the base and most have sugar. But that is what I do... The French Market seemed to have the least compromises. For Minnie's Character Breakfast I had the omelet chef make two omelets.

 

[jina]

All the table service restaurants we've been to let us order several sides of different kinds of steamed veggies to go with teh entree that DH and I split. Usually it's stuff like broccoli/broccolette, spinach or a mixed veggies kind of thing. Just ask your server what they have. The counter service ones don't have much in terms of real veggies (unless you count lettuce and corn) but as the others have posted we've had luck at the mexican places at both parks as well as the asian rice bowl place at DCA although their "extra veggies" was sort of a mixed slaw that didn't have much nutritional value. I'm also gluten free but can eat the other allergens. The one "unhealthy" but still fun meal we had was at Hungry Bear where we split a burger (no bun - I'm not a fan of Udi's and prefer bunless), a chicken salad (not much in terms of nutritions veggies in there either but it was tasty) and sweet potato fries. But we've eaten very healthy by doing the split an entree and order 2 sides of veggies routine. Stay away from Character breakfasts - lots of grain, lots of fat, lots of meat. But fun once in awhile (DD is 5.) although Iv'e found the chef's at all the table service places are very willing to work with you to get you what you want.

 

[Gisele]

Eating healthy at a theme park? What's that mean?