Healthiest options?

[JerseyBallerina]

Eating is one of the best parts of going to Disney in my opinion but one of my friends is very healthy and is strict about her diet. She is already complaining about our choices for restaurants becuase the food sounds too "fatty".

She is very concerned about her weight because she used to be morbidly obese and she has lost over 100 pounds over this past year. She is constantly worried about gaining her weight back and it is always a topic of conversation.

What would you suggest for healthy meals, or even snacks, so I can assure her that she won't gain 50 pounds the week we are there?

Thanks!

 

[pammy1027]

Please tell her not to worry..... There is plenty of food available at the counter restaurants even at MK that she can eat and not feel guilty. Try Pecos Bills chicken wrap or salad- they are both yummy! I too lost over 70 lbs. and thought I would have problems there. Every restaurant we dined at had healthy options. Plenty of protein to be found and she can watch her carbs and fat just by asking the waitstaff to prepare something a little different. She's probably already used to doing that anyway.

The good thing is that even if the meal has a few extra fat grams in it, the walking will help her take care of that.

Please tell her congratulations for me and all of you have a wonderful/magical time at WDW!!!

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

Assure her that with the amount of walking she will do in the parks, she would have to aet three desserts every night to gain weight. The stick to it and walk, walk, walk walk, walk. I have never gained weight at WDw, even eating out for most meals. You get more excersise at Disney than any other vacation.

By the way, there are plenty of great restaurants with very healthy food. Even some of the counter service places have turned the corner on simply having high fat, high carb, high calorie junk. You can even get carrots in place of fries in some places like the aformentioned Pecos Bills.

HBC

 

[crisi]

Almost all restaurants have "healthy" options. I hate talking about "healthy" food because some people will think "healthy" means a vegetarian diet, or one that has no processed foods, others want grilled chicken and vegetables, some want a salad, others are low-carbers who are just looking for someplace where bread and potatoes aren't mainstays, still others go looking for simply "balanced". I'd encourage her to review the menus at www.allearsnet.com for the restuarants you've chosen - as well as other restuarants - she can always break from the group if the Biergarten buffet is going to be too tempting.

As has been mentioned, you can sub in carrots (or sometimes fruit) for fries at most (perhaps all) counter service restaurants. As diverse as the opinions on health food are, I've yet to hear anyone claim that french fries are healthy. Likewise, although counter service places list "meals" on their menus - you can skip the side completely and get charged less. Finally, if she is truly picky, talking to the waitstaff - or even calling ahead - will generally results. Once she has looked over the menus, the rest of the party should be open to a few vetos. There are probably restuants which may be difficult for her to enjoy (Alfredos for a low-carber, Biergarten for a vegetarian).

 

[Margie J]

First, congratulations on the weight loss your friend had. That is quite an accomplishment.

Looking over the menus as suggested is a good first step in planning for your friend. Also, all park guides have an apple symbol next to restaurants with healthy &/or vegetarian options. Each park has fresh fruit and water as snack options instead of cookies, ice cream and soda. In restaurants you can ask for sauces and dressings on the side. Chefs will adjust entrees if possible to lower fat and salt content, for example if you ask initially.

Here are a few suggestions:

snacks
- fresh fruit in all parks
- flavored ice in Japan/Epcot
- small soft serve cone (no dip) in all parks
- half a plain hot pretzel (share the other half), mustard is ok too

quick meals
- veggie burger or grilled chicken sandwich, no mayo and a side of carrot sticks
- Kit Carson Salad at Pecos Bills in MK
- Sushi at Japan/Epcot
- Shish Kebob and cous cous at Morocco/Epcot
- lots of healthy meals/snacks inside Wonders of Life/Epcot

in restaurants
- sauces/dressings on side
- tomato instead of cream sauces on pasta
- sorbets instead of cakes, creme brulee and other heavy/fatty desserts
* Boma (flavors from spices not fat)
* Jiko
* Spoodles
* CA Grill
* Ohana (meats are grilled, salads served, fruit dessert, you control portion size)
* Marrakesh/Epcot
* Tusker House/AK