Healthy choices at WDW Tips & Ideas thread

We are healthy eaters. We have family histories on both sides and eat healthy to try to prevent history from repeating itself. Fortunately, we like healthy foods as we were both raised that way and that's how we're raising our son. So, we naturally are drawn to healthy menu choices, even when on vacation. And you can definitely find healthier choices at WDW. Plus, I've never had an issue with a WDW restaurant changing the way an item is prepared when we ask (i.e. asking them to use olive oil instead of butter, substituting something for a cream sauce or serving a sauce on the side, grilling or sauteeing something instead of frying etc.).

That being said, we do cheat when at WDW. We don't pass up dessert if we want it, but try to split a dessert between my husband and myself (our son usually wants his own, but doesn't always finish it). If we want steak, we eat it or if there is something just too good to pass up, we will try it. We just eat until we are full and don't stuff ourselves. If our son has fries with a meal, we might sneak a few, but we don't really like fried foods, so one or two is enough.

To help us stay on course, I bring dried fruits and nuts, protein/whole grain snack bars, healthy 100 calorie snacks and homemade granolas from home when we go to WDW. We snack on these during the day and also use them for breakfast. Also, we order food from Garden Grocer for the room (we stay at the WL and have never had an issue with our food arriving when scheduled or kept at the appropriate temp). Last year, we ordered skim milk, yogurt, fruit, water, and gatorade. It was nice to have these things available to us in the morning for breakfast and also to have water and fruit to bring into the parks. You might want to check out their website (gardengrocer.com) to see if it would work for you. Also, in the mornings, we use our snack credits for whole wheat bagels and peanut butter or some dried cereal. It's a nice start to the day and closer to what we'd have at home. But, of course, we always manage to have a cinnamon roll from the Main Street Bakery for at least one breakfast. And of course, some candy from Goofy's Candy Co. Too good to pass up. But, in all our years of going to WDW, I always manage to return home at the same weight I was before I left. For us, at WDW, the key has been everything we want to try, but in moderation. Good luck with your planning and have a wonderful trip! :goodvibes
 
I'd love to revive this thread. We leave in less than two weeks for a much needed vacation. I don't stress too much about "cheating" when at WDW, but the idea that walking all day keeps the weight off just doesn't work for me. I walk/jog 5 miles a day as it is. Also, I have to manage high BP so eating well in the first place is more important than "walking off those extra calories".

One PP mentioned eating appetizers as an entree. I often use that strategy. I order a salad and then ask them to bring an appetizer as my main course. The portion size is more like what I eat at home and usually less meat-heavy which is what I prefer.

If we stay Club Level it is a mixed blessing. It is easy to get a lighter breakfast rather than eating eggs & bacon every morning. Also, I grab some fresh fruit or veggies or maybe a bagel with peanut butter for snacks throughout the day. I bring lots of plastic baggies on every trip! But having all the good club level offerings can be a pitfall as well. It is hard to pass up the pasteries or evening desserts when they are so easily accessible.

So let's hear what all you healthy eaters out there think! Strategies? Tips? Or just chime in to let me know I'm not alone.
 
I've been thinking a lot about this topic lately as I have been carb and sugar free for the past 2 weeks and would like to continue on until I leave for Disney at the end of the month.

Once there I don't want to go overboard though, just indulge a little and hopefully keep the weight loss going or at least not start adding back! :goodvibes

Kona - they will also do the shrimp and scallop entree baked instead of fried if you request it

Turf Club - the salmon salad there is excellent! Best salmon I have ever had! They also offer fresh berries for dessert, can't get much healthier than that :thumbsup2

We are doing quite a few buffets so I can get salads, fresh fruit, lean protein - while my family can get the other things they enjoy too (potatoes, pasta, fried stuff)

Portion size is key for me so I am solving two problems at once by splitting all of my TS and CS meals with my 9 year old son.

He doesn't like the kids meal choices (although he will still order them and eat them or give the extra to always-hungry DS13) so he will share my meals and get the grown up foods that he likes while keeping me to eating reasonable portions :goodvibes

Great thread! Can't wait to read more ideas!
 
Kona - they will also do the shrimp and scallop entree baked instead of fried if you request it.

Great tip! We love Kona and plan to eat there this trip.

DH and I often split entrees as well, but DS is 12 and can eat like a horse. :rotfl: It is so funny bc DH is 6' & 195 lbs. while DS is 5'3" & 95 lbs. yet he can eat more than both of us combined. Ah, youth...
 

I'm loving this thread...the husband and I have been doing Weight Watchers for a few months now and our weight is finally starting to come off. We plan to have fun in Disney, but to definitely not over-indulge! (just indulge a little bit...I love me some mickey head iced cream! ;) )

My favorite healthy lunch last year was at the Electric Umbrella...it was a grilled veggie wrap that was flavored with hummus. It came with grapes on the side! (That place is usually yucky :sick: but this was yummy!) :love:
 
I had the BEST salad in the World this past June. If I am being honest, it had nothing to do with worrying about eating healthy :blush:, but rather I just wanted something lighter because it was so flippin hot that day!
It was a roasted beet salad from Sunshine Seasons. It had 2 different types of beets (red and yellow) that were roasted...they were super sweet and tender. They were on a bed of the yummiest baby greens. It came with little bits of creamy goat cheese and candied pecans. It had a honey sherry dressing that was fab. Like I said, it may not be the *healthiest* choice in terms of points or sugar...but it felt MUCH healthier than a burger & fries (i won't mention the creamy, yummy key lime pie that I ended my light lunch with.;))
 
I eat healthy myself --- I have a high protein diet, low carb, low sugar. While I am pretty strict at home, going to WDW I want to try and do my best. Keeping this mind, I have a few plans of attack

Breakfast ideas:

If the oatmeal is made with water ( versus milk) that would be great for breakfast, with a side of fresh fruit.

Other things to consider, is if they will make you an omleette --- opt for Egg Beaters / Egg Whites. No cheese in omlettes, just tons of green veggies.

Ordering the fruit plate -- side of cottage cheese...always a good idea.


Lunch:

The Wave -- We have an ADR for lunch, looking forward to the healthy options they have there. The apps sound great -- such as the Lettuce Wraps, The Wave App for Two with seared tuna --- Avocodo & Citrus Salad. As for entrees, the Chicken Sandwhich would be good -- just cut out the bread....same theory for the Veggie Sandwhich.

Tangerine Cafe -- Seems like the veggie platter is a great option. Or the chicken wrap... would have less carbs than the Shawarma Platter

Other options --- for table service (perhaps even counter)... Opt for a Ceasar Salad.. minus croutons, dressing on the side, and have them toss in Chicken or Shrimp for protein. I usually ask for lemons on the side, on squeeze that fresh lemon juice on my greens, to limit the amount of dressing I use.

Dinner --- I usually always opt for fish, where it is grilled, and anything where they can ( or will ) serve vegegtables on the plate. I always try to add 'green' to the plate where I can!! So for me, I usually find myself ordering Halibut, Salmon (for the omega 3s) and scallops...

Hope this helps !!!
 
Great ideas! Keep them coming.

We have ADR's at The Wave. Like the PP said, we are looking forward to the good, fresh food they offer there.
 
This is a terrific thread! I love these ideas. I also realize it is vacation and do allow myself more "treats" than in my everyday world however, I don't want to go overboard! I enjoy eating fish whenever I can because my family does not enjoy it so when we are away its easy for me to have at dinner almost every night. Coral Reef makes a great mahi mahi dish. Not sure about calorie count or anything but its not fried and it is delicious!:thumbsup2
 
this thread is terrific! :thumbsup2 i do weight watchers but was planning on kind of just letting go on this upcoming vacation. BUT after checking out this thread, i will eat healthy but then splurge from time to time ... with all the walking i will do .. i deserve some treats! :goodvibes
i normally just eat cereal for breakfast while im there but have a nice hearty lunch
 
I'm a fruit lover, and have been wondering if the CS/snack fruit at WDW is any good. (You know, not like the mushy, bland $.60 applies you can pick up by the cashier at a college cafeteria.) If I'm paying $1.00 per apple, I expect it to be at least half-way good, you know? I have heard the fresh pineapple spears at Aloha Isle are usually good.. I may get one with my fave Dole Whip for dunking. :love: But what about the apples, oranges, and grapes? (Bad bananas are rare, fortunately!)
 
I'm a fruit lover, and have been wondering if the CS/snack fruit at WDW is any good. (You know, not like the mushy, bland $.60 applies you can pick up by the cashier at a college cafeteria.) If I'm paying $1.00 per apple, I expect it to be at least half-way good, you know? I have heard the fresh pineapple spears at Aloha Isle are usually good.. I may get one with my fave Dole Whip for dunking. :love: But what about the apples, oranges, and grapes? (Bad bananas are rare, fortunately!)

I had a granny smith apple in tomorrowland at the little fruit kiosk outside of space mountain last year and I can honestly say it was an amazing apple. I usually don't get red apples because I find they can get mealy and grainy very quickly and it's hard to tell from feeling the outside. it was nice and cold since it was sitting in a basket on top of ice and crunchy! I even commented on it a few times. not sure if i loved it so much because my body was just craving healthy food but it was good! :)
 
I enjoy this thread as well and appreciate all the tips. While I am not currently dieting (though I should be... my choices and my portion sizes are horrid) I found when I last went to Disney that I felt horrible. I soon realized that a lot of it was from eating too much! These suggestions will allow me to make lighter choices while there next year and hopefully my energy will be better too!
 
We will do 1 TS per day not more because they are expensive and filling.

We will have cereal/skim milk/fruit for breakfast.

My children and I will share an ice-cream.

We will get several fruit cups instead of sweets for snacks.

Drink a lot of water or sugar free drinks.
 
When we went to WDW last fall, I had worked hard to lose 70 lbs over 18 months by eating healthy and giving up sugar and refined starches/processed food, and I was determined to not undo my hard work. I decided ahead of time that one treat a day would be okay, but the rest of the time I'd stay on plan as much as possible.

I have to have a big breakfast with protein, that helps me to stay on plan the rest of the day. We had a condo, so most mornings I'd scramble some eggs and make oatmeal, but we ate at buffets a couple of mornings and I was always able to find those things there. Oatmeal is easy to pack, and if you have a microwave it's a snap. Even if you just have a fridge, if you mix it with milk in the evening, it's yummy cold in the morning, with yogurt and fruit if you've got it. For snacks I carried nuts, string cheeses, protein bars, Lara Bars, and those sugar-free protein drink mixes you add to water, that I brought from home. I was worried I'd end up eating chicken Caesar salads for every meal, but I was pleasantly surprised to find lots of options. I remember having yummy salmon at the Coral Reef, fish and ratatouille at the Garden Grove, and they had a killer sugar free chocolate mousse dessert (I admit I had two of those), and a burger without the bun at Cosmic Rays, which I loaded up with fixings from the bar, along with kids' applesauce, which does not have added sugar.

I'd have my Mickey bar or whatever once a day, and by the end of the week I had lost another two lbs! As an added benefit, I felt great, had lots of energy, and didn't get those "ickies" from stuff my stomach wasn't used to.

This is a great thread - I thought I was the only one that tried to keep healthy at WDW, but it's fun to see everyone's ideas.
 
Does anyone know if the baked potato cart in Liberty Square (across from the Haunted Mansion) is still there? There was a small covered area by the exit from the Hall of Presidents where there was a fruit cart and a baked potato vendor. You could dress your potatoes up several ways, I remember making a healthy lunch out of broccoli, a little cheese, and a potato. I'm wondering if the options have changed or if the cart is still there?
 
Does anyone know if the baked potato cart in Liberty Square (across from the Haunted Mansion) is still there? There was a small covered area by the exit from the Hall of Presidents where there was a fruit cart and a baked potato vendor. You could dress your potatoes up several ways, I remember making a healthy lunch out of broccoli, a little cheese, and a potato. I'm wondering if the options have changed or if the cart is still there?

I don't remember seeing it last summer when I was there, but I wasn't aware it existed so I might have overlooked it. I'd be interested to hear from someone on this. DH loves baked potatoes and always gets one from the vendor at our weekly farmer's market.

Anyone out there have the answer???
 


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