Healthy Food - Will You Still Go?

[mickeymousemom]

The same article ran in the Dallas paper. It said that parents have the OPTION of choosing healthy meals, but they can still get fries and soda for their kids if they want to. Wendy's and McDonald's are doing the same thing now. I like having a choice. We will probably get veggies and fruits sometimes and fries sometimes just like we do at home. Why is everyone so upset about this?? I am clueless !

If you've read any other threads on this subject, you'll know that guests who've just returned state that, for the most part, no substitutions were allowed. The whole deal here is that it seems that there just isn't any variety. If you were on vacation would YOU want to eat at Wendy's or McDonald's every night? I don't think so.

And to answer the question....IF they cut back dramatically on the "good" stuff and I only had food fit for a rabbit to eat, then yes...things would change for us. We'd just eat offsite.

 

[fabshelly]

I see these "healthy" foods are still full of carbs and sugar. Ugh.

Ridiculous. Ever since the low-fat garbage started, Americans have reached an all-time high in obesity levels.

Can NO ONE do the math?

 

[love~disney]

We don't go to Disney for the food. I actually like that their looking at healthier options for people. My family can only deal with fried foods for so long.

 

[thirtycats]

Disney officials announced Monday that any food products that use its company-branded characters must follow guidelines placing limits on caloric, sugar and fat content.

Disney said it will eliminate trans fats (which have been linked to increased risk of heart disease, diabetes and other illnesses) from food served at its parks by the end of 2007, and from licensed and promotional products by the end of 2008.

Total fat will not exceed 30 percent in main and side dishes, 35 percent in snacks.

I think this sounds so wonderful.

I just hope Disney can provide lots of CHOICES and DELICIOUS food. Healthy doesn't have to mean boring. And healthy doesn't have to mean ultra-rabbit-food-healthy. I'm sure most of us don't want to eat steamed veggies and celery on vacation.

But I doubt Disney would do that to us. The only people who'd continue to vacation there (and buy the food) would be those on strict health diets.

I really think more options are the key. One thing that comes to mind is breakfast. It seems like most fun breakfast meals (pancakes, french toast, waffles) come with a choice of bacon or sausage.

What if you also had a choice of vegetarian bacon/sausage, scrambled egg whites, a fruit bowl, etc.

 

[jwfla422]

I WELCOME healthy foods at WDW. I'm always looking for something "light" and it's real tough to find anywhere in WDW. Yes, I'm on vacation, but that doesn't mean I have to come home weighing 5 lbs more than I did before I left!

I would love to have a Mickey bar but I just can't get myself to eat an ice cream bar with 23 grams of fat (or is it more). Sure they're delicious, but I bet a Mickey "Light" ice cream bar with a lot less fat would be good too!! Some of the counter service places have all fried stuff and maybe 1 semi-healthy item. If you don't like that healthy item you're pretty much out of luck!

At many of the sit-downs I end up having an appetizer and a salad instead of an entree. I've done the 4 course meal and just can't seem to enjoy being on vacation feeling sick to my stomach because I overstuffed myself...especially after a $100+ meal.

I certainly don't mind dd tasting new semi-healthy foods either. She actually had her first salad at JIKO 2 years ago. They had salad on the kid's menu, what a great idea. Ever since, she loves to order salad now. For a kid who doesn't eat much veggies, it sure opened a whole new door.

 

[TDC Nala]

I don't care about the park snacks. I do care about the adult menus in the restaurants.

If they take all the good stuff off of those, I'm going to Vegas.

If they just eliminate trans fats, well okay. But if you order a pizza at Mama Melroses and it comes with lowfat cheese...ugh ugh ugh

And the natural fats are more expensive so the prices will probably be going up, and WDW is getting too expensive even for me to handle. Eating offsite isn't an option without a car...and they've suckered me in with their airport transportation.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I think that if these meals were offered across the board IN ADDITION to the existing kids menus at restaurants

While I think these meals ARE being offered IN ADDITION to the existing kids menus at restaurants http://disboards.com/showpost.php?p=15070362&postcount=26

it's the implication that

Um, no, really it's 'the assumption that...'.

Can NO ONE do the math?

I'm really good at math, but even I can't 'do the math' without numbers. You provide the numbers, I'll do the math

 

[deekaypee]

There are two different topics going on in this thread.

There's the topic of Disney restaurants providing healthier meals by eliminating transfat. Even french fries do not need to be fried in hydrogenated shortening (transfat), so this doesn't mean the end of french fires or fried seafood. Beyond that, I hope the Disney's chefs will make a real effort to develop and identify healthy options. As I noted earlier in this thread, that doesn't mean an end to tasty appetizers, entrees, desserts, and snacks.

Then there's the topic of children's menus. Providing healthier options is a good thing. Standardizing the children's menus across restaurants is a bad thing. Even most kids don't want the same limited choices day after day.

Thank you for your concise and insightful contributions. This post, I think, nicely synthesizes the issues and the posts.

I'll keep going as long as it is delicious healthy food!!

And there are a lot of choices.

[...]

Here's what I wish for the new and improved Disney Dining

1. More fresh fruit. [...]
2. A children's menu with at least 10 different healthy choices on it.
3. Get rid of trans fat items
4. Smaller portions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [...]
5. Cook food in healthier ways. [...]
6. More vegetarian options!!!! Vegetarian does not have to equal boring.

Ditto to all this post!

And to respond to the OP, which is really a hypotheticall "all or nothing" kind of scenario--there's no way Disney's getting rid of all its junk food...if Disney were to offer healthier options, even at the expense of junk food, I'd be tempted to go MORE often.

That said, I really do believe that, in the long run (and probably in the short), Disney will offer more variety and not less. Since I started going to the parks, Disney has increased its vegetarian and vegan options; began offering fruits, vegetables and yogurt at the snack carts; and started including spicier dishes on menus. I see this as another market-based decision, one which responds to cultural conversations about children and obesity. Disney will tweak and refine its operations, based on feedback they get from guests--so WRITE them--and keep what works for guest satisfaction and corporate profit.

But my perfect (Disney) world, what works would be more organic foods, whole wheat products, soy products, tofu, as well as smaller portions and less sugar, salt, fat, etc. It would mean more attention to guest with dietary restrictions and allergies. It would mean, as a catch-all term, healthier food. There would be junk food available--or treats, depending on what term you prefer--but for meals, all meals, children's and adults' alike, the DEFAULT choice would be the healthier option. We'd have to request soda, fries, and ice cream. (I understand guests who have visited recently are saying there are no substitutions being allowed in some places, so I'm making a case that substitutions and options be available.)

After all, I don't begrudge anyone their Mickey Bars and Dole Whips. I just want my carrot sticks!

 

[Laura]

I think this sounds so wonderful.

I just hope Disney can provide lots of CHOICES and DELICIOUS food. Healthy doesn't have to mean boring. And healthy doesn't have to mean ultra-rabbit-food-healthy. I'm sure most of us don't want to eat steamed veggies and celery on vacation.

But I doubt Disney would do that to us. The only people who'd continue to vacation there (and buy the food) would be those on strict health diets.

I really think more options are the key. One thing that comes to mind is breakfast. It seems like most fun breakfast meals (pancakes, french toast, waffles) come with a choice of bacon or sausage.

What if you also had a choice of vegetarian bacon/sausage, scrambled egg whites, a fruit bowl, etc.

Being vegetarian, I asked for no meat with my sweet potato pancakes at Boatwright's and they gave me fruit instead. Of course, the pancakes weren't exactly low-cal!

Vegetarian bacon and sausage isn't all that, I can tell you. They can taste weird. And while they have less fat and no cholesterol, there's usually tons of sodium and weird chemicals. Scrambled egg whites would be okay.

 

[The Sweetness]

I certainly wouldnt pay $$$$$$$$ to stay onsite and buy the DDP (as well as paying rack for the priv. of buying the DDP)

 

[catherines_mama]

Yeah we'll still go.. just wont look as fwd to the meals. I'm not AS excited as I was about eating at some places (Mainly for my DD), but at the same time. now instead of getting her a kids meal, I might get more food for me and share with her.

 

[pooh2001]

Per the DIS web news (10/18/07)...
"Disney's new guidelines cover three areas: food licensing and promotions aimed at children, food served to children at the parks and resorts, and trans fats. Beginning this month, kids' meals served at the company's U.S. parks and resorts will automatically include applesauce or carrot sticks as a side dish instead of French fries, and juice, low-fat milk or water instead of soda. Fries and pop are available on request.
The company aims to remove trans fats from Disney menu items by the end of 2007, and have outside vendors remove trans fats from menus by the end of 2008"

My kids love applesauce and carrots (some are teens ). They hardly touch the frech fries at fast food places. They also prefer milk and water to soda.

Per the article - you STILL CAN GET the FRENCH FRIES &/or SODA if the child wishes.

So YEAH to new menu options !
No need to pay extra for water, if the above article is true.
And us parents are happier with no fries - so are our kids.