Help me with dining options for my SPD/picky eater daughter!

[Tara D]

My daughter is an extremely picky eater. She has sensory issues and also hates all meat except chicken I am looking at our reservations and it looks like she is going to be eating pizza and chicken nuggets our entire trip.

She will eat:
peanut butter sandwiches (no jelly)
chips
dry cereal
yogurt
plain toast
chicken nuggets
fries
cheese pizza
applesauce
apples
pears
bananas
carrot sticks
celery
corn
craisins/fruit leather/dried fruit
granola and Nutri Grain bars
rice krispie treats
toasted ravioli (its a regional thing so I doubt anywhere at WDW has it)
tacos
rice
ice cream

ummmm.... that's about it Any ideas of restaurants where she can find something she likes OTHER than pizza or chicken nuggets? I saw that some places have PBJ sandwiches but will they make it without jelly or are they premade?

Our ADRs are:
Akershus lunch
CHef Mickey breakfast
Crystal Palace Dinner
CRT lunch
Tusker House breakfast
Hollywood and Vine lunch
Le Cellier lunch

We only have one ADR each day so the rest will be QS meals. If someone could help me think of ideas I would appreciate it. Also, can I bring in dried fruit or a Nutri Grain bar or something to restaurants or is that a huge no-no?

Thank you all for your help. This is the first time for DD to go there eating table food and I am a little nervous about it.

 

[jandersonlj]

I would buy a plastic sandwich keeper and take a loaf of bread and peanut butter. A hungry child is not a happy child!! I would rather know that she would have food she would eat. Better safe than sorry!! I would also take snacks that she likes. You never know she might try new things in the "magical" Disney environment!!

 

[brown1442]

We brought food in with us to several places... both TS and CS and no one EVER said a word. To be honest I am not even sure they noticed. My son has multiple food allergies and autism (thus a picky eater too) so I brought desserts with us. No one ever questioned. I think you'd be fine.

There are a couple of CS places that had Fruitabu (fruit leathers) available as a dessert. I am trying to remember where we got those... I want to say it was Cosmic Rays in MK and Flame Tree in AK.

Most places had fruits as an option... sometimes it was only one or two options but they all had something. My son REFUSES to eat grapes and still was offered other fruit options at every CS and TS place. He did eat a lot of apples and melons though Many CS places had Lays potato chips (safe snack food for my son) so those will be easy to find.

You'll be fine at all the breakfast buffets.

I think you'll be surprised... Disney does a GREAT job accommodating just about any diet. Just stick with the Disney owned places and you'll be fine.

 

[Quin]

ummmm.... that's about it Any ideas of restaurants where she can find something she likes OTHER than pizza or chicken nuggets?

1. Well, chicken nuggets and pizza are about the only 'entree' items you listed, so I'm not sure what other types of restaurants you are looking for.

2. I think you are wise to choose several buffets where the options will be most plentiful, so that she might be able to get some of the 'side items' or desserts that she will eat as well.

3. If anything, most people complain that the kids meal selections at too many restaurants (both CS and TS) don't consist of much beyond chicken nuggets and cheese pizza. So, again, she should do OK at a lot of restaurants; you could chose other options that appealed more to you and DH if you wanted, so long as her primary choices are on the kids menu.

4. Fries, apple slices, apple sauce, and carrot sticks are particularly common with CS kds meals at WDW, so that should help you out. And rice krispy treat Mickey bars are a time-honored tradition in most bakery outlets there.

 

[julie4423]

I'm a little confused, too. The only other entree you have is tacos. The QS at Epcot has fantastic tacos, but I'm not sure if she'll eat them as they're more traditional.

All of the other things listed seem like sides, snacks, or desserts. You can find pretty much all of them at WDW at either QS or snack carts.

 

[bmraar]

Most of the QS restaurants that serve PB&J actually have uncrustables, so they won't work. Plaza at MK makes PB&J to serve, and they have ice cream sundaes for dessert. I have a picky 14 year old who has minor sensory issues (she won't eat anything slimy, so no fruit/yogurt/pudding/etc). I would encourage her to look at the menus herself in advance, and help pick the restaurants, then try something new (baby steps though). Our daughter tried the BLT soup at the Dine In Theater at HS. She loved it, and is now on our must-do list. Buffets are good-- personally we have been scared to try Akershus though. Flame Tree BBQ at AK has a baked chicken leg kids meal which I have eaten myself, served with sides of grapes and carrots. You may want to try the picnic in the park option there too. In Epcot, Sunshine Seasons Food Fair has a ton of variety, all fairly healthy, and you are sure to find something to please everyone in the family. Oh, my daughter also loves the smoked turkey legs-- not too much of a stretch from chicken, and a bit healthier than chicken nuggets and pizza.

Good luck!
Kim

 

[Singinglizzie]

When you make your ADR's, you can indicate that you have a daughter with special needs and you would like to bring in her own food or will need help with her dietary needs, i.e. something off her list. I believe many of the Disney chefs will work with you if they know in advance. Have fun at Disney.

 

[Tara D]

When you make your ADR's, you can indicate that you have a daughter with special needs and you would like to bring in her own food or will need help with her dietary needs, i.e. something off her list. I believe many of the Disney chefs will work with you if they know in advance. Have fun at Disney.

Crud, should I call them and add that info to my reservations? They've all been made like 155 days ago

To those who commented that I didn't really list any entrees... yeah, you're right! The only one I left off is grilled cheese. Basically she doesn't eat any entrees. She eats meals made of side items for the most part. I guess my question should have been "can I find enough of these side items to put together meals for my DD?"

Thank you for the info about the fruit and the rice krispie treats. That is also a good idea about bringing a sandwich container and PBJ. Especially for Akershus, that's the one I am really nervous about! I didn't think of that because I am so used to not bringing peanut butter anywhere (nut free preschool, etc). And I will just bring tons of snacks like fruit leather and Nutri Grain bars and stuff to bring in to the restaurants.

 

[TDC Nala]

I kind of hope you're not on the dining plan, because I don't know about putting together side items for a child on the dining plan...all you can do is ask. Buffets are your friend for wider selection.

 

[patsal]

Just to be certain I would bring a loaf of bread and the new single serve peanut butter. I'd put a slice or two of bread and a plastic knife in a square sandwich container to bring everywhere. At least you can try to find something, but if nothing works you can supplement with what you have. As simple as PB is to make you may wish you had some with you.

 

[Lady SnowElla]

To those who commented that I didn't really list any entrees... yeah, you're right! The only one I left off is grilled cheese. Basically she doesn't eat any entrees. She eats meals made of side items for the most part. I guess my question should have been "can I find enough of these side items to put together meals for my DD?"

http://allears.net/menu/menu_pin.htm
Pinocchio Village Haus is a counter service located in Magic Kingdom.
It is cool & a little dark in here so is a great place for youngsters & parents to get a little rest while they eat. They have a wonderful, old time grilled cheese sandwich here that actually has the imprint of Mickey on the bread. As I recall we were able to get apple slices, small yogurt, and bottle water with the sandwich. It does take a little longer to prepare as it is a genuine grilled cheese not a pre package.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

If she's not picky about bread, most places will sell you a plain hamburger bun. You can bring Jif Singles and make your own PB sandwiches. At TS places, just order two plain pieces of white bread. You can also order a cheeseburger with no meat and the bun toasted. It kind of resembles a grilled cheese.