Not just vegan but free S.O.S - HELP!

[Prinsessdai]

I’ll be going to WDW next week and I’m a new vegan and trying to make sure I stay on my program which is a vegan plant based program free S.O.S = no salt, no oil, no added sugar. Now I’ve found a lot of sites and ideas that makes me feel confident that I’ll find vegan choices wherever I go in Disney but the SOS free I’m not so sure.
Do you think at sit down restaurants the chefs would be accommodating of this? Has anyone tried to do this? Any tips or ideas?

I’ll be dining at:
- BOG dinner
- Mama melrose
- skipper canteen
- coral reef
- Hollywood and vine

Thanks!!!

 

[MamaJessie]

I’ll be going to WDW next week and I’m a new vegan and trying to make sure I stay on my program which is a vegan plant based program free S.O.S = no salt, no oil, no added sugar. Now I’ve found a lot of sites and ideas that makes me feel confident that I’ll find vegan choices wherever I go in Disney but the SOS free I’m not so sure.
Do you think at sit down restaurants the chefs would be accommodating of this? Has anyone tried to do this? Any tips or ideas?

I’ll be dining at:
- BOG dinner
- Mama melrose
- skipper canteen
- coral reef
- Hollywood and vine

Thanks!!!

I know nothing about the SOS way of eating but feel like eating at a buffet might be extremely challenging? No experience, just a thought.

 

[Dug720]

Besides plain salad, I honestly don't see a lot being salt and oil and sugar free.

 

[Dakota731]

Might want to bring food from home or have a grocery order delivered. You could possibly do plain salad at Hollywood and Vine though wouldn’t be worth the money.

 

[kaytieeldr]

They can probably do something for you at any table service restaurant, but I can't see the food having much taste.

 

[SantaDuffy]

Sounds awful. Maybe they will let you pick some grass

 

[Miffy]

The salt-free part is going to be the biggest problem here. Oil is next. Sugar is more avoidable.

I'm picturing a lot of steamed vegetables and salads without dressing. Will that be okay with you?

No bread or pasta (salt in both), no sauces (almost certainly salted and maybe with oil), no dressings (oil + salt and maybe even sugar).

Is there any way you can scale back for your trip, do just vegan and then get back on your program when you get home? It's actually pretty easy to do vegan at WDW--I'm vegan, so I have personal experience with this--but the rest of your requirements are going to be difficult to completely fulfill.

The only other thing I can suggest is, like a PP said, bring your own food. Also, don't eat at restaurants. And, just for vegan alone, I wouldn't recommend Coral Reef. In fact, of your choices, Mama Melrose is the only restaurant I frequent, and I order off the menu--they'll make a pasta with marinara sauce . . . but . . . it's definitely got salt in it and probably oil. BOG? That restaurant, at least the one time I was there, was probably the saltiest meal I've ever had maybe anywhere, but certainly at WDW.

For vegan food choices, btw, check out Vegan Disney World--but this isn't going to help you with your other qualifications.

I don't know if this helps you at all, but I understand how important your food choices are to you. If they take priority, then work out the particulars.

 

[smiths02]

Honestly, eating at any restaurant anywhere in the real world would be challenging with that diet.
Plain steamed vegetables, plain fruit, plain baked potatoes or sweet potatoes (although many restaurants put oil or salt on these in the baking process), maybe rice (although they probably add salt to that)
Many breads or baked goods are going to have added salt or sugar (or eggs)
Any legumes are going to have salt

I would echo others that I would personally do vegan and then avoid big culprits for the others...no sweet treats, no turkey legs or pretzels (so much added salt), no fried food

If you are seriously committed, please order some food from a grocery delivery service. Getting protein and fat will be extremely challenging at these restaurants if you stick to that diet (nuts and legumes and soy products will almost certainly have added salt)

 

[holden]

Avoid restaurants if you won't eat salt/oil. I think you'll have to make your own meals.

 

[Farro]

Sounds awful. Maybe they will let you pick some grass

I have to agree, this a really extreme way of eating.

Sorry OP, but you are asking for way too much. To ask a chef to not use salt? You are asking him/her to prepare a plate of food with zero taste and that is asking a LOT from a chef.
Good grief, all these requests have to be starting to annoy chefs. Allergies and medical conditions are one thing, but these types of requests are another ball game entirely.

Better off just buying fruits and veggies on your own.

 

[MainMom]

I have to agree, this a really extreme way of eating.

Sorry OP, but you are asking for way too much. To ask a chef to not use salt? You are asking him/her to prepare a plate of food with zero taste and that is asking a LOT from a chef.
Good grief, all these requests have to be starting to annoy chefs. Allergies and medical conditions are one thing, but these types of requests are another ball game entirely.

Better off just buying fruits and veggies on your own.

I have to agree. Unless my food needs were due to an allergy I would not be bothering a chef with them. I would choose something from the menu that was as close as possible to how I like to eat or bring my own food if I was that devout.

 

[LilyWDW]

Good grief, all these requests have to be starting to annoy chefs. Allergies and medical conditions are one thing, but these types of requests are another ball game entirely.

I even feel bad about asking and I do have allergies and a medical condition that require me to avoid some things!

OP, I have to agree with others. This is asking a lot and may not be feasible. You will be paying a lot of money for bland food.

 

[Mome Rath]

Hmmm... if you just want to stay on this diet on your own, I'd recommend what others are saying; bring stuff from home. In the parks the only things I can even come up with are mainly fruit. Bananas, pineapple, melon, oranges, etc... You can find some places that have carrots and celery to dip into hummus, but the hummus probably has oil and salt. You can find hard boiled eggs at some hotels. In short, no I don't think you'll find much of anything at those places, it's way too restrictive of a diet for prepared meals in public. The only other thing to see is if they serve a baked potato and eat it completely plain, even then it might have butter/salt/pepper on the outside.

ETA: One idea is to bring in your own salad dressing, and order plain salads then dress them yourself.

AND this is the closest info to help that I've seen as well; WFPB at Disney

Editing again to add; Yes, I'm well aware that eggs aren't "vegan" lol, that's not the context of my answer, please reread my comment, and the follow ups, including the OP's follow up.

 

[GinnyBear's_mom]

I am about 90% whole food plant based so I understand your way of eating. As with any allergy or dietary change make sure you let the chef know what you CAN have, not just what your limitations are- you need to give them ideas. Ask about plain steamed veggies, crudite, salads without croutons or dressings, brown rice pasta, unsalted nuts and fresh fruit. That is probably what you will be eating over and over again at these restaurants. You can ask for plain rice but it is often pre-made with oil added, same for baked potatoes. You will not be at the restaurant long enough for them to cook a batch of oil free rice or oil free baked potatoes.

I think you *might* be able to have gluten free pasta. They frequently use Tinkyada brand which has the ingredients brown rice and rice bran but their brands can and do change without warning.

You will probably be most disappointed at Be Our Guest as well as Hollywood & Vine. You will pay quite a bit at Be Our Guest since it is fixed price for dinner and wind up receiving very little in value as they have a limited menu. Hollywood and Vine is a also a set price regardless of how little the chef can make for you. Be sure to find ways of getting the protein and nutrients that you normally receive from beans and various veggies on your own by ordering some groceries to be delivered. I'm sure you have a carefully crafted way of eating at home and it will be disrupted at Disney even just from a nutrient standpoint.

Best of luck!

 

[Farro]

I am about 90% whole food plant based so I understand your way of eating. As with any allergy or dietary change make sure you let the chef know what you CAN have, not just what your limitations are- you need to give them ideas. Ask about plain steamed veggies, crudite, salads without croutons or dressings, brown rice pasta, unsalted nuts and fresh fruit. That is probably what you will be eating over and over again at these restaurants. You can ask for plain rice but it is often pre-made with oil added, same for baked potatoes. You will not be at the restaurant long enough for them to cook a batch of oil free rice or oil free baked potatoes.

So my issue with this - if you are choosing to eat this way not due to an allergy or medical condition, but rather a lifestyle choice, then you need to go to establishments that prepare food in this manner if you plan on eating out. Since when do we go to restaurant and ask the chef to make us something that isn't on the menu and quite frankly would be out of the norm for most chefs, just because that's the way we choose to eat?

In OP's case (unless it's for a medical/allergy reason, but sounds more of a lifestyle choice), people shouldn't encourage her to ask to speak with the chef about making her a special meal. She can just order plain, steamed veggies, or plain rice/potato (whatever she can eat), but she should not be expecting to speak with chef about making her something off menu.

And maybe that's what the OP plans in the first place, just ordering and not speaking with chef, requesting something special. It may get boring, not having many options, but you will be able to find something.

I think no oils may be the hardest...

 

[kaytieeldr]

You can find hard boiled eggs at some hotels.

Good idea, but not vegan.

 

[GinnyBear's_mom]

So my issue with this - if you are choosing to eat this way not due to an allergy or medical condition, but rather a lifestyle choice, then you need to go to establishments that prepare food in this manner if you plan on eating out. Since when do we go to restaurant and ask the chef to make us something that isn't on the menu and quite frankly would be out of the norm for most chefs, just because that's the way we choose to eat?

In OP's case (unless it's for a medical/allergy reason, but sounds more of a lifestyle choice), people shouldn't encourage her to ask to speak with the chef about making her a special meal. She can just order plain, steamed veggies, or plain rice/potato (whatever she can eat), but she should not be expecting to speak with chef about making her something off menu.

And maybe that's what the OP plans in the first place, just ordering and not speaking with chef, requesting something special. It may get boring, not having many options, but you will be able to find something.

I think no oils may be the hardest...

Once all of the dietary restrictions are listed the server will most likely get a chef anyway since the server is not aware of all of the ingredients in every dish. Disney does cater to various dietary lifestyle choices not just allergies and diabetics. Many people are paleo, keto, low sugar, etc. While it may not be your preference to eat that way, there are lots of people who do. Some do it for immediate health benefits to avoid going on medications while others do it for long-term benefits such as decreasing their risk of heart disease or weight loss.

No one does vegan plant based no oil, no salt, no added sugar because they just want to save the animals. It is health based.

 

[Farro]

Once all of the dietary restrictions are listed the server will most likely get a chef anyway since the server is not aware of all of the ingredients in every dish. Disney does cater to various dietary lifestyle choices not just allergies and diabetics. Many people are paleo, keto, low sugar, etc. While it may not be your preference to eat that way, there are lots of people who do. Some do it for immediate health benefits to avoid going on medications while others do it for long-term benefits such as decreasing their risk of heart disease or weight loss.

No one does vegan plant based no oil, no salt, no added sugar because they just want to save the animals. It is health based.

We will have to agree to disagree. Of course it is health based, they all are. But it's still a choice. It's not celiacs, it's not Crohn's, it's not food allergies.

I have no issue with people eating the way they want. I also am a healthy eater. But I go in knowing what I can and can't have and if the menu doesn't fit my needs, I go elsewhere. Of course you can ask to leave ingredients off of a menu item - no cheese, switch a side (which they may or may not be able to do), but I would never ask for something to be made especially for me that wasn't on menu, which is what I thought people were suggesting.

 

[bumbershoot]

Is there any way you can scale back for your trip, do just vegan and then get back on your program when you get home? It's actually pretty easy to do vegan at WDW--I'm vegan, so I have personal experience with this--but the rest of your requirements are going to be difficult to completely fulfill.

That’s what I would do, that’s for sure.

And, just for vegan alone, I wouldn't recommend Coral Reef.

Even for an ovo lacto vegetarian like me I’d avoid that restaurant.

Since when do we go to restaurant and ask the chef to make us something that isn't on the menu and quite frankly would be out of the norm for most chefs, just because that's the way we choose to eat?

Since Disney is so wonderful about helping people, that’s when.

No one does vegan plant based no oil, no salt, no added sugar because they just want to save the animals. It is health based.

I absolutely agree.

 

[Farro]

Since Disney is so wonderful about helping people, that’s when.

Give an inch, take a mile, right?