Nutritious quick service

[TreeFalls]

We are going in September and have free dining. I am super-excited about all the food options (I love to eat!), but I am also afraid we are all going to get sick with too much rich food. I have scheduled big buffets many days, so I think our Table service meals will be large and calorific. Now I need some ideas in my head for quick-service.

So what are your favorite options for healthful quick service- things like veggie-based dishes, entree salads, non-fried, low-meat foods?

Thanks!

 

[loves to dive]

In Epcot Tangeriene Cafe in Morocco
In MK Pecos Bills
In HS there used to be a veggie sandwich at Backlot Express not sure if it's still there
In AK fried rice (which is technically classified as a snack but enough for a meal for me) at Yak and Yeti.

Just as an aside, almost all of the QS offer fruit and most offer some sort of salad.

 

[tony67]

Sunshine season in Epcot had a really good goat cheese and roasted beets salad - looks like that may be gone but they have a lot of other somewhat healthy options
There are several healthy options in the bakery in Norway as well - Norwegian Charcuterie, Norwegian Chef Salad and a Fisherman’s Tasting Box

many are meat/fish based but healthier than say a burger and fries

 

[KrazeeK120]

I tend to get kid's meals at quick service places. The portions are smaller, and the sides are often fruit, yogurt, etc. They also include milk or water as the drink. They also have "Mickey Check" meals, which meet certain dietary requirements (although I'm not sure what the requirements are).

 

[happymommy]

Paying out of pocket, I would agree with kids' meals (although years ago, they were so much less expensive than they are now). I find many times it is more than enough for a meal for me, and the adult meals are way too much food. Often my DD and I share a meal, each get a drink (or most often water, iced tea sometimes) and are totally full!

That being said, OP is on free dining so may as well get a regular meal.

One way to not overstuff yourself is to share meals.

I agree that Tangierine Cafe in Morocco has a good vegetarian platter - I enjoy that. Magic Kingdom at CHH has salmon with steamed broccoli - real food!

Many, many places have salads, and I usually ask for dressing on the side so it's not swimming in it (I don't like much dressing).

You can browse menus on Disney's website or www.allears.net (look under what's on the menu).

I miss that many years ago, they had Boca burgers for the veggie burger at Restaurantasaurus, and then they changed their veggie burger (and bun - to one that fell apart) and it wasn't as good. I like veggie burgers over beef ones, but not sure how good they are now.

If you're in Japan at Epcot and want a light lunch, they do have sushi rolls (they're not great, honestly, but sometimes that's all I want). You can get a side salad instead of dessert with it, or miso soup.

 

[patclairesmom]

Columbia Harbor House in MK has a great Tunafish sandwhich.

 

[disneysteve]

One of our favorite things is the hummus platter at Sunshine Seasons in the Land. It's in the grab and go case. It has regular and red pepper hummus, tabouleh, and cous cous salad along with pita bread. Yum. They also have tabouleh pinwheels (little wraps) in that case. Sometimes they have veggie sushi though they didn't have it last week when we were there.

Cosmic Ray's (MK) has a veggie burger and a great toppings bar.

Not vegetarian but I think the chicken fajita platter at Pecos Bill's (MK) is one of the best CS meals on property. You may be able to get it without the chicken. The toppings bar has salsa and really good guacamole to go with it.

 

[writergirlpam]

We were at Sunshine Seasons about a week ago, and one of my favorite meals was the chicken, rice and black beans. My daughter got a kids meal of a chicken leg, rice and grapes. We were ready for something a little healthier. Also, at our resort, they had both make your own salad and make your own pasta, both of which could be made pretty healthy.

 

[disnut8]

Lotus Blossom Café in China at Epcot. Friendly order takers (they have photos of the meals), fast service, hardly any crowds. I love the pot stickers (not fried) and my husband devours the orange chicken.

 

[TreeFalls]

Thanks so much, I put all these on my list to look out for when we are hungry.

 

[kastoney]

Sunshine seasons has some great and healthy options. I had a beet salad there a few trips back and it was oh so good. Columbia Harbor House also has the lighthouse sandwich which has hummus and broccoli slaw and is delicious. I've also enjoyed the chicken salad at Flame Tree

 

[kreckl]

Great thread!

 

[disneysteve]

I thought of another good item though I haven't had it recently. The Asian salad at the ABC Commissary at DHS. You can get it with or without chicken.

 

[aristocatz]

Sunshine season in Epcot had a really good goat cheese and roasted beets salad - looks like that may be gone but they have a lot of other somewhat healthy options
There are several healthy options in the bakery in Norway as well - Norwegian Charcuterie, Norwegian Chef Salad and a Fisherman’s Tasting Box

many are meat/fish based but healthier than say a burger and fries

I loved that salad! Is it really gone?

I like the sandwiches & salads at Columbia Harbour House & Be Our Guest in MK.
Another great light option is the Katsura Grill in Epcot/Japan.

 

[MrsJobba1]

Great thread

 

[TigerlilyAJ]

This thread is very helpful. I hope people get more ideas for parks other than Epcot.

In Epcot Tangeriene Cafe in Morocco
In MK Pecos Bills
In HS there used to be a veggie sandwich at Backlot Express not sure if it's still there
In AK fried rice (which is technically classified as a snack but enough for a meal for me) at Yak and Yeti.

Just as an aside, almost all of the QS offer fruit and most offer some sort of salad.

That's so great to hear about the fried rice being a snack. My DH is diabetic and doesn't really eat sweets. We have free dining in December, and I have been wondering about finding savory snack credits for him. Any more snacks that are not sweet or liquid?

 

[katt789]

Magic Kingdom:

-Columbia Harbour House: salmon dish, I sub the cous cous for extra brocoli, and it's delicious, esp for a QS salmon, I loved it!

-Salads there were good, but not fantastic, but that was a few years back, they've probably updated them since!

-Pecos: get a burrito, take away the shell, hit up the toppings bar for all the veggies & guac, and you've got an amazing and delicious bowl of awesome!

-Diamond Horseshoe (when/if it's open as a QS) has awesome salads with tons of meat!

-Cosmic Rays: has a "pasta" salad thats actually a delicious spinach salad with a few pieces of tortellini on it, super yummy! Also has choices like roast chicken with green beans!




Epcot

-Sunshine Seasons: ALL THE THINGS, seriously, all the fruit, veggies, lean protein, this is your heaven for healthy delicious meals at Epcot, or even just Disney all together! So many choices, and they're all amazing. I used to come here before/after work or to grab a meal on my break!

-France has some decent salads too! BUT they are a little too pricey for my taste now.

-Morocco: the vegetarian platter here is my favorite, it's not SUPER filled with veggies, but it's filling, and good for you and delicious!

-Norway: has an AWESOME open faced smoked salmon sandwich! I'm sure you could add on a side of salad or fruit/veggies that come with the kids meals


DAK

-The little refreshment stand outside of the safari has pre packed fruit & veggies you won't find elsewhere, and fruit & cheese plates for a reasonable price, I love the fresh watermelon here!

-Harambe market has some skewers that are good protein sources

-The new place over by EE has a DELICIOUS shrimp mango slaw/salad thing. Super tasty, 2 really big shrimps and shredded veggies/fruit.

-Flame Tree has amazing portions of proteins with either fruit, green beans, or some kind of veggies on the side



DHS

-ABC USED to have an amazing salmon quinoa salad, and it's honestly the only place I can think of having something decent in DHS qs to eat....I'll usually go there, they've got at least one healthy dish on the menu. Everywhere else seems to be pizza/burgers. I did get a kids meal from the boat dock thing last trip and it was decent, turkey sandwich on wheat bread with a side of apples/carrots and water



-Art of Animation's food court: has AMAZING choices, it's not worth the trip by itself, but if you're staying there, or staying at Pop, we would go over before the parks, or take the bus back there and walk back to Pop with delicious food. The choices are way healthier (even multigrain pasta) and they've different than other places, which is a huge added bonus

-Coronado Springs QS has "build your own salads" that I believe are $10 and you can add as much protein as you'd like, I'm talking, eggs, chicken, steak, you can have it all and it doesn't cost any extra!

-Over at the Swan/Dolphin there's a QS that's open 24 HOURS A DAY, and it's similar to chipotle, build your own burritos, again, sans shell, add extra veg and you're golden

**Sidenote since this is copy & pasted from similar question post. For vegetable based meals, you can also add a few sides together to create a meal at restaurants instead of ordering an actual meal!

 

[disnut8]

This thread is very helpful. I hope people get more ideas for parks other than Epcot.

At the Studios, our favorite is Fairfax Fare down Hollywood Boulevard. 1/2 slab or ribs, 1/2 chicken or a combo, BBQ pork sandwich. The first time we ate here, husband got the sandwich, I got the 1/2 chicken. We had maybe an hour since our FastPass time for Twilight Zone had just opened up. Let's just say that in future visits, we have to have at least an hour and a half until we have to be anywhere because that 1/2 chicken for me takes me a loooooonnnnnnngggg time to eat. It's like a Perdue chicken on steroids. Never has disappointed at all. Nothing fried here either.

 

[Stefecatzz]

My personal favorites:

Epcot

Salmon entree w/mashed potatoes & green beans (once I got a seasonal side of asparagus in November which was really good in place of the green beans) from Sunshine Seasons; YES - I remember reading it had been confirmed that the beet & goat cheese salad is no longer being served there BUT there IS HOPE bc I came across this on the Crew's Cup Lounge menu as an app:
Farmer's Market Salad
Roasted Beets, Strawberry, Caramelized Red Onion, Spring Greens, Almond Granola, Honeyed Goat Cheese, and Sun-dried Cherry Vinaigrette
$8.00

Veggie Platter from Tangierine Cafe

The menu at Contempo Cafe is a pretty good one overall, as well as AoA's Landscape of Flavors


HS

Backlot Express has a Chicken Salad & a Caprese Sandwich. They did have a really good grilled veggie sandwich which I no longer see on the menu but you can always ask when you're there if you're interested..you never know


AK

Flamtree BBQ has a really good Smoked Turkey Sandwich (sliced turkey breast, not deli meat!) w/a side of fresh melon; they added a Watermelon Salad to their menu recently that I have not yet had but if it's as good as the one they have at F&G (or is it F&W?), I'm in! They also have a Roasted Chicken meal

MK

As others have said, there is a Tuna Sandwich, a Salmon entree & also a Hummus Sandwich at CHH
Cosmic Ray's has a roast chicken entree (which I've read can be easily split between 2 people)

 

[soniam]

I just recently tried the broccoli peppercorn chicken salad at Columbia Harbor House in MK. It had a lot of broccoli and good lettuce. The chicken was nice, lean, and flavorful. It did have a ranch dressing though, but it was really good. It said cheese, but I didn't find much.