Should I bring my own bread for my kids w/ peanut allergies?

[momsavealot]

Seems like many prior posters say that Disney chefs state that the bread served with many of the meals comes from off premises and cannot verify if it is safe. Has anyone else brought in their own bread for the TS meals?

 

[Selket]

From our experience the buns for hot dogs and hamburgers have been peanut/TN free. At most places they could not guarantee the rolls were safe or specialty breads.

We never have brought bread though - usually there are enough other starches available to fill that need - pasta, rice, potatoes, etc. Or there are breaded items like chicken nuggets.

If you have the situation where your child is picky and mostly eats bread then it might be a good idea to bring some so that you have variety other than buns.

 

[momsavealot]

Yes, my DS is a picky eater and sometimes when we go out to eat, it's a relief to be able to at least fill them up on bread. So, when I started to hear that the bread was off limits, I got worried. Looks like he may be having chicken nuggets all week!

 

[mechurchlady]

If your kid is happy with bread from home then bring some with you. Disney cannot guarantee that something is vegan, kosher, or allergen free, for example, unless prepared on site. Disney could face a lawsuit if they served food that caused a reaction even though it was the manufacturer's mislabelling that was why the food looked like it was vegan, kosher, allergen-free etc. It may be the same bread, cookies, cooking oil as you use at home but Disney is not going to risk being blamed for an accident beyond their control.

Check with the chefs and go to FAQs for the people to write. If he is really picky the chefs may make something special for him. Filling up a kid on bread is not healthy as far as I am concerned. All this week I have been kicking myself for not going to WDW instead of another place as WDW seems to be one of the safest place for me to eat.

 

[momsavealot]

If your kid is happy with bread from home then bring some with you. Disney cannot guarantee that something is vegan, kosher, or allergen free, for example, unless prepared on site. Disney could face a lawsuit if they served food that caused a reaction even though it was the manufacturer's mislabelling that was why the food looked like it was vegan, kosher, allergen-free etc. It may be the same bread, cookies, cooking oil as you use at home but Disney is not going to risk being blamed for an accident beyond their control.

Check with the chefs and go to FAQs for the people to write. If he is really picky the chefs may make something special for him. Filling up a kid on bread is not healthy as far as I am concerned. All this week I have been kicking myself for not going to WDW instead of another place as WDW seems to be one of the safest place for me to eat.

I already know that filling a child up on only bread is unhealthy and I already know the reasons why Disney cannot guarantee their bread, but thank you for your input. I guess my question was poorly worded b/c I was mostly looking for whether people have brought in their own bread or were also thinking about it (or the off chance that someone would report that Disney now makes their own bread and I don't even have to worry about it).

 

[Selket]

I understand the bread thing. The last thing you want to do on vacation is end up with food struggles.

My son with allergies is also a type 1 diabetic so it was always very important to us - especially when he was younger (6 now - 3 when he first visited WDW with the allergies and diabetes) to make sure there were things at every meal we were sure he would eat. Well....at 3 yrs old he was totally into hot dogs and that is what he wanted for every meal at WDW. So...I arranged hot dogs. No one can sing the nutritional praises of WDW hot dogs! (now he can't stand them - LOL!)

I will suggest two things: when you call to make your ADR's be sure and note the allergies. I'm sure you made ADR's already - make sure the allergies are noted. They should have given you a # for the restaurants (if not you can call back and get it). Call those #'s for each and discuss with them two things: #1) the bread - can they arrange for safe bread other than buns for his dinner??? stress that he really likes bread and #2) if dessert is important and he is picky about it (my son was) - request a safe dessert you think he will like. Some places only had tofutti (though he isn't dairy allergic - but it was peanut free) - he hates tofutti and at some ages he wouldn't eat ice cream at all. This is important for any TS place where you plan for the family to eat dessert. They see all the great choices WE get and they sit there with a little bowl of toffuti and are .

If there are items besides bread that your child will always eat then talk to the chefs about that as well. I was able to get hot dogs at restaurants that do not usually serve them if I arranged it in advance. Items like that were easy for them. Some veggies (like corn, tomatoes, etc) he would always eat I requested them too so they had plain versions on hand - they weren't always on the menu.

I would say definitely bring the bread - and maybe a small cooler if needed to keep it fresh. I know there was a place or two that made their own bread and he was able to eat it but I cannot remember where.

Have a great trip!!

**I edited to add that be sure and look for Divvies at the parks and some resorts. They have a peanut/TN free chocolate chip cookie that is great! We got those and carried them to restaurants where we couldn't get a decent dessert. They also sell safe jelly beans and caramel corn. I know the Main Street Bakery in the MK carries them.

 

[momsavealot]

Thanks Selket,
I already have the allergies noted on our ADR's and I have the #'s for the restaurants. When do you think I should call the restaurants? I'm leaving in a little over two weeks and I'm wondering if closer to the date would be better. How far before your ADR's did you call about the hot dogs? Thanks for the advice about the Divvies, the kids love them and I can at least bring those around the park and to our TS meals as a special treat/dessert. You can never get used to that look of disappointment on your kids' faces when they see they can't have the "good stuff" at the restaurant - breaks your heart! That's why I'm trying to prepare as much as possible!

 

[antree]

My DS has PA/TNA bring the bread nothing will be said. I wish I thought of that I will for our Nov. trip. We just returned and they do tell you the bread is not safe. I never really cared about it because my son never asked to have the bread. Until this time he wanted to know why is the bread not safe, why don't they have bread for him?
The Chef's will make anything you ask for, call at least 48hrs before so they can have everything on hand.
I didn't think of it until I read your post. I wonder if they could eat the Gluten free rolls? They do have them at the resturants. I don't know if my son would eat it but I am going to try next time.
We were at CP and my son won't eat anything so they asked him what he wanted and he said waffles. So they made them but the Chef made Gluten Free waffles and he wouldn't eat them. I tasted it and I didn't blame him, I don't know why they did that. He can eat the regular waffles.

They also sell Gluten Free Browines that are safe and my son LOVES them. He ate 1 everyday I had to fight with him because he would eat them all day if I let him. They sell them at the Bakery on Main Street for $2.50 they are with the Divvies stuff. I don't remember who they were by.

Back to your question, I have bought food in to many of the resturants for one reason or another and there were no problems. Everyone at the table was ordering except maybe my DD who didn't want to eat there for her reasons or because my allergy son.

Have a Great Trip.

Maria

 

[Selket]

I probably started trying to get ahold of all the restaurants about a week before. This was when they actually gave you the # to the restaurant. Now, if the restaurant is in a park, you get a central #. Like all the MK restaurants are at one # and all the Epcot at one #, etc. You don't actually get to talk to the chef. I think this is good cause of less phone calls but bad in that sometimes my requests did not seem to make it.

I think you will have to follow-up with the person you get. If you get Brenda Bennet herself on the phone - she is great. She always passed along the info and got the chefs to call me back if I needed it. I sometimes had specific questions - I would look at the menus of the restaurants ahead of time and ask if this or that was safe, etc. Or make my requests through her.

Crystal Palace has always been great. Boma is THE BEST but ONLY if you can get Chef TJ - he is da bomb. He is the best chef on the property if you have food issues. I would eat at Boma every night if I could get him. We might actually stay there next time if he is still there just to get him. Other good places have been Le Cellier, Rose and Crown, Mama Melrose, Biergarten (we always go there), and the French restaurant.

We have faired better more recently with desserts but not always. Sometimes we arrange with him in advance something he really wants that is safe - like something from the ice cream carts (mickey bar, itskadoozie).

The Mickey waffles, in our experience, are safe - so that is weird that gave gluten free ones! I am guessing that the gluten free bread would not appeal. At the diabetes conferences we attend they have a special section of the buffet that is gluten free (because there is a higher incidence of celiac among type 1 kids/adults). That stuff happens to be peanut free so we are allowed to take from it, but the breads I've tried were never that good to my taste - nor did my son like them. The desserts were better - cookies and the like. That reminds me of them giving my son tofutti - they knew it was nut safe but because it wasn't made with dairy he did not like it -was not used to it.

 

[laughinplace199]

DD (peanut and tree nut allergic) was able to eat the rolls/bread at Brown Derby every time we've eaten there, most recently, Apr '07. They make it onsite.

Also, the same was true for the rolls at 1900 PF dinner, but that was a few years ago.

At CP dinner last Aug, the chef made DD some rolls in the kitchen and brought them to our table. The rolls on the buffet were nut-free, but the baskets they were in are used for all different types on breads and therefore, could have been cross-contaminated.

As for desserts, DD usually has vanilla ice cream. A few places have had the Divvies chocolate chip cookies too (WCC, Boma, and Tusker House).

Have a great trip!