Small Eater Woes

[Minkishly]

I'm a small eater and on my previous trips to USA, I've usually only ever finished half a normal serving size. Are the serving sizes at WDW more or less consistent or does it differ based on the restaurant?

We'll be eating at a couple of a la carte restaurants (BoG Lunch, Spice Road Table, Sci Fi, perhaps Le Cellier). Would it be frowned upon if we order just one entree and maybe an appetizer / soup? I feel a little cheapskate doing this, but it is an expensive vacation and I'm loathe to waste any food or money due to my small appetite.

 

[nursejackie]

I don't think there are any hard and fast rules regarding this, except you probably wouldn't be able to order off the kids menu, if you didn't have any kids at the table. Our 9y/o sometimes wants something off the adult menu so we do order a kids meal then swap.

We do not partake in the dining plan for this reason as it encourages people to overeat. We also avoid AYCTE meals and buffets, except the odd character breakfast for the experience. I never cease to be amazed how much food people bring back to their tables at these breakfasts.

 

[bumbershoot]

BOG lunch/dinner is nice for getting smaller amounts of food; our first time there was dinner and DH and I each ordered a salad and soup. Ah, perfect. Next time there I was hungrier so I got the veggie quiche with salad AND soup, because we were there for a rundisney event and I needed to eat. Otherwise the quiche and salad would have been perfect.

I think that there are a differences between serving sizes at different places, so pay attention to reviews.

 

[MaleficentRN]

Unless you are at a buffet restaurant, you CAN order off the kid's menu. You can split an entree or just order an appetizer at a sit down restaurant. No rules against it. And the beauty of Spice Road table is that they have tapas or small plates. Perfect for a 'Small Eater". Enjoy!

 

[loves to dive]

I'm a small eater and often order off the kid's menu at QS, well always order off the kid's menu at QS. At TS I tend to order an appetizer and a soup or salad. My grown son and I have been known to split an appetizer and an entre as well if we just aren't all that hungry.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Yes, you will be fine. I sometimes will order two appetizers so I can have a salad and then something small as an "entree". Especially at a place like Spice Road Table where they have "small plates", I will typically order two and even share those with my table mates.

 

[disneyseniors]

OP, I feel the same way, and am slightly concerned that the portions will be too big. I have spent 2 years to lose a lot of weight, and my appetite is now small, like yours. I think I will follow the excellent advice on this board, and order kids meals or appetizers and salad. I don't want to mess up all that hard work, and I don't want to overeat just because it costs so much and I don't want to waste food. Nice to be able to eat a smaller child's meal

 

[crabbygal902]

You can spend your money any way you like except at a buffet or AYCTE restaurant. We often will go to a signature restaurant to get a couple appetizers and maybe a salad and share them as our meal. It is a great way to cut costs and the quantity of food. In many cases, I think the apps are better than the entree menu.

 

[kiford]

Sometimes I just order two appetizers or 1-2 appetizers and a salad and split some of the appetizer with DH. It depends on how hungry I am. The size largely depends on the restaurant and the dish you're ordering. We've been enough times that we're relatively familiar with portion sizes at our favourite restaurants so are able to order accordingly. We also eat only breakfast and dinner and make sure to leave a lot of time in between and don't typically snack during the day. I think the only buffets we've ever done are for breakfast (usually Captain's Grille and Fresh Mediterranean Market) so we don't tend to eat huge portions. You could also look into a late lunch/early dinner when the lunch menu is still available as sometimes lunch portions will tend to be smaller.

Also the thing I like about having multiple appetizers and no entree is that sometimes I'm not that keen on the entrees but the appetizers all sound so good. That way I also get much more variety in my meal which I prefer. We're not doing Spice Road this time but I'd like to do that next time - it sounds ideal not only for the small eater but also for the person like myself who prefers a variety of smaller dishes. It's also possible to do that at a buffet but they all tend to be high priced and usually character meals which isn't to my taste.

 

[happymommy]

I hear you! I find the portions quite large for most things at WDW. My DD also cannot eat a lot in one sitting. Since she and I go more often together now, we have gotten used to sharing many meals! It's never been frowned upon at all!

For lunch at BOG, first time we tried it, we were on the Quick Service Dining Plan (for free), so we each got a soup (instead of dessert) and a sandwich, plus a drink. We left half our sandwiches! Second time, we each got a soup and shared a sandwich, and still couldn't finish all the food.

We find it more fun to share an entree and then maybe an appetizer as well.

No one will bat an eye! And yes, most meals are just too much for me, so I get it.

 

[disneyAndi14]

It is just fine. My daughter and I are small eaters, we share all the time at Disney, no problem!

 

[elaine amj]

When eating lightly, I share an entree or just eat one appetizer. I do this at home too. 2 apps would be a pretty big meal IMO. But then, I am a short 5ft woman and maintain on just 1700-1800 cals a day. Its not much at all *sigh*

 

[TeresaWen]

I would not consider ordering from the kids menu a good option if you are only looking for less food but still want to eat well.

Splitting, ordering appetizers, soup & salad are better options unless you are looking for Disney kid type food. Children's meals are not small versions of adult meals.

My husband and I often share and / or get appetizers. Disney seems to encourage over eating whenever possible.

 

[Mrs. Inc]

I hear you can order an entree without the side...i.e., sandwich with no fries. Haven't tried that before, but will definitely be trying that this trip.

 

[figment_jii]

I often split an entree with one of my family members at the a la carte restaurants and we haven't had any problems. Sometimes they'll split the dish in the kitchen, other times they'll bring out a second plate (it depends on the chefs, the restaurant, and the item ordered). Of the places you mentioned, I've shared an entree at Le Cellier. You cannot "share" at buffets (e.g., Chef Mickey), AYCTE (e.g., 'Ohana), fixed price (e.g., CRT), and dining packages (e.g., F! Dining Package).

(You didn't mention being on the DDP, but just in case, Via Napoli does not allow "sharing" on the DDP - each person must order their own entree and use a credit. If you're paying OOP, then you can share as much (or as little) as you'd like.)

 

[Minkishly]

Ooh thank you all for such helpful replies! You've definitely set my mind at ease. I think we'll stick to sharing an entree and getting other things like appetizers and dessert to "pad" things up.

 

[fifthdimensiondweller]

You could absolutely just get an appetizer at a table service, and at quick service I'd order a kids meal!

 

[sleepydog25]

Add another voice to the chorus of smaller meals and shared plates. We enjoy eating out at Disney, but the prices are bloated by most standards, and since we don't eat a lot to begin with, we're able to cut costs by sharing. There are many places that offer appetizers that can stand in for an entree or even small plates. For example, we love to do just the bread service at Sana'a with a nice glass of wine. We sometimes opt for a cup of soup or salad to go with it. Il Mulino offers small plates, and that's a smart way to sample a couple of options while keeping portions and costs smaller and lower. We also enjoy Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar as it's casual, tapas-style bar with comfy seating--think couches, loungers. Excellent wine list, small plates of pasta, antipasto, cheeses--simply delightful. Even when we go to Signatures, we often get a couple of appetizers and then split an entree. That allows us to drink more wine, too.