Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)?

[brentm77]

All,

We cruised on the Fantasy last May, and it was amazingly accommodating to my wife's gluten free diet. It was by far my favorite vacation and I would like to go again. But my wife is on an even stricter diet now - Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD). On SCD, she can eat meat, vegetables, fruit, honey, and some cheeses. No grains, sugar, processed foods, etc. She can only have limited spices that have not had any additives (for example, chili powder is out because it has an anti-caking agent). She would be perfectly happy if she could get chicken, steak, or fish, some vegetables, and some fruit without anything other than salt and pepper added. She doesn't need anything fancy, like desserts, because it would be unrealistic to expect a chef to pull out almond flour and honey to make something. Her concern is that she won't be able to get meat and vegetables for breakfast, for example. Or that the meat will be pre-marinated. I plan to call the hotline on this subject, but does anyone here have any experience cruising Disney on SCD?

 

[TamaraH]

All,

We cruised on the Fantasy last May, and it was amazingly accommodating to my wife's gluten free diet. It was by far my favorite vacation and I would like to go again. But my wife is on an even stricter diet now - Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD). On SCD, she can eat meat, vegetables, fruit, honey, and some cheeses. No grains, sugar, processed foods, etc. She can only have limited spices that have not had any additives (for example, chili powder is out because it has an anti-caking agent). She would be perfectly happy if she could get chicken, steak, or fish, some vegetables, and some fruit without anything other than salt and pepper added. She doesn't need anything fancy, like desserts, because it would be unrealistic to expect a chef to pull out almond flour and honey to make something. Her concern is that she won't be able to get meat and vegetables for breakfast, for example. Or that the meat will be pre-marinated. I plan to call the hotline on this subject, but does anyone here have any experience cruising Disney on SCD?

I am very interested in this as well as I too just started SCD about 8 weeks ago. Would love to hear feedback and ideas!

 

[lanejudy]

DCL does have the option of a "plain" grilled meat entree each evening -- she could request that with salt and pepper. Also plain steamed veggies. I don't know about breakfast -- if she isn't concerned about what meat, I know at Cabanas there was bacon, ham and sausages available; what meat would she want? And what veggies? There was always plain fresh fruit available (sliced or whole).

I suggest you have the diet noted on your reservation. After boarding, stop by the dining changes location to make sure it's noted, and possibly to pre-order that night's meal if necessary. The head server will speak to her about options each evening, and if necessary she can pre-order meals the day ahead.

DCL will not give carb counts, if that is something she needs to know. As for diabetics, she would need to estimate those based on a reference such as Calorie King.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[nancy drew]

I don't know that this specifically answers your question, but let me share a little about my experience on the Dream a few weeks ago.

I am vegan, and gluten-free. So while I can have all the spices, veggies, and fruit in the world, the rest is really off limits . I had to have almost all of my food made to order, even at Cabanas.

Main dining rooms were easy. I looked at the menu, decided if there was something that would be easily altered, and if not, talked to the head server about alternatives.

At Cabanas I tried to seek out our head server, as he totally knew my dietary restrictions and had a chef friend who made amazing food that I loved from my very first meal. He also walked me through the buffet and pointed out a few things. For example, fries were OK, but only in one section of the buffet. I never would have known the fries were different at the different stations!!!

If I couldn't find my head server, or one of our other servers, I just found any head server and said I had allergies and would appreciate some help finding something to eat. They would walk me through the buffet, and since I was so limited they would go grab a chef who would ask me what I wanted.

Your wife would probably just be able to type up a list of what she CAN have, print out several copies, give one to the head server in the main dining room on the first night, and then give one to a head server at Cabanas whenever you go there. But always try to find the same one, if possible, because they DO remember you, and after a few days they will remember your needs and will be able to accommodate you much faster.

Of course it goes without say that extra smiles and thank yous and compliments about the food go a long way in helping you get better service. We chatted up our head server, who had his chef friend making food for me from their home country, we gushed over how good the food was (it really was good!!!), talked about food from his home country and our server's home country, and they totally took care of us.

 

[tweety38]

My husband is on this diet also and we have cruised on the Dream and are headed for the Fantasy is a few weeks. They were great on the Dream. He had a great meal every night . I had it noted before we went. I have already talked to them about it for the next one. He had plenty to eat. We will take almond butter and the lara bars he can eat. He has been on this diet for almost over two years and is sooooo much better now.

 

[czmom]

Thanks for posting this! I was just put on the anti-Candida diet. And to top it off, I am a vegetarian. My meals will be very plain as well with no desserts. It's nice to hear how Disney goes above and beyond.
I had thought about taking my approved list for them, so it sounds like that would be helpful.

 

[brentm77]

Thanks everyone for the great info.

 

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

I choose not to eat 4 legged animals, but things like cheese and gluten aren't really choices. I might get away with it for a bit, but not after a while. I plan to go to town on the seafood and limited pineapple. I plan to order the duck (its a bird I don't get much), and see what occasional GF offerings they have, but I do much better if I kick grains to the curb. I think most of us do.

Eating will probably be great on the ship, they are great with root vegetables and things. On the bright side, all of us probably won't gain much. It comes down to the fact that food doesn't always equal fun! There is PLENTY of healthy fun to be had!

Happiness and health!