Sugar Free treats in the parks

[westjones]

My DD has a problem maintaining her blood sugar levels and she has these massive mood swings because of it. We have decided to try cutting sugar out of her diet to see if it helps her mood swings (the doctor suggested this). We leave for Disney in 9 days, and I am wondering if anyone can tell me about sugar free treats (fruit bars, whole wheat bakery stuff, etc.) that would be good for her to try.

I can't remember, but do the ice cream carts have Fruit Bars? This is our first trip trying something like this, so I am really not sure what to look for. In the past, we headed for the Dole Whips (do they have anything sugar free there?) and Goofy's Candy Shop. We love Tonga Toast (not sugar free, I know), so we need to try some new foods on this trip.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions. I hope we are able to find things she will enjoy (BTW, she is almost 15yo).

DJ

 

[quixoticvalue]

Hi, I believe they have a sugar-free strawberry popsicle in all parks, but from experience, I have seen it in HS and MK. It tastes alright for what it is.

In most of the confectionary shops, (especially Mainstreet Confectionary in MK and Goofy's Candy Shop in DTD) they have big single pieces of special candy that are sugar-free. Also, in HS, they have a sugar-free strawberry parfait in some of their counter service eateries.

If you plan on any TS meals, call ahead to speak to the restaurants themself about a week before your trip so you can personally talk to the chef's about some sugar-free desserts. If not, you can always ask to speak to the chef right when you sit down, but they might not be as creative without some notice than how they would be if previously informed.

 

[beansmom]

I don't think it's sugar free but Dole Whips are very low sugar as far as treats go...I can only eat about 15g of sugar at a time and the whips fall well below that...maybe around 10g.

 

[SnwflkCts]

I bet if you post this on the DISabilities forum they will be able to give you better answers. Although I avoid sugar I really just don't eat desserts so never noticed which are sugar free but I do know there are some out there.

Good luck!

 

[Lisa P.]

Popcorn or French Fries - carts in all the parks.

Large soft pretzel at Safari Pretzel in AK, Promenade Refreshments in Epcot.

Fresh whole fruit or fruit cup, pretzel, trail mix, granola bar at Anaheim Produce in DHS and Peevy's Frozen Concoctions in DHS.

Fresh fruit or whole pickle at Toontown Farmers Market in MK.

Ice cream carts used to have no-added-sugar vanilla ice cream cups, even when not on the poster - so ask. They definitely have the no-added-sugar strawberry frozen pop bars.

Main Street Ice Cream Parlor in MK (and some other ice cream shops) did offer at least one no-added-sugar (sucralose-sweetened) ice cream flavor. In April '08, it was Butter Pecan. They also have Tofutti and Rice Dream available on request - not sure of the sugar content of those.

Ask at Guest Services for suggestions when you enter the parks.

 

[westjones]

I don't think it's sugar free but Dole Whips are very low sugar as far as treats go...I can only eat about 15g of sugar at a time and the whips fall well below that...maybe around 10g.

Thanks, that is good to know. She loves those, and really we need to just help her not spike her blood sugar too quickly, so she needs to avoid high sugar foods.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I forgot how there are popcorn carts all over the place. That would make a great snack.

 

[Janet Hill]

I don't think it's sugar free but Dole Whips are very low sugar as far as treats go...I can only eat about 15g of sugar at a time and the whips fall well below that...maybe around 10g.

Dole Whip is 18 grams per 1/2 cup serving. If you read the ingrediant list sugar is number 1.

 

[Luv2Roam]

My FIL was diabetic, but was almost always able to control through watching his diet very close.
It took him awhile to realize, but popcorn really raised his blood sugar.
Just a heads up, as I don't know if that is typical, or just something popcorn did to him. (He use to monitor his blood sugars throughout the day religiously.)
The candy kitchens so have sugar free chocolates. They are not cheap. But at least it is decent chocolate. And I have found a decent sugar free chocolate anywhere is not a good buy. But it keeps you from eating more.
The Norway Bakery has a very good No Additional Sugar Added Chocolate Mousse, if you can go with that. I like it because it is not as sweet as most desserts.

Just note on your ADRs that one person in your party is diabetic. No need to call ahead. The chef will either come out and speak to the special diet person, or the server will be told what to do exactly.

 

[westjones]

Thanks everyone. This is SO hard trying to get a 14 year old to watch sugar intake (and only a week before going on vacation). She isn't diabetic, she is hypoglycemic (and when her blood sugar is off, she has massive mood swing). SO if she does have too much sugar the only ones to suffer is the rest of us (from her mood swings), but at least she isn't in terrible danger. I want her to be able to enjoy herself, but still try to keep her blood sugar stable.

I appreciate all the information!
Thanks!
DJ

 

[cherylp3]

In hollywood studios there is a cart by the backlot tour that has veggies and apples. The veggies and apples are also next to the DVC booth heading toward tower of terror. In Epcot, On the left hand side of the pin stand there is another veggie /apples cart. Also there are veggies at in the seasons
pavillion.

Also in MK by the Hall of presidents is veggies as well ( not sure on apples)

Also some counter service may have fruit as well, I'd check the menus or with disney special needs on that.

 

[Chloesmom]

My DD9 is type 1 diabetic. If I understand correctly you want to prevent a sudden or high blood glucose spike because it affects her moods.. right? To prvent a high spike you need to give her treats that have a fat or protein or fiber with them. A " quick carb" like juice, candy ( lollipop, etc.) , or pop is quickly processed by the body because all it is is sugar.. a complex carb had something more to it and is slower to process so you don't get the spike. Ice cream ( has fat), cookies ( fiber and fat) , fresh fruit ( fiber) and chocolate candies ( fat) take longer to process so you dont get that spike of sugar in her system. This is why she probably does not have an issue with high carb foods like pasta and potatoes.
Also.. I see this on here all the time.. people wanting sugar free items. People are always trying to give DD " sugar free" items because they think they are carb free.. this is not the case. Some sugar free items are sweetened with artificial sweeteners which can affect many people poorly.. and is no fun on vacation . We always opt to just eat less of a regular treat than to eat one like this. They generally taste better and no funny after effect. Also, sugar free technically means no refined or white sugar was added but it can be sweetened with honey or a juice concentrate. While this is a natural sugar and is theory is better for you it will still put those carbs in your body and have the same effect on someone like your daughter.
Also keep in mind that most treats at Disney are not single serving size. A serving of ice cream is 1/2 cup...I have yet to get a cone or dole whip that was not 3 or 4 servings.. half a cup is not much. We share a dole whip or cone normally.
Also.. make sure she drinks plenty of water.. water does wonders to regulate blood sugar. When Dd was first diagnosed she was on a different insulin therapy and if she went high there was not much that we could do except wait it out. We found having her drink a big glass of water lowered it pretty well. If a body dehydrates it affects everything going on in a body..
Oh.. and also keep in mind that all the activity should cause her to burn off alot of that sugar. Most diabetics can eat more carbs at disney because of all the walking. You may be surprised to find that it doesnt really affect her that much at disney unless she sits around alot.
I feel ya on the mood swings when her blood sugar spikes. I can tell DD is high because she losses her mind. As soon as she starts going crazy I sit her down and test her blood sugar and correct her and soon she is fine again.

 

[westjones]

I feel ya on the mood swings when her blood sugar spikes. I can tell DD is high because she losses her mind. As soon as she starts going crazy I sit her down and test her blood sugar and correct her and soon she is fine again.

Thanks so much. This is my DD. She goes "crazy". She told me last night that she hates when this happens and she feels like she is watching herself go crazy as if she is trapped in her body seeing it happen, but can't control it (if that makes any sense). I don't understand it, and I get SO frustrated with this whole thing. We have added a lot of supplements to her diet, and they have helped, but we need to work on her diet also.

I didn't realize water would be so helpful. She really hates not having 'flavor' in her drinks, but we will have to work on that (along with so many other things).

Maybe things will be better for her at Disney because she is VERY active and won't be sitting still. She is actually pretty active normally (hates to sit still), so no problem getting in her exercise.

We all have a lot to learn about all of this. We were told to put her on a hypoglycemic diet last year, but I honestly had a hard time believing mood swings could be the result of her food----BUT something is going on....she can be a sweetheart much of the time and then go crazy (yelling, arguing, coming up with weird thoughts) and then an hour later she is back to normal again. We just started this new diet yesterday, so we will have to see how it helps.

Thanks!
DJ

 

[westjones]

In hollywood studios there is a cart by the backlot tour that has veggies and apples. The veggies and apples are also next to the DVC booth heading toward tower of terror. In Epcot, On the left hand side of the pin stand there is another veggie /apples cart. Also there are veggies at in the seasons
pavillion.

Also in MK by the Hall of presidents is veggies as well ( not sure on apples)

Also some counter service may have fruit as well, I'd check the menus or with disney special needs on that.

You know, I had heard there were veggie/fruit carts in all th parks, but never looked for them before. I guess we will be searching these out this time! I am planning to carry some stuff with me too to have on hand. We are staying at Beach Club, so we will be close to "home" when we are at Epcot & DHS.

DJ

 

[aribelle]

If she really loves Dole Whips than you might consider instead of telling her she can't have it at all, of working on portion control. SHARE a Whip with her....she still gets to eat it, but the smaller amount will mean less sugar in her bloodstream. It's not easy, but eventually she should be able to learn that she does not have to eat an entire slice of cake to enjoy the taste of it....a few bites to enjoy and then push the rest away. With the prices of Disney desserts, obviously sharing with several people is a better idea. My two girls and I typically share a dessert if it is something really special....otherwise we skip dessert. I realize that there are many special desserts at Disney, but look at the menus for the places you plan to eat and try to get her to choose one every other day that really calls her name and then share it with her. Denying her what she wants isn't going to help the mood swings, at least it wouldn't with me, lol.

You say that her mood swings affect only those around her......but as someone prone to those because of hormone issues myself, I can tell you that SHE is feeling them as well. If she's like me she doesn't really realize it because it's the emotion she's feeling so it doesn't feel "wrong"......but after I began treatment I learned what "right" feels like and it's a far different emotion! Once she is able to see that maintaining her sugar levels will help her feel better, she'll be able to more easily make the right choices.

 

[Kaarup]

our DD (22) is hypoglycemic and has food allergies. There are definitely mood swings if she doesn't eat at proper times, or uses up her energies, as when playing sports. Yep... the food/diet can do that !!! When she gets "low" then she gets ornery and "stupid", as in "I'm not hungry, I don't want to eat" . We've had some interesting times. But when she keeps on schedule she does great!!

 

[SnwflkCts]

I happened to be looking thru the menus of some of the CS places. Now ... just a note but many have a dessert that says "no added sugar" which is not the same as sugar free. I think "Chloesmom" touched on this too.

Good luck on your trip.

 

[mrscrutty]

I too suffer from sugar issues. I am a type II diabetic. Another poster touched on this, but it is important to eat a protein with the carb. Not always the funnest thing to do but it is very important. If I eat popcorn, I make sure I have a slice of cheese or a hot dog or something similiar that I eat before the popcorn. I don't know how a 15 year old girl would feel about this but it might help. Also, eating a small meal every 3 hours is very important. That way her blood sugar stays at a consistant level. If she drinks soda's make sure they are diet. I'm sure you know this already but I just had to mention it. I hope you have a wonderful trip.

 

[lovindonald]

Checkout the article on allearsnet.com about sugar free foods that are available in the "world". I found in very helpful.

 

[Chloesmom]

Thanks so much. This is my DD. She goes "crazy". She told me last night that she hates when this happens and she feels like she is watching herself go crazy as if she is trapped in her body seeing it happen, but can't control it (if that makes any sense). I don't understand it, and I get SO frustrated with this whole thing. We have added a lot of supplements to her diet, and they have helped, but we need to work on her diet also.

I didn't realize water would be so helpful. She really hates not having 'flavor' in her drinks, but we will have to work on that (along with so many other things).

Maybe things will be better for her at Disney because she is VERY active and won't be sitting still. She is actually pretty active normally (hates to sit still), so no problem getting in her exercise.

We all have a lot to learn about all of this. We were told to put her on a hypoglycemic diet last year, but I honestly had a hard time believing mood swings could be the result of her food----BUT something is going on....she can be a sweetheart much of the time and then go crazy (yelling, arguing, coming up with weird thoughts) and then an hour later she is back to normal again. We just started this new diet yesterday, so we will have to see how it helps.

Thanks!
DJ

I totally unserstand.. my DD gets upset when she loses it too. They really cannot control it. I feel just awful for my DD when she has a sugar mood swing. Thankfully the longer she has been diabetic the better we are at controlling it and the fewer episodes we have. Of course we always have on on vacation because she eats more junk here than at home.
With the water get several flavors of those single serve sugar free water flavors and carry them with you to add to a bottle of water or even a glass at a sit down meal. My dd will drink plain water but she gets bored so I always carry these. They don't affect the benefit she would get from just drinking water. Our new favorite one is from South Beach because they have fiber and protein in them and as I said before these help keep sugar on an even level.
You will have a great trip.. as another poster said the key is not denying but letting her have things in moderation.

 

[westjones]

Thank you, thank you, thank you Everyone! It helps so much to have people who understand to give us advice (since we are so new to this, and of all things, leaving for Disney in 7 days). I just ran out and bought some of the South Beach Diet water flavors. I would have never thought about those. We are going to have access to a car on this trip (DILs are joining us, and they are driving so we can borrow their car) and we are in a 2BR villa at BCV, so we have a full kitchen. This will help because we are going to Walmart and getting food Sunday night, so we have stuff at the room.

We made it through our first day on her new diet, and so far (knock on wood) she hasn't had any of her anger outburst....so maybe this really will help. She is cooperating, so far, but I know it is going to be hard on her. Hopefully by the time school starts we have her in a routine and she is more able to deal with it herself at school (and since she hates her anger outburst, she is motivated to make this change also).

It is just so frustrating having to deal with this, but you do what you have to do. We will be learning about new food options at Disney!

I am so glad to learn about those protien water flavoring packets. That is a great idea.

I just love these DIS boards. The greatest people in the world are on these boards. Just when I want to cry, I find myself smiling and motivated from all of your suggestions. You guys have been such a wonderful help!

DJ