Eating healthy in Disney?

I am also wondering the same thing. I plan on bringing the CalorieKing book with me (I need it to calculate how much insulin to take per meal), estimating the portion size, and not freak out if I go over on my calories. Per day, I can be waking as much as 10 miles, and I will need the extra calories.

The options aren't all that bad. And it's a few days, so I usually just loosen the noose. You'll be walking plenty and probably snacking less due to the prices. Healthy breakfast in the hotel, carry some bars or something for lunches and leave the restaurants for dinners, maybe?

You'll walk miles!! We took fruit and salad stuff in with us and avoided snacks and restaurants in the parks during the day. You can usually find something reasonable in the evening - avoiding the mountains of sauces/dressing etc.

Enjoy!!!

I'd say go with your gut when you eat. If you're looking at a menu that has fried chicken and a salad, go with the salad. Or you could ask if you could see any nutritional info that they can give you That's always helpful and most restaurants are happy to give it to you.

Unfortunately, Disney does not offer the nutritional information. It's really annoying. :L

All the walking definitely helps!

Last time we went, I packed snacks, things that were easy to grab and eat while walking or standing in line (almonds, peanut butter filled pretzels, bananas) and put them in a locker so we weren't carrying them around. Every so often we'd swing by the locker, grab some snacks and head for the next ride.

If you do character meals or eat at restaurants in the park, just enjoy it! Don't go completely overboard of course, because then you'll be miserably full and rides will be no fun - watch your portions and enjoy the goodies!

I totally agree. Fix healthy meals when you have control over it, relax a little when you don't. Snacks that can withstand the heat and take in a water bottle if they allow it. You'll be able to find some somewhat healthier options at the park to tide you over if needed but they'll be expensive.

I haven't looked at their website but I'm guessing they have dining option information and you should be able to request it at park. Most importantly, sun screen, comfy shoes and clothes and drink lots. Enjoy!

I just went on a two week road trip that included a stop at six flags and I ate healthy the whole time. You have to be willing to order a la carte and to ask exactly what you want. Sit down restaurants are best because they are more likely to tailor to what you need. My favorite thing to do was to order a small grilled steak or steamed salmon a la carte with a large salad (olive oil and vinegar as dressing on the side, no cheese no croutons because they put too many). Breakfast is even easier; order poached eggs, baked potato, and steamed veggies. Thats not usually on the menu, ask the waitress they always say yes because they have all those things at any diner. I usually eat brunch on the road and save money by skipping lunch and having an early dinner.

Went three days to Six flags. Day one, shared a turkey drumstick with my fiance, not only was it more than enough food, and cooked without grease (bbq outside, im sure they have them at Disney too), it was super cheap since we shared. Day two, had a sushi roll from a shop, one of those deli style, premade and in a box. Got one that had no sauces, just fish, rice, and nori. Confident the calories were low there. The last day, went into a bar and restaurant at the park and ordered wings. It is more calories, so I just kept my portion small, ate all the carrot and celery, skipped the ranch. I could have ordered a steak and salad there too, but I wanted to get back to the fun sooner. Just spome ideas, hope they help.

I forgot to add- the reason for wanting things steamed or grilled is because sauces can really change the calorie count and are easy to overeat. They dont always measure, and some cooks have a heavy hand. Things cooked in a pan with oil are likely to be more calorie dense even if they're a healthy option, like sauteed chicken breast. Something like a stirfry can actually be a terrible choice because of the sauces and the fact that it was fried in a pan with god knows how much oil. Stick to grilled and steamed if you have the option.

We went to Disney in Feb. We did the meal plan and most of the places we ate were buffet style so it was actually a little easier to control portions.

My advice is don't worry about it. Make healthier choices when you can but don't stress if you can't. You will be doing tons of walking. Disney is meant to be a fun family trip, although if your family is like mine that can be stressful in and of itself :ohwell: . If you are stressing to much over what you're putting in your mouth it won't be fun for anyone.

I have also found that it usually doesn't turn out to be as bad as you think it will.

Go have fun with your family :flowerforyou:

I also bought a $25 Disney themed mug and microwaved eggs in it in the mornings. We still have that mug. My husband calls it my expensive egg maker:)

Ugh. Disney food is mostly the most unhealthy stuff around. The portions are huge. They purposely pump smells into the air to tempt you, too.

I try very hard not to eat in the parks.

Most buffets have fruit, if not fruit and salads. If you have meals that are served family-style, you can load up on veggies, but even those aren't prepared in the most healthy way. Sunshine Seasons in Epcot has little salads and scoops of mayo-laden tuna fish. That fast-food fish place over by Haunted Mansion in the Magic Kingdom has a kid tuna fish sandwich, again with the mayo.

You can buy fruit and Craisins in some of the parks. In Animal Kingdom, they're in Africa and in the Studios they're on the street you walk down to beauty and the Beast and Tower of Terror. Epcot has fruit in Sunshine Seasons. If you look for salads, you can find them in all the parks. The water parks, too. Bring your own dressing if you don't want high-cal dressing. Many fast food places will sell you like 25 grapes for $3-4.00.

I try to never eat over there. I'll bring my own stuff. It's ridiculously priced, some is good and some isn't (especially the sweets, not too good, don't feel like you missed out passing those up) and it's so unhealthy. My friend and I will go to Sweet Tomatoes before or after we go to a park. Sweet Tomatoes is cheap and has fresh ingredients, even if it isn't the nicest place. We like it. Boyfriend loves to eat, though, and drags me into those places on occasion. The waiters hate me because I get a salad and water.

The one and only thing I miss eating at Disney is the Holiday Sandwich at the Earl of Sandwich. It probably has a week's worth of calories, but it was oh, so good. I am going to have one in November or December. Looking forward to it!

As a Floridian that frequents Disney World several times a year, I don't eat in the parks. Personally, the food isn't that great and way way over priced. (With the exception of the turkey leg LOL) I tend to bring in snacks. I'll buy the water they sell and occasionally an ice cream in the summer. You will do a LOT of walking, a LOT of standing, and will get some miles logged just wandering around the park. If you have to or just want to eat in the parks, last time I went there (February), there were some healthy options alongside the bad. The buffets and some of the places at Epcot are pretty friendly to a diet.

Honestly though, i avoid the food to help my wallet. And this time of year, the place is so crowded that even with Fastpasses, you'll probably be in line so much you really won't find time to eat LOL.

I wouldn't worry about it so much imo. Just enjoy yourself and have a great time.

We ate our dinners from a sandwich shop in the Disney District rather than in Disneyland, though we bought fruit inside the park (in Fantasyland). Everyone but me had breakfast sandwiches (also from The Earl of Sandwich).

Our hotel had limited vegetarian options on site, and we didn't have a car, so the Disney District and Carrows were our best "eating out" options.