Disney is the “Happiest Place on Earth” and it is definitely a food-lover’s fantasy land! If you are looking for the ultimate escape from the daily grind, then Disney World should be high on your list. With all of Disney’s famously fantastic food offerings, you may be wondering if healthy eating at Disney World is even a thing? Well, thankfully Disney has some amazing, and creative chefs, so while there are oodles of decadent desserts to be had, there are also plenty of fantastic menu items that won’t leave you feeling like you’ve destroyed a year’s worth of progress on your waistline.
There’s so much more than funnel cakes and ice-cream
With over two-hundred places (closer to 400 if you count all the snack carts and dessert parties) to grab some grub, there
are plenty of options to satisfy nearly any food-craving at Disney World. You’ll find everything from out-of-this world food inside of Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, to fresh fruits and vegetables sustainably grown right inside of EPCOT. So, although you may find yourself surrounded by sweet treats like life-sized gingerbread houses, and cookies as big as your head, you don’t have to go far to find some expertly crafted healthy fare that can satisfy all your senses as well. Keeping well-fed on high quality food items that are beneficial to your health will make it easier to tame that inner glutenous cookie monster as we walk by all those strategically placed pastry cases. You can find some really great go-to spots inside the parks and at the resorts. Here are a few of my favorites:
Inside of Animal Kingdom:
- Satuli Canteen
- The build your own bowls here are fantastic! Vegetables, meats, and beans over a starch. You can go as hearty or as light as you choose here
- Yak & Yeti
- American, Pan-Asian, and seafood. You’ll find seared Ahi Tuna, lettuce cups, and a variety of meat and vegetable combinations. Many of their dinner portions are large enough to be shared by two.
Inside of EPCOT:
- Garden Grill Restaurant
- Bonus here is that this is a character meet and greet, so the kids love it! Many of the veggies served here, including an amazing fresh salsa, are grown inside of the Living with the Land greenhouses right there at EPCOT. You’ll find standard American fare here, like sliced turkey, grilled beef, seasonal vegetables, and garden salads.
- The Land Cart
- This one is actually a snack cart that will let you load up on the good stuff. Fruit and cheese plates, vegetable plates, hummus, and pretzels. Not your typical theme park snack cart, right?!
Inside of Hollywood Studios:
- Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo
- You’ll find out-of-this-world fare here, in the form of roasted meats and vegetables, as well as a couple of plant-based offerings
- Hollywood Brown Derby
- At little on the pricier side, but you’ll find some fantastic healthy options here. They have a curried butternut squash soup with apple chutney that is more than impressive. You will also find a variety of protein options including salmon, chicken, beef, and sea scallops.
Inside of the Magic Kingdom:
- Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen
- My experience with the service here has been up and down, but the menu offerings here are great. Green salads, falafel, sustainable fish, curried vegetable stew, and loads more high quality items choose from.
- Aloha Isle
- Don’t laugh, I’m for real. This is a great option to satisfy that sweet tooth. For those of you who don’t know, Aloha Isle is a snack window that serves those famous pineapple Dole whips. These are, according to Dole’s dolesoftserve.com website, fat-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free treats that contain about 90 calories per 4oz serving. Given that a Disney serving, I am guessing here, has to be at least 8oz, we are probably looking at 180-200 calories. So, truly a good option that has nothing to do with me trying to justify one of my favorite treats at Disney.
Power up your mornings with a healthy breakfast
When you are on vacation, especially at Disney World, it becomes very tempting to grab that colossal cinnamon roll, or other fresh baked pastry to go with your coffee or tea in the morning. After all, you ARE on vacation, right?! Well it is true, and you are doing your stress levels loads of good by leaving behind the day to day grind, but you don’t want to undo all the good you are doing by loading up on high-sugar and bad fat foods. Breakfast is an important meal. It is going to provide fuel for the rest of your day, and the best way to avoid an afternoon slump is to fuel up on quality foods in the morning. If you are staying on Disney property, you’ll find some great options at your resort. Look for fruits, yogurts, whole grains, and proteins. Many of the resorts have some grab and go options like packaged fresh fruits or smoothies which are great if you are trying to head out early for rope-drop at a park.
Anything shaped like Mickey has to be good, right?
Absolutely! Disney World is a great place to experience new foods. This is especially true when it comes to introducing new menu items to picky youngsters. So if you are trying to introduce new and healthier options to the children, or if you are wanting to expand your own palate, you will have the ultimate opportunity to do that at Disney. The teams of amazing chefs create fantastic, authentic cuisine. You’ll not only find Mickey shaped pretzels and ice cream bars, but scores of menu items will take on the iconic shape. There are even fresh vegetables that have been grown specifically to look like Mickey. If you are interested in trying something new, give it a go at Disney where you know the ingredients will be of high quality and the recipes have been developed by the best.
Beware of the Buffets – They are not for the weak
The buffets at Disney are fabulous. They are loaded with options for everyone, and many of them are paired with character meet and greets which makes them a fantastic choice for the whole group. I have not yet met a Disney buffet that I did not like. Have I said that the food at Disney is amazing? Well let me reiterate, the food at Disney is AMAZING. I don’t know about you, but after I have been walking around the theme park in that Florida heat, and then I cross the threshold into an air-conditioned wonderland of an amazing array of wonderful smelling foods and freshly baked pastries, sometimes it can be as if I have all of a sudden found the true meaning of life, and my purpose is now to fill my plate and consume enough of this Turkish delight to satisfy my glutenous monster hiding within. So be forewarned here, my friends. If you are having a low will power day, beware the Disney Buffets, and enter them at your own risk.
Disney World can be a healthy trip choice all around
A trip to Disney is not only a great way to escape the daily grind and spend quality time with the family, but you’ll find that a trip to Disney can have a positive impact on your wellness in several ways. First, the Disney resorts all have great pools. Spending a day swimming and relaxing by the pool is great for both your mental and physical well-being. Second, spending a day at one of Disney’s theme parks will put a whole lot of steps on your pedometer. On average, a visitor spending the day at a park will walk anywhere from 7 to 10 miles. Pair that fresh air and exercise with healthy meal choices, and you have yourself a wellness vacation for the whole family! So plan that next trip, and eat healthy my friends!
For loads of Disney planning information to help you plan a trip to the most magical place on earth, visit Make Time For Magic
They have loads of tips and Disney planning news to keep you in the know before you go.