Learn How to Stick to your diet at Disney World–even with so many tempting foods everywhere!
If you need some inspiration for how to incorporate healthy eating at Disney World, we’ve got you covered with these tips!
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Let’s be real–nobody wants to think about being on a diet while on vacation. Especially at Walt Disney World!
Walt Disney World is famous for its long-standing specialty offerings. Iconic Disney snack foods like churros, pretzels with cheese, and enormous turkey legs are just the tip of the iceberg.
There are Mickey Premium Bars at the ubiquitous ice cream carts. Massive funnel cakes topped with slabs of ice cream and waffles loaded with Nutella and whipped cream abound.
And that’s only the snacks! Disney World is also notorious for all-you-care-to-enjoy family-style restaurants, too.
Whether you like hot dogs and hamburgers, or prefer decadent signature entrees at fancy dining rooms around the resort, there is (too much of) something for everybody.
Enjoying Disney Without Wrecking Your Diet
So how do you eat healthy on a Disney World vacation? There are a few key tips and tricks to keep in mind during your vacation.
To eat healthy at Disney World, you don’t need to resist too much. Avoiding temptation may be easier than you think!
Let’s take a look at a few things that can set you up for success instead of derailing your progress.
Are you following a ketogenic diet? Check out our tips for eating keto at Disney World!
Tips for Eating Healthy at Disney World
Food is a big part of Walt Disney World, but it doesn’t have to be the central part of your trip.
You can focus your vacation away from dining and onto other fantastic offerings, like rides and shopping.
When mealtime does come around (because everyone has to eat!), there are several other ways to avoid the temptation to fall off of your diet.
You can eat healthy and still have fun at Disney.
Here are 5 tips to help you succeed:
1. Research Menus Ahead of Time
While you’re planning your Disney vacation, make sure you dedicate a lot of time to planning your meals.
Everything at Disney World needs to be planned, including getting all the dining reservations you want (check out our tips for getting last-minute Disney dining reservations).
Even if you plan on eating at quick service restaurants, you should still plan where to go as a way of plotting out your days in each park.
Disney makes it easy to plan where to eat. You can search restaurants on a map or use a variety of filters in the My Disney Experience app to find what you want.
Each restaurant has menus available to look at. This will allow you to determine in advance what you will eat at each restaurant.
This helps you get a good grasp on healthier offerings and where to dine. It also helps you eliminate choices that could lead you away from your “eat healthy” mantra.
Allergy-friendly menus are available at Disney restaurants everywhere as well, so if someone in your family has specific dietary needs, be sure to check this out.
2. Scout Out the Fruit Carts
One thing you can always find in the Disney parks is a fruit cart. They aren’t hidden–you just have to know where to look.
There are more of them than there used to be and they are full of fresh fruit, nuts and other health food items.
Hone in on these locations in Liberty Square at Magic Kingdom, Fairfax Market at Hollywood Studios, and Harambe at Animal Kingdom, to name only a few.
Some fresh fruit can be a cool and refreshing alternative to ice cream on a hot day!
3. Bring Your Own Snacks
Of course, you don’t even have to buy snacks–you can bring your own food into Disney World!
This is usually a great money-saving tip, but it can save your diet, too.
The best way to eat healthy and stay on course with your diet is to buy the kind of snacks you usually eat on your diet ahead of time, then pack them for your trip.
You can also bring bottled water with you, which is much cheaper where you live than it is at Walt Disney World, I promise. You can also get free cups of ice water at any quick-service restaurant.
Staying hydrated is one way to meet your healthy eating goals.
4. Go Shopping
Did you know that there is a Target and a Walmart just outside of Disney property? Not to mention numerous greengrocers in the area who deliver?
You can get groceries any number of ways at Walt Disney World. You may have to pay a small delivery fee to the resort, or you can also use Uber to go shopping on your own.
Depending on your family size, it might make sense to book a villa at a DVC resort. These villas have full kitchens, which means that you can cook whatever you want while you are at Walt Disney World!
Cooking your own food is the ultimate way to make satisfying meals that allow you to eat healthy and stay within your budget (this is a great way to reduce the cost of a trip to Disney World).
5. Avoid Family Style Restaurants
When you do eat at Disney World restaurants, avoid family-style restaurants. They tend to serve comfort food, which is not your typical health food.
You may also feel the psychological need to eating too much food in order to get the “value” of these pricey meals.
Just stick to quick-service restaurants or other options that you know will have plates that allow you to continue to eat reasonable portions while on vacation.
You could also choose to indulge in a heavy, filling snack, such as a turkey leg, instead of a full meal.
Doing Disney on a Diet
With a little bit of planning, you can keep your diet in check at Walt Disney World.
Because there are so many dining options, there’s something for everyone, and the parks make it easy to bring in food that fits your dietary needs.
You don’t have to sacrifice fun or flavor to enjoy your Disney vacation!
Disney Dining Resources and Recommendations:
- Best Magic Kingdom Quick-Service Restaurants
- Best Quick-Service Restaurants at Epcot
- Hollywood Studios Snacks You Won’t Want to Miss
- Best Disney World Restaurants for Picky Eaters
Be sure to save this article by pinning it to your Disney travel board on Pinterest!
