As the summer looms ahead, people from all over the world will be heading to “The Most Magical Place on Earth” for all kinds of fun and tasty foods. Mickey-shaped waffles. Turkey legs. The Dole Whip. The list goes on. And while these well-known foods are wonderful, there are a lot of hidden gems at Disneyworld that people often overlook, especially when it comes to healthy-eating.
If you are planning a trip to Disneyworld, I hope this article acts as a guide. Each park has its own section dedicated to restaurants and casual dining spots where you can find all kinds of healthy options, from a bag of trail mix to an artisan entrée.
Magic Kingdom
1.) Be Our Guest Restaurant, Fantasyland
At this “Beauty and the Beast” themed restaurant, you can munch on a lunch of quinoa salad, vegetable quiche, or whole-grain macaroni. For dinner, savor a layered ratatouille, with eggplant and zucchini, or the sustainable catch of the day.
2.) Columbia Harbour House, Liberty Square
Stop at this casual dining spot for a bowl of vegetarian chili or a broccoli peppercorn salad topped with sunflower seeds and grilled chicken. They also offer grilled salmon with couscous and steamed veggies, or a lighthouse sandwich, filled with hummus, tomato, and broccoli slaw on multigrain bread.
3.) Liberty Square Market, Liberty Square
This is a great spot to grab a quick, healthy snack. Liberty Square Market has a wide selection to choose from, with carrot & celery sticks, apple slices, fruit and nut snack mix, dried cranberries, grapes, watermelon, and Greek yogurt.
Epcot
1.) Garden Grill, Future World West
This colorful, vibrant restaurant−often a frequent stop of Chip ‘n’ Dale−has a menu full of foods focused on sustainable, farm-fresh ingredients. This means a selection of salads, fresh veggies, sustainable fish, and meats like all-natural turkey breast.
#SpoonTip: This restaurant revolves 360 degrees, giving diners the opportunity to see different views of the “Living with the Land” attraction. Be sure to stop and look around you for glimpses of greenhouses.
2.) Sunshine Seasons, Future World West
This food court has a staggering array of healthy choices, from snacks like banana chips, carrots, and mini tomatoes, to entrees like vegan korma served with jasmine rice and a vegan flatbread sandwich with veggies and hummus.
3.) Boulangerie Patisserie les Halles, France
This quaint café and bakery has multiple Parisian-inspired options, like a Salade Niçoise, pumpkin soup, and a Brix aux Pommes sandwich with brie, apples, and cranberries on multigrain bread.
#SpoonTip: Don’t forget to treat yourself! The bakery has a wide selection of mouthwatering pastries, from croissants to macarons.
4.) Tangierine Café, Morocco
Moroccan-inspired foods take center stage at Tangierine, with food options like: a lentil salad, couscous salad, marinated olives, tabbouleh, hummus, and falafel.
5.) La Hacienda de San Angel, Mexico
This Mexican restaurant has lots of healthy options, many of which are gluten-free. Try the guacamole topped with mango pico de gallo, or Agua Chile de Cameron, a dish of shrimp, lime juice, chile serrano, and cilantro.
6.) Tokyo Dining, Japan
This Japanese restaurant has many options for vegan and vegetarian-eaters, with a vegetable miso soup, veggie tofu udon bowl, brown rice, and edamame. Tokyo Dining also offers various sushi rolls, like the uramaki veggie roll with carrot, avocado, asparagus, cucumber, pickled ginger, and sesame seeds.
7.) Nine Dragons Restaurant, China
Vegan and vegetarian-eaters are sure to love the contemporary Chinese cuisine at Nine Dragons, with vegetable-heavy options like veggie spring rolls, spinach noodles, and a vegetable and tofu stir fry.
Hollywood Studios
1.) Hollywood Brown Derby, Hollywood Boulevard
This classic movie-themed restaurant offers artisan-crafted dishes, like a local greens salad with blueberries, local goat cheese, pecans, peaches, and a champagne vinaigrette. Other options include: a vegetarian pho, with lemongrass broth, mushroom and tofu spring rolls, and a ginger-soy dipping sauce.
#SpoonTip: For dessert, try the layered grapefruit cake!
2.) The Trolley Car Cafe, Hollywood Boulevard
This café has a wide array of healthy breakfast options, including: whole grain oatmeal with blueberries, a spinach and feta breakfast wrap, a vegetable & fontiago breakfast sandwich, and whole fruit and yogurt.
3.) ABC Commissory, Commissory Lane
This casual eatery offers a Mediterranean-inspired salad that can be ordered with salmon or chicken, and a side of hummus and pita chips. ABC Commissory also offers an entrée of lemon pepper salmon, served with sides of couscous and green beans.
4.) Anaheim Produce, Sunset Boulevard
This is a great stop for a quick snack of California trail mix, dried cranberries, Granny Smith apple slices, hummus with pretzels, or a mixed fruit cup.
Animal Kingdom
1.) The Rainforest Café, Park Entrance
As part of "The Rainforest Café" restaurant chain, this location offers a kale and red quinoa salad and a Parilla Veggie Flatbread with mozzarella and smoked paprika. For something a bit heartier, try the Rainforest Natural burger, served with a meatless patty of chickpeas, sesame, and veggies.
2.) Tiffins, Discovery Island
This “exploration-themed” restaurant features intricate dishes like an apple-walnut salad with seasonal greens and apple cider vinaigrette, black-eyed pea fritters, watermelon and barrel-aged feta, and a roasted vegetable curry with millet, spring veggies, and a lime chutney.
3.) Harambe Market, Africa
At Harambe Market, try a grilled chicken or veggie stack, served with a side of green papaya carrot slaw and black-eyed pea salad.
#SpoonTip: Located close by, the Harambe Fruit Market stall offers a wide selection of fresh produce and snacks to choose from.
4.) Yak & Yeti Restaurant, Asia
This Asian-fusion eatery offers various salads, lettuce cups with chicken breast and veggies, and a seared miso salmon with bok choy and shiitake mushrooms.
5.) Mr. Kamal's, Asia
In recent years, this food stand has transformed into an oasis for vegetarian eaters. Mr. Kamal’s offers hummus with veggies and pita, falafel with tzatziki sauce, and veggie samosas with mango salsa.
While opting for healthy foods is great, don’t forget to treat yourself. Balance is key when it comes to eating on a trip. Disneyworld is the perfect place to indulge a sweet tooth, while also choosing plenty of wholesome foods that will energize you for a magical, fun-filled vacation!