When it comes to Disney’s parks and destinations, healthy food options are not always the most important to people, yet with the calories that a lot of their food contains, you would think otherwise.  When Kaitlyn McBride was asked if she believed Disney provides healthy options, she said “Yes, they do also have some healthy options.” While Disney does provide a wide variety of foods to represent different parts of the world, it should be no surprise that they have healthier options as well, in order to accommodate all guests. Although it may be harder to find food that is not fried or covered in sugar, it is not impossible! Disney’s Magic Kingdom and Epcot happen to offer a few places that serve healthier options, such as: Aloha Isle and Tortuga Tavern of the Magic Kingdom, and Les Halles Boulangerie & Pâtisserie of Epcot. These places have options that are loaded with vitamins and minerals, and have greater nutritional value; they are definitely worth checking out!

Magic Kingdom:

#1- Aloha Isle / Adventureland 

Aloha Isle, located by Country Bear Jamboree and the Magic Carpets of Aladdin, is actually a healthy option for many when it comes to Disney snacks.  While you are at Aloha Isle, you can snack on some fresh pineapple spears that are rich in vitamins, enzymes and antioxidants that are great for your overall health.  Plus, it is a refreshing snack that will be nice after walking around and standing in lines in the scorching hot Florida sun.  Also at Aloha Isle, they serve the iconic Dole Whip that every Disney-lover can’t get enough of.  Surprisingly, Dole Whip is one of the healthier snack options at Disney as only ½ a cup of Dole Whip is 80 calories!  Also, Dole Whip is dairy-free which is a great snack option for those who might be lactose intolerant.  Aloha Isle sells pineapple, coconut, and raspberry-flavored Dole Whip as well as Dole-Whip shakes(the shakes are more sugary and have high sugar content).

#2- Tortuga Tavern / Adventureland

Tortuga Captain, right across from Pirates of the Caribbean, is a family favorite restaurant  that provides several healthy options to eat and also some options for those who are vegetarian.  One option that Tortuga Tavern provides is a taco salad.  The taco salad has many great ingredients for your diet such as corn, pico de gallo, black beans, and fresh salsa.  This meal has been the favorites of many as it is a simple dish that is packed with veggies that provide sources of many nutrients, including potassium, dietary fiber, folate (folic acid), vitamin A, and vitamin C.  Also, Tortuga Tavern offers vegetarian burrito which is a great option for those who may be vegan.  Overall, this is a great option for families that may have different dietary needs.

Epcot

#1- Les Halles Boulangerie & Pâtisserie / France Pavilion

If you are wanting to try authentic French food that you wouldn’t have the opportunity to while trying to eat healthy, Les Halles Boulangerie & Pâtisserie is an excellent option.  This is a food court that is located in the World Showcase in the France section.  Some of their menu options include brie, apples and cranberries in multi-grain bread; chicken sandwich with cheese, tomato, red onion and pesto; country bread with grilled eggplant, peppers and goat cheese, bleu cheese salad, nicoise salad, and quiche Florentine  Finding a nutritious meal at Epcot might seem hard, however, Les Halles Boulangerie provides a variety of food that provide a great nutritional value to your diet.  Also, Les Halles Boulangerie still offers French sweets such as macaroons that pair well with the savory snacks they offer.

#2-Kabuki Cafe & Katsura Grill / Japan Pavilion

The Japan World Showcase at Epcot is loaded with healthy savory snacks to grab.  At the Kabuki Cafe, you can find  Edamame, California rolls and sushi.  Sushi can be a very healthy meal if you lay off on the sauces- if you chose to get sushi that is high in oils, this takes away from the nutritional content and adds fats and calories.  At the Katsura Grill, a california roll, spicy tuna roll, vegetable roll, udon, teriyaki salmon,  teriyaki chicken, sushi, Japanese curry rice, chicken cutlet curry, miso soup, edamame, and steamed vegetables can be found.  There is quite a bit of variety at the Katsura Grill that will allow you to eat plenty of nutritious foods that will fuel you for your day.  Edamame is very nutritious as it is a decent source of soy protein, rich in healthy fiber, antioxidants and vitamin K.  Overall, if your goal is to eat healthy at Disney, both the Kabuki Cafe and Katsura Grill will help you meet this goal.

Hollywood Studios

ABC Commissary 

ABC Commissary provides a variety of healthy food options at their restaurant.  If you decide to go there, they have a vegan burger, mediterranean salad, coleslaw, green beans and more.  The best part is that this location now accepts reservations (dinner only).  So, with this in mind and if you want to go to ABC Commissary, make sure to make a reservation to this restaurant prior to your visit.  Reservations for dine-in restaurants fill up fast at Disney.

Anaheim Produce 

Are you wanting a sweet and refreshing snack?  Anaheim Produce will be a perfect stop for you.  They provide a variety of fresh fruit and veggies that you can grab and go on with your day.  Sometimes, it is nice to lay off of the sweets and grab some highly nutritious fruit and veggies for your day at Disney.

Animal Kingdom

Harambe Market (Africa Area) 

There are lots of healthy options here like the grilled chicken skewer with roasted broccoli and tomato salad, or the grilled vegetable stack with herb pesto served with chickpea salad.  Grilled chicken is a great substitute for chicken nuggets that contain high levels of saturated fats as it is a fried food.  Also, the broccoli, tomato salad, and vegetable stack is overall a great choice when it comes to eating healthy as it contains many of the necessary food groups that you must eat to have a nutritious diet.  The nearby Harambe Fruit Market has lots of healthy fruits and veggies to choose from.

Satu’li Canteen at Animal Kingdom

Disney has hopped on the trend of “build your own bowl” and has open Satu’li Canteen that has many Disney fans very happy.  Satu’li Canteen is located in the Pandora section of Animal Kingdom and is rated as the best quick service restaurant in Disney World as a whole.  At Satu’li Canteen, you build your own bowl that contains energizing grain, hearty protein, vegetables, and healthy sauces to top it all off.  Emily Amsden has eaten at this restaurant and had a great experience.  She described it as, “It was so good and had the perfect portion of food.  It was nice especially because we got it to eat after standing in the 70 minute line for Flight of Passage.”  This is a definite must have if you find yourself going to Disney’s animal kingdom!

In conclusion, eating healthy at Disney can be very difficult.  There are many different foods to try, especially the sweet ones that are high in sugar content.  However, Disney provides many options to fulfill certain dietary restrictions or needs for all their guests.  While you are staying at Disney and you just want to try to eat healthy, some tips we have is to substitute high calorie sides such as french fries out for something like fruit, veggies, or a salad and to plan in advance what you want to eat and count the calories that you consume.  If you are vegetarian, in the Disney’s Flower and Garden Festival, make sure to grab one of their pamphlets as the foods they serve that are vegetarian are marked with a “V” symbol.  It may sound hard to eat healthy at Disney, but it can be done.