When you think about the words “Disney counter service,” you probably immediately think of burgers and fries. But Disney has greatly expanded their counter service offerings and it’s now much easier to eat healthier on your trip to the World — if you know where to look and what to order. Here are some must-visit spots at Walt Disney World guests can visit if they want to try and eat a little healthier on their vacation, without sacrificing taste!
1. Sunshine Seasons (Epcot, Future World)
Sunshine Seasons in Epcot offers a wide variety of items for whatever mood you’re in, and the food court-type restaurant also serves breakfast from park opening until 11 a.m. Healthier breakfast choices include Bircher muesli (Swiss oatmeal), bran muffins and multigrain croissants. And for lunch and dinner, oak-grilled salmon is available, along with Vegan Korma with Gardein Meatless Chik’n and an oak-grilled vegetable flatbread sandwich. There’s also plenty of salads and soups to choose from, like a power salad that has oak-fired chicken, quinoa, almonds and honey vinaigrette; Asian chicken salad and pumpkin soup.
2. Liberty Square Market (Magic Kingdom, Liberty Square)
On your rush to get through Liberty Square to get to Big Thunder Mountain Railroad or the Haunted Mansion, you’ve probably passed by this stand many times. But Liberty Square Market in the Magic Kingdom is definitely worth a visit. Here, you’ll find whole fruit such as apples, bananas and oranges; carrot and celery sticks; rice chips; grapes; and gluten-free snacks, but you’ll also find enough other items to make a filling, healthy meal. This stand also offers roasted corn, and you can add your choice of seasoning from a list that includes barbecue spice, Italian seasoning, lemon pepper, smoked paprika and Jamaican jerk. You can also fill up on a baked potato here. And most of the items at this stand (including the corn and potato) cost only a snack credit on the Disney Dining Plan.
3. Be Our Guest (Magic Kingdom, Fantasyland)
Be Our Guest in the Magic Kingdom’s Fantasyland is a big step up from the parks’ other counter-service eateries for lunch, and there are several healthy options to be found on the menu. The tuna nicoise salad comes with warm seared tuna steak and chilled green beans, potatoes, olives, roasted bell peppers, tomatoes and hard-boiled eggs, and there’s also a quinoa salad and a vegetable quiche that’s even finished with a champagne vinaigrette. At dinnertime, the restaurant becomes table-service and the prices and offerings change, but Be Our Guest is a better value (with a lot more healthier options) at lunchtime.
4. Harambe Market (Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Harambe)
The newest eatery at Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a street-food market that has plenty of good-for-you options. The market in the Africa section of the park features four walk-up windows — Kitamu Grill has all-natural grilled chicken skewers with roasted broccoli and tomato salad; Boerewors Sausages also has a grilled vegetable stack with herb pesto and chickpea salad; Chef Mwanga’s has spice-rubbed Karubi ribs with green papaya-carrot slaw and chickpea, cucumber and tomato salad; and Wanjohi Refreshments has drinks to wash it all down.
5. The World Showcase (Epcot)
Epcot’s World Showcase has a nearly endless assortment of food choices, and even if it’s not time for the Food and Wine or Flower and Garden festivals (where small-portioned dishes abound), you can still make a meal out of sampling the goods from the various countries. Try starting in Mexico with some fresh guacamole at La Cantina de San Angel, then have a ham and apple sandwich on multigrain bread at Norway’s Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe. Have a hot beverage at Joy of Tea in China, then maybe try some traditional cold potato salad with eggs at Germany’s Sommerfest.
Have some gelato in a cup from the Italian Gelato Kiosk and don’t feel too guilty about it, since most varieties of gelato have fewer calories than ice cream. If you’re still hungry, there are sweet potato tortilla chips to be had at Liberty Inn at the American Adventure; sushi and edamame at Japan’s Kabuki Cafe; a vegetable platter with falafel, tangerine couscous salad, hummus, tabouleh, lentil salad and marinated olives at Morocco’s Tangerine Cafe; a cheese plate at the Boulangerie Patisserie in France; and whole fresh fruit at the Yorkshire County Fish Shop in the United Kingdom. Canada is the only country without a counter-service option, but popcorn can be found at a cart near the entrance to Le Cellier.
6. Think outside the parks
If you’re willing to leave the parks for a meal, you’ll find lots more choices at the resorts. For breakfast, you can have a make-your-own omelet or make-your-own yogurt parfait at resorts such as Art of Animation, which also has create-your-own salad and pasta options for later in the day. Other interesting resort options include the steakhouse salad with mustard vinaigrette at the Contemporary’s Contempo Cafe, Hawaiian flatbread pizza and fish tacos at Capt. Cook’s at the Polynesian and the grand turkey sandwich on sunflower bread at the Grand Floridian’s Gasparilla Island Grill (which is open 24 hours).
There are enough low-calorie and healthy treats at the parks that it should be easy to skip the high-fat burgers and other gut-busting meals. So with some planning and menu consideration, you can stay on the healthy-eating track, even when you’re on vacation!
