The Healthiest Foods At Disneyland, According To Former Employees

Whoever said happy and healthy don’t mix probably hasn’t tasted the nutritional fare the happiest place on earth has to offer.

Sure, Disneyland and adjacent Disney California Adventure (DCA) offer plenty of unhealthy foods like fried Monte Cristo sandwiches, Ghirardelli milkshakes, and cream-covered churros — and it’s a major blemish that the park doesn’t publish calorie content on its menus or websites. But Disney is known for working harder than most theme parks at providing a wide variety of nutrient-dense foods to choose from.

It’s an effort acknowledged and appreciated by health-conscious parents and park employees alike — the latter because they spend a lot more time in the parks than guests do and can’t afford (financially or physically) to eat like a tourist for months or years on end.

One place these employees — called cast members — turn to for quick and healthy snacks are the many different fresh fruit carts conveniently scattered across both Disneyland and DCA. Each one offers whole-fruit produce like bananas, oranges, and grapes, with some offering a variety of veggie snacks as well. Stephanie Fish, who worked at Disneyland as a character actor and parade performer from 2005 to 2013, notes she’s enjoyed these market carts both as a cast member and when she frequents the parks today. “I’ve never gone wrong with the apples or pineapple spears I’ve found there,” she says.

She also appreciates the numerous salad options offered across a host of on-property restaurants. “The seasonal salads at either Lamplight Lounge or Carthay Circle are always a hit,” she says. Other popular salads include the apple and pecan salad at Alien Pizza Planet, the cobb salad at Plaza Inn, the Taverne chopped salad at Red Rose Taverne, and the muffuletta salad at Tiana’s Palace. Such salads provide plenty of healthy ingredients and toppings such as mixed greens, red onions, hard boiled eggs, tomatoes, seared chicken, aged cheddar cheese, pears, endives, rosemary ham, apples, grapes, and nuts.

Fish says she also considers Bengal Barbecue at Disneyland to be one of the parks most economical and healthy food options, “because you can get rice and grilled meat skewers there.” Such fare includes grilled skewered shrimp, beef, chicken, and vegetables — all ranging in price from $6.79 to $8.49.

Piper Gillin, who portrayed characters like Alice in Wonderland and Tinker Bell during the 12 years she worked at Disneyland, says her go-to favorite foods are the various meat and vegetable dishes offered at the Blue Bayou Restaurant in Disneyland and Wine Country Trattoria in DCA. Some of the healthier options available at Blue Bayou include brussels sprout and Tasso salad, market fish, and creole roasted chicken. Wine Country offers nutritious fare like the mixed greens Trattoria salad with a pear vinaigrette, fresh salmon, and spaghetti aglio olio.

Parents who frequent the parks also appreciate that Disney provides many heart-healthy food options for children. “When we visit other theme parks, all I find are macaroni and cheese and fried nuggets,” says Abigail Lee, a mother of three from Fresno, who frequents several California theme parks. “But when I visit the quick-service and dine-in restaurants (at Disneyland), I find options like turkey sandwiches, grilled chicken skewers, and fresh fruits and vegetables.”

Such kid’s meals are distinguished on menus with a check icon, indicating that the meal meets Disney’s nutritional guidelines.

Lee says she also likes that the parks go out of their way to provide hundreds of menu items for people with allergies or food sensitivities related to gluten, eggs, nuts, shellfish, milk, sesame, and soy. “My husband has a limiting dairy allergy, and he appreciates that Disney has something for him everywhere we eat,” she explains.

It’s a feeling the company hopes every guest can relate to. Disneyland and DCA provide hundreds of items for allergy- and food-sensitive park-goers, a Disney spokesperson explains, “because we believe that guests with special dietary requests should also have choices and options.”

She also notes that in nearly all on-property restaurants, a wide variety of healthy side options such as carrots, grapes, mandarin oranges, yogurt, and applesauce are available to both children and adults alike. “And low-fat milk and water are the default beverages—making the healthier choice the easier choice for families,” she adds.

The spokesperson says the company also offers hundreds of plant-based menu items across the property at nearly every quick-service and dine-in restaurant; and that certified and sealed Kosher meals are also available at most table-service restaurants when ordered in advance.

“By giving guests so many choices and options across more than 175 food and beverage locations at the Disneyland Resort, we aim to satisfy every type of diner,” she says. “Promoting nutritious foods and creating healthier generations in fun and simple ways is important to the Walt Disney Company.”