FoodNutrition

Finding healthy food at Disney World is easier than wishing on a star with this handy guide

A registered dietitian highlights Disney World's healthy options for different diet types including vegan, ketogenic, and gluten free.

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Photo: Getty Images/Shironosov
Published Apr 12, 2019

Written by 

Emily Laurence

There are few places people are more passionate about than Disney World. Dubbed “the happiest place on Earth,” the resort has upbeat music playing everywhere, is void of sarcasm and negativity, and there are fairytale characters walking around like it’s NBD. Every year, over 40 million people flock there for family vacays, weddings, and honeymoons. People who love Disney World really love Disney World.

But between racing around trying to get a selfie with Mickey, waiting in line for Space Mountain, and completely losing it at the Haunted Mansion, a girl’s gotta eat. “Disney World is very good at making the whole experience magical and happy, including the eating,” says registered dietitian Lindsey Joe, RD. “They’ve done a wonderful job over these last several years in terms of accommodating more and more food allergies and food preferences, so there are plenty of options for people.”

While you won’t find this online, Joe says that every restaurant at Disney World—including fast casual restaurants, not just sit-down places—have pamphlets with a grid of the most common food allergens—including gluten, eggs, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, seafood, and soy—while highlighting options eaters with these restrictions *can* order. “If you tell the waiter about your dietary needs, they will really work with you,” she says.

Of course it helps to be prepared, too—which is where this handy guide comes in. Joe helped us compile a list of healthy meal options at Disney World for people who are vegan, keto, or gluten-free. There are over 200 restaurants at Disney World, so for simplicity’s sake, we’ve zeroed in on three of the most popular places at the resort: Chef Mickey’s, California Grill, and Tiffins Restaurant. Keep reading for healthy meal options from each place.

The best Disney world healthy options if you’re vegan:

Menu picks: Chef’s Hash (Chef Mickey’s); Market Strawberry Salad (California Grill); Avocado and Tomato Salad (Tiffins); Chickpea Falafels (Tiffins)

What an RD says: For breakfast, Joe is all about the Chef’s Hash at Chef Mickey’s. While potatoes often get a bad rap because of the carbs (gasp!), Joe says they’re actually healthy in moderation. “Carbs are okay! As long as this hash isn’t made with sausage and is made with onions and peppers instead, it’s a great healthy choice.” (Just be sure to ask for no eggs and no cheese, either, since this dish may default to having both.)

For lunch or dinner, California Grill and Tiffins offer great options for vegans. At California Grill, many of the apps are vegan-friendly (with easy modifications), so Joe recommends pairing them together. She’s especially drawn to the Market Strawberry Salad. “People may not think salads are all that exciting, but when they’re prepared to be really special like these ones, they definitely are,” she says. Tiffins has a special salad too, starring avocados and tomato, which she recommends pairing with the Chickpea Falafels. “It has good protein. Just ask for it without the yogurt sauce, since that has dairy,” she says.

Order tweaks: When ordering the Chef’s Hash for breakfast, Joe recommends requesting to add in tofu for protein. For the Market Strawberry Salad, nix the cheese to keep it vegan and be sure to check with the waiter to make sure there’s no dairy in the pistachio meringue. For the Avocado and Tomato Salad at Tiffins, swap out the buttermilk dressing for a vegan vinaigrette. And with the Chickpea Falafels, ask for it sans yogurt sauce.

Side dish recommendations: Joe suggests rounding out your breakfast at Chef Mickey’s with the Seasonal Melons and Fruits. Over at California Grill, she recommends the Ginger-Carrot Soup as another way to up your veggies with added anti-inflammatory benefits.

The best Disney world healthy options if you’re keto:

Menu picks: Tofu Scramble with Spinach (Chef Mickey’s); Bacon and Egg Salad (California Grill); Alaskan Halibut (California Grill); Surf and Turf (Tiffins); Pan-Seared Alaskan Halibut (Tiffins)

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What an RD says: While eggs are a ketogenic diet staple, Joe points out that the Tofu Scramble with Spinach at Chef Mickey’s gives a way to get added protein with fiber-rich spinach. For lunch, the Bacon and Egg Salad at California Grill practically screams keto. Or, if you’re at California Grill for dinner, she recommends going for the Alaskan Halibut. The cashew chutney on top isn’t just packed with flavor—it gives the meal great protein, too. “At Tiffins, both the Surf and Turf and the Pan-Seared Alaskan Halibut have the same formula of protein, veggies, and carbs. So just as to switch the carbs out for extra veggies and they’re both 100 percent keto-approved,” Joe says.

Order tweaks: With the Bacon and Egg Salad, Joe says to ask for it without sherry vinaigrette as it’s likely high in sugar. And with the halibut at California Grill, she says ask for extra bok choy instead of the rice. As mentioned above with the Surf and Turf and Pan-Seared Alaskan Halibut at Tiffins, ask to replace the potatoes with greens.

Side options: If you go for the Alaskan Halibut at California Grill and want to add a side, Joe recommends going for the Hearts of Romaine, made with an avocado dressing (healthy fat bomb alert!). Just cut the croutons, which have carbs. At Tiffins, the Brussels Sprouts are a great side option.

The best Disney World healthy options if you’re gluten-free:

Menu picks: Tofu Scramble with Spinach (Chef Mickey’s); Glazed Salmon (Chef Mickey’s); Tuna Three Way sushi (California Grill); Sashimi (California Grill); Surf and Turf (Tiffins); Pan-Seared Alaskan Halibut (Tiffins)

What an RD says: The tofu scramble doesn’t just work for keto; it’s gluten-free, too. For dinner at Chef Mickey’s, Joe suggests ordering the Glazed Salmon. “While it isn’t keto-approved because the glaze has sugar, this meal is entirely gluten-free,” she says.

At California Grill, sushi is clearly one of the restaurant’s specialties. “Of all of the hand-rolled sushi on the menu, the Tuna Three Way and Sashimi are going to be the healthiest,” Joe says. “With the sashimi, it’s simple—you’re just getting really good cuts of fish. The Tuna Three Way is flavorful without having sodium-laden sauces.” Over at Tiffins, the same entrees that work for keto eaters are also gluten-free. “They’re healthy options because of all that great protein and omega-3s from the fish and the vegetables,” Joe points out.

Order tweaks: To make the Glazed Salmon even healthier, Joe says to ask if you can have it with out the glaze so you’re getting the omega 3-rich fish without the added sugar. And if ordering sushi or sashimi, make sure you’re getting tamari (which is gluten-free) instead of soy sauce. And if you’re GF because you have Celiac, you should still check with your waiter before ordering anything to ensure that everything is completely gluten-free (including no cross-contamination), not just the ingredients. Better safe than sorry.

Side dish recommendations: If the tofu scramble isn’t enough to fill out your meal, Joe suggests rounding it out with the Yogurt Parfait as a way to get more protein, calcium, and nutrient-packed fruit. (Just watch out for granola, which may not be gluten-free.) At California Grill, she says to go for The Chef’s Garden Heirloom Beets, which have folate, fiber, and vitamin C (although ask your server if the hazelnut biscotti included in the dish has gluten in it). At Tiffins, once again the Brussels Sprouts prove to be a side almost everyone can enjoy.

For more tips on how to eat healthy while eating out, check out these registered dietitian-approved picks for Olive Garden and The Cheesecake Factory.

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FoodNutrition

Hold Up: Is Your Nutrition App Working Against You?

Here are 6 warning signs experts say to watch out for when using nutrition and fitness apps.

High angle shot of fitness young Asian sports woman relaxing after working out, lying on yoga mat and using her smartphone against sunlight in the morning, reusable water bottle and headphones by her side.
Photo: Getty
Published Mar 7, 2025

Written by 

Korin Miller

Fitness and nutrition tracking apps provide an easy way to keep tabs on your health data. But new research suggests that you could accidentally work against your health goals when you use these platforms. 

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The scientific review, which was published in the journal Body Image, analyzed data from 38 studies on fitness and diet apps, along with symptoms people had while using them. The researchers ultimately found that people who used health and fitness apps regularly were more likely to struggle with disordered eating, body image concerns, and compulsive exercise. 

While it’s hard to say whether the concerning habits or apps came first, mental health professionals aren’t shocked by the findings. That doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll fall into damaging health habits if you use one of these apps, but this is an important association to at least be aware of, according to Hillary Ammon, PsyD, a clinical psychologist at the Center for Anxiety & Women's Emotional Wellness. 

Below, mental health providers break down why fitness apps can work against your health, plus warning signs that your use is venturing into unhealthy territory.

How are tracking apps working against your health goals?

There are a few things that could be happening here. “We don't necessarily know that diet and fitness apps ‘cause’ symptoms of disordered eating, body image concerns, and compulsive exercise,” says Isabella Anderberg, lead study author and researcher at Flinders University. Meaning, it’s entirely possible that people who already have concerns around eating and body image are drawn to the apps as a way to manage this, Anderberg says. 

But some apps can also create an environment that can be stressful, says Rebecca Boswell, PhD, a clinical associate professor of psychiatry and director of psychiatric services at Penn Medicine. “Diet and fitness apps set rules about how people should and should not eat and exercise,” she points out. “They are designed to provide praise for eating less and punishment for eating more.” Boswell also notes that these apps are also designed to encourage activity to compensate for eating.

Certain apps also offer guidelines that can be customized without flagging goals that aren’t medically or nutritionally sound, Boswell says. “Apps often default to very low-calorie recommendations, e.g. 1,200 calories, the recommended intake for a toddler, and do not raise flags when people lower their ‘budgets,’” she says. “They rarely focus on the quality, balance, and nutritional density of foods.”

These apps tend to center around numbers and setting goals, which can be “unhelpful” for some people, Ammon says. Some even contain images that push thinness as an ideal body type, which excludes the rest of the population, she adds. 

Who does this impact? 

Again, plenty of people use fitness and wellness apps with no issue, and the link between problematic health behaviors and this tech is still being explored. But certain people may be more susceptible to developing unhealthy behaviors while using fitness apps than others. 

People with a previous history of disordered eating or body image concerns should probably steer clear of these apps, Ammon says. “This is because these apps can bring greater focus to their eating habits, caloric intake, and weight,” she explains. “Individuals with disordered habits tend to track caloric intake or caloric deficits, as a means of controlling weight [and] these apps can enhance those tracking habits with real time metrics and reminders.”

People who have struggled with overtraining in the past may also be at risk of using these apps in an unhealthy way, says Eric Storch, PhD, professor and vice chair of psychology at Baylor College of Medicine. 

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But even if you don’t have a history of disordered behavior around food or exercise, Ammon says it’s still a good idea to keep an eye on how you react to fitness and health apps—especially if you tend to be very goal-oriented or have a type A personality. Boswell agrees. “People who are prone to perfectionism may have a harder time flexibly using these apps, especially because of their greater sensitivity to reward and punishment,” she says. “It’s very hard for some people to get feedback that they’re not getting an A+ in health behaviors, even when the healthier behaviors might be striking a balance and setting more moderate goals.”

What are the signs your app isn’t helping?

There are a few clues that your app isn’t being a positive force in your life.

  1. 1.
    Being rigid around your app is a big red flag. “When you start to seem like you ‘have to’ work out daily or ‘have to’ track every single calorie ingested or burned, it may be teetering with an unhelpful focus on these habits,” Ammon says. 
  2. 2.
    Feeling frazzled about not meeting certain goals can also be a warning sign that something is off, she says. “If you notice yourself getting anxious or distressed because you didn’t hit your move goal for a day, it may be worth exploring why you need to hit that goal daily,” Ammon says. 
  3. 3.
    Guilt is also an emotion to be wary of, Anderberg says. Meaning, while it’s OK to feel a little disappointed that you didn’t make a goal on any given day, you shouldn’t feel guilty about it.
  4. 4.
    This is more indirect, but is still important: Boswell recommends keeping tabs on your internal monologue when using these apps. “If you can’t stop thinking about food or activity, it’s time to take a break and listen to your body instead of an app,” she says. 
  5. 5.
    Negative lifestyle impact is also a big warning sign that this isn’t a good fit for you, according to Ammon. She cites examples like staying up late to burn 500 calories before the end of the day because you feel pressure to, or cancelling plans with friends because you feel like you need to fit in a workout that day as being problematic. 

How to use an app in a productive, healthy way

Ammon points out that there are risks and rewards to practically every decision you make in life, including using health and fitness apps. “Rewards can be an improved lifestyle and improved physical health,” she says. “For many, these apps can act as an accountability system with virtual rewards.” Focusing on the positive—as in, you’re doing the best you can to support your health and wellness—is a productive way to view these apps, she says. 

Storch also recommends trying to be flexible in how you use these apps, looking at them as more of a guide than what you have to do on any given day. “Approach these apps as a tool to achieve goals, but ones that should be used flexibly versus rigidly, and without angst motivating their use,” he says. 

Of course, if you start using an app and you find that you don’t have a good relationship with it, it’s OK to stop. “It’s important to approach them with some level of caution,” Boswell says. “However, not everyone will have a negative experience with diet and fitness apps, and some might find them to be a helpful tool.”

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