MACRO-FRIENDLY TRAVEL: DISNEYLAND, DISNEY WORLD, AND YOUR NUTRITION GOALS
Disneyland and Disney World: the places where dreams come true and nutrition dreams go to die…or do they?
As with any out-of-routine time including vacations, work trips, anniversaries, date nights, birthdays, and holidays, we have to ask ourselves:
What is the experience that I want to have during this brief time?
Does your expectation of your time away match the reality of the environment where you are going?
It is worth noting that our body makes changes based on the habits that we practice most often. Out-of-routine times are just that brief blip of time that strays from our regular habits. Permanent changes to our bodies or sustainable habits do not occur in the brief blips of time outside of our regular routines unless we let them.
The way that you feel during or after periods of time outside of your regular routines does not mean that any permanent changes occurred. Whether the journey of your nutrition while on your trip includes macro tracking or not, the main focus should be on making confident choices even if those choices are less efficient than normal.
Before the Parks
Did you know that both theme parks allow food and non-alcoholic beverages inside the premises?
Before you begin your trip to either Disneyland or Disney World, I’d recommend snagging an array of snacks and beverages (no glass allowed) to bring with you inside the park. This pre-planning will not only save you money but it will also allow you to keep more aligned with at-home routines (if that is your goal!). Below I’ve outlined a vast list of various foods that could be utilized for snacks or combined into balanced meals if needed for use inside the parks or any other type of travel!
Proteins: protein bars (we love Barebells & Built Bars), protein powder/pre-made shakes, packets of beef jerky, Chomps jerky sticks, Tyson air fried chicken nuggets/tenders, greek yogurt/cottage cheese cups, hard-boiled eggs, The Only Bean crunchy dry roasted edamame packages, low-fat string cheese, deli turkey sandwiches, frozen Vans protein waffles (just microwave before you leave & you are good to go), Johnsonville pre-cooked turkey breakfast sausages, Quest protein chips, rotisserie chicken
Carbohydrates: fresh fruit (bananas, apples, grapes, berries), veggies (bell peppers, snap peas, baby carrots, celery sticks), Hippeas chickpea puffs, crackers, chips, flavored rice cakes, applesauce squeeze pouches, wheat thins, Triscuits, pre-popped popcorn, oatmeal packets (use one of our overnight oats recipes!), pre-cooked rice packets, granola, pretzels
Fats: trail mix packets, packages of nuts, single-serve packages of nut butters/guacamole cups/hummus, dark chocolate
You can make: sandwiches, wraps, rice bowls, and "adult lunchables" (combine an item from each category above to have a balanced meal containing a protein/carb/fat/fruit/veggie).
Inside the Parks
You’ve got your pre-gathered snacks inside your bag, you’ve experienced a few rides, and now hunger is creeping up on you. You can always utilize the foods you brought to make snacks and/or meals, but what about food inside of the parks? As much as we might hope for the inside of Disney to look like a Whole Foods, we have to accept the reality that that will definitely not be the case. Listen closely: just because the theme parks do not have *perfectly* balanced meals and snacks, does not mean that you cannot find options that are close enough. Perfection does not exist in meal choices, whether at home or traveling, so do not expect perfection in a place where there are more factors outside of your control. Something is always better than nothing (practice that thinking!) and this is an excellent place to put that thinking into action.
This is, again, where the “choose your own adventure” thought process continues. Are you trying to stay within a macro goal during your trip? Are you doing a mix of planned snack foods & “for the experience” foods? Are you solely dining inside of the parks?
Once you know your reality, you can build confident decisions around it.
Most restaurants inside the parks will have a vast array of protein/carbohydrate/fat-containing meals. Fruit & veggies will likely be scarce (they are there, they just might be at select themed restaurants), so make peace with that now (or bring them in your backpack as snacks to supplement!). To get the most bang for your fullness buck, I’d recommend choosing a meal that has the largest portion of protein (think: chicken/turkey leg, turkey burger, hamburger, chicken strips, etc.). Most of the protein options will likely already come with a carbohydrate source (bun, breading), so adding any optional chips/fries might not be necessary depending on your goals.
IF TRACKING YOUR MACROS:
If you are macro-tracking, take a breath before you enter deer-in-headlights mode. Disney parks do not currently offer nutritional information in regards to macronutrients for most of their items. What you will do instead is simply search for a food item that looks similar to what you are eating. This might be a general entry but it might also look like a similar entry from a chain restaurant. If I ordered a 4-piece chicken tender basket, I would make it as easy as possible on myself and log a 4-piece chicken tender basket from a restaurant like Raising Cane’s or Dairy Queen. Is it going to be an exact match? Nope. Are we going for exact when in an environment where you are not the chef in the kitchen making your own food? Absolutely not. Log a similar item and move on with your day. The goal of tracking while traveling is to get a general idea of what the day is looking like as it pertains to food choices, not to pick apart exact measurements when it may not be feasible to do so.
If you have certain dietary restrictions you can always email the Special Dietary Requests department to find out more information about restaurants that can cater to your individual needs.
Below are a few resources that might be helpful in planning meal stops around restaurants that have a few more micronutrient-dense options available:
Macro Friendly Disney World Resources:
Macro Friendly Disneyland Resources:
LEAVING THE PARKS
No matter your goals for your Mickey Mouse adventure, rest assured that it is the habits you practice most of the time that lead to sustainable changes. Getting a Dole whip or Mickey Mouse-shaped salted pretzel from the vendor carts on the way to Magic Kingdom is not going to derail your nutrition or sabotage your goals. It also does not make you a person who is more or less worthy of eating earlier or later on in the day. You are allowed to have foods outside of your regular routines because, let’s be honest, you are on a trip outside of your regular routines! So, it makes sense that some decisions will reflect that reality. Enjoy your trip, take what you need, and leave what you don’t from the tips and tricks outlined above, and remember that your routines will always be there once you return home.
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