The ability to provide more nutritious meals for your children while on vacation just became a little easier!
Disney has started rolling out The Mickey Check on counter service menus across both Disney World and Disneyland resorts.
The Mickey Check will give parents a recognizable shortcut to identifying meals that meet the Disney Nutrition Guidelines, and expands upon the Disney Magic of Healthy Living initiative. This aims to provide nutritious options and kid-appropriate portions.
The first menu to feature The Mickey Check is the brand new Be Our Guest Restaurant lunch menu, which will feature a counter service format.
Kid's Menu at Be Our Guest will Feature the New Mickey Check
Following the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the Disney Nutrition Guidelines also encourage the limitation of sodium, sugar, and saturated and trans fats.
Turkey Meatloaf at Be Our Guest Restaurant Earns the Mickey Check
To meet these guidelines, meals carrying The Mickey Check must contain at least three of the following:
- fruits and vegetables
- low-fat dairy
- whole grains
- lean protein, beans, eggs, and/or nuts
But keep in mind, Responsible Grown-Ups: in order for your kids’ meals to adhere to the healthy guidelines, they must be ordered as they appear on the menu, without substitutions.
Seared Mahi Mahi with Finger Salad and Peach Applesauce from Be Our Guest Restaurant
While The Mickey Check debuted at Be Our Guest during the recent unannounced “dress rehearsal” meals that have been served since earlier this month, guests at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort will begin to see the icon pop up on table service menus in January of next year.
What do you think of Disney’s commitment to providing healthier food for kids within its resorts?
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I think it’s great. While there are definitely still all those indulgent treats and meals in the park it’s nice to be able to get something healthy if you want and with this new sign it will make it that much easier for parents (and kids) to just glance at the menu and know what’s good for them.
I am really excited about this! Our last trip few trips were rough for my kids as they had to eat the same couple of meals over and over again it seemed. They were SO OVER nuggets and uncrustables….
The Mickey shaped turkey meatloaf is not appealing looking at all. It may taste great but has zero presentation appeal.
Would love it if they put the check on adult meals too!
I agree with Logan, they should expand this over the menu. My opinion is that anything that helps kids make good choices is worthwhile. Kids might want to eat things that look Mickey Approved.
A better plan? Make almost everything meet these standards. I understand the need for some nice fatty pulled pork, but they can make that the exception and not the rule.
I was also going to say what Logan said, I really want to see the Mickey check on the adult items too! Kids aren’t the only ones that may want to be eating healthy. Lots of restaurants do that now on their menus, and I like knowing what the healthier options are.
For those who keep saying they would love to see it for adults, I called Disney special diet team to ask, can adults order these meals, and was told yes in almost all their resturaunts, there may be some that say no, and at no buffets can you pay a child meal price and eat as a child. But in most sit down table restaurants you can sit down and order off the children’s menu. My daughter at age 21 had a heart attack, not the first in the family so young, I have three cousins who died under age 30, but it never hit home since I was removed from my cousins, and my brothers and I were fine we never really thought much about it. Since last year we have been working hard on eating better, low sugar, sodium and transfer, and for me lower carbs. Well we are heading for Disney next month and after trying for several days to find menus to see what we could eat, with tears in my eyes I came across these meals and said here is the answer, will Disney let us eat these. I got lots of people say, buy one meal and split it, but it still did not follow the nutrition guidelines we are trying to follow. I had lots of people say if you eat that small just order an appetizer, but usually those are the highest in fat. It isn’t that we want to eat small, we will probably have to eat our Cheerios and fruit in morning, then eat three of these meals, or two of these meals and a salad or soup, but these meals have low transfat, low sugar and low sodium, all that we need also I am finding that all or just about all have low carbs. They are all below 600 calories a meal many 450. They have 3 ounces of meat, which is what an adult is suppose to have. So anyway when we go since these are the size that adults are suppose to eat, we are all going to eat them and we will let you know how they are, with an extra piece of fruit or an extra soup or salad, I think we will all be on the diet we have been at home. So yes adults can eat them also.
Mary — Thanks for sharing your story!! Yes, adults can order from the kids meal list, though you may be charged extra at table service restaurants for doing so. Also, the Mickey Check system should be rolled out for table service restaurants throughout 2013, so you’ll have even more choices!!!