The term “Meatless Monday” was part of an international campaign designed to encourage people to start their week off in a way that was healthy for their bodies and the planet. It has a lot of history behind it, but the basic idea is that you don’t eat meat for one day out of the week!

This concept inspired me with an idea for an interesting recurring segment for “Fish are Friends, Not Food.” So, in upcoming posts I will be developing 1-day meatless-itineraries for those who either already don’t eat meat, but don’t know what to get in the parks, or for those who DO eat meat, but are interested in challenging themselves to one meatless day in the parks! I will give multiple options for each meal, in case your preferences are different. I’m keeping each section limited to 3 options, so that I can make a printable “pocket” itinerary for all of you vegan diners in the parks!

Each restaurant will be labeled CS (counter service) or TS (table service) appropriately. At counter service locations, the ordering process involves waiting in line at a podium, ordering your food with a cast member, waiting for your order at a counter, and bringing the meal to an available table to sit down to eat. A table service location is more similar to a restaurant and involves being seated, and served at your table. You may need to make an advance dining reservation to dine at TS locations and tip your server’s!

So, let’s start with the park that most people start everything with; Magic Kingdom!

Breakfast

1. Crystal Palace - TS, (to the left off of Main St) & 2. Cinderella’s Royal Table- TS, (in Cinderella’s Castle!) Both restaurants are buffets and will have similar options for vegans. Buffets are good options for picky eaters. A chef will take you around the buffet to show you what options are good for you! You will find cereal, oatmeal, soy milk, rice milk, coffee, breakfast potatoes, fresh fruit, and make sure you talk to a chef who will most definitely prepare you your own vegan, allergy-friendly Mickey Waffles!

• Another option may be to eat in your resort cafeteria where you will find the same options listed above.

Lunch

1. Columbia Harbor House- CS, Liberty Square- CHILI!Please, please, please get a cup chili! It has mushrooms, (but they are big enough to pick out if you don’t like them),olives, beans, peppers, onions, and, well, so much more! Depending on how hungry you are, you can add a side of steamed broccoli and/or french fries (I always do!).
2. Be Our Guest- CS, New Fantasyland- Try the Quinoa, Shallot, and Chive Salad which has green beans, potatoes, olives, roasted bell peppers, and tomatoes!
3. Columbia Harbor House (again)! CS, Liberty Square- Try the Lighthouse sandwich, which comes with hummus with tomato and broccoli slaw. The Slaw has dairy, so ask them to substitute it with regular steamed broccoli and an allergy-friendly sandwich bun!

Snack

1. Just can’t wait until dinner to eat again? Stop by the Fantasyland Pretzel Wagon for a pretzel!
2. Or head over to The Plaza Ice Cream Parlor at the end of Main St near the castle and ask for a cup of Tofutti or Rice Dream Ice Cream!

Dinner

1. Tony’s Town Square -TS, Located at the beginning of Main St (on your right if you are facing the castle)  Let them know you’re vegan and the chef will cook you up a special pasta dish with vegetables and garlic sauce, or just marinara or tomato sauce! The pasta is served with a house salad on the side, so order Italian dressing, balsamic vinaigrette, or oil and vinegar with this. For dessert you can order tofutti ice cream, sorbet, or rice dream ice cream.
2. Be Our Guest Restaurant- TS, Located in the New Fantasyland Expansion! Try the vegan Ratatouille! It’s oven-baked Zucchini, Eggplant, Mushrooms, and Caramelized Onions sliced and layered on Quinoa served with Bell Pepper Salsa.
3. Liberty Tree Tavern- TS, Liberty Square- Apparently they have a delicious veggie burger here that can be made vegan upon request. Get it with the allergy-friendly bun and toppings!

Snack

• Stop by the popcorn cart at the end of Main St and stroll towards the castle while you munch away on hot, fresh popcorn!

<<(Here’s a pocket guide of the above information for you to print out and take along with you on your next WDW vacation!)

I’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave them in the comments below, please!

Angie has been a WDW addict since her first visit at age 8, and since then her life has never been the same! She lives in southeastern MA with her boyfriend, Kevin (fellow Disney lover), and their 3 dogs, Flip, Josie, and Hildy, where she is currently training to become a professional dog trainer.  Please join Angie every week in “Fish Are Friends, Not Food: Eating Vegan in WDW!” Angie believes that WDW is the most magical place for people with special diets, so, should you have any special diet questions (especially about vegan and gluten-free dining) she’d be happy to help! Angie is also an artist, and you can see her work at www.angiecarreiro.com! 

Disclaimer: This blog post, and all past and future Fish Are Friends, Not Food blog posts, are written with my most recent knowledge of the food in WDW parks. Please note that things are constantly changing, so this information might not always be up to date. Also note that I do not take into consideration refined sugar, cross contamination, or impure food items. With that said, always ask a chef before ordering if you are unsure about something, because the recipe may have changed or you may have a different way of defining your vegan lifestyle.

The post Fish Are Friends, Not Food: Magic Kingdom 1-Day Vegan Itinerary appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

This year’s Flower and Garden Festival takes place from March 6-May 19, 2013. If you listened to the WDWRadio Newscast show from 1/30/13, you’d already know that this year Disney is introducing something new to the festival:they are adding food and drink around the 12 World Showcase promenade marketplace kiosks!

This is a vegan food blog, not a flower one, so I’m here to tell you about details of a new vegan item being introduced to the festival’s menu! It’s called “frushi” and it’s basically the idea of sushi, but instead it’s sweet, because it’s made with fresh fruits and coconut rice and it’s being served at Hanami in the Japan Pavilion. Of course, in traditional Japanese restaurants there are sushi rolls which are already vegan, or “accidentally vegan,” like cucumber rolls, avocado rolls, and sweet potato rolls. (Tokyo Dining in the Japan Pavilion in Epcot’s World showcase actually offers both sweet potato rolls and cucumber rolls!) It’s great to see this option, in addition to the other vegan sushi options, menu-ready available for us during the upcoming festival! Just make sure you ask for no whipped cream!!

It is tough to know what exactly is and isn’t vegan because of hidden ingredients you may not expect to find in a seemingly innocent food item. For example, sometimes things are cooked in butter, or milk is added as some minute ingredient.  I tried contacting Disney Special Diets, but they are unable to provide allergen information since with these food carts there is a possibility for cross-contamination.With that said, here are some other options that seem as though they might be made vegan, but please note that these are just guesses on my part.  Since I can’t get any real information on it, you still will have to ask the chef at the kiosk to be sure!:

Bauernmarkt: Farmer’s Market- Germany- Potato Pancakes with Housemade Applesauce

Florida Fresh- Watermelon Salad with pickled Red Onions, BW Baby Arugula, and Balsamic Reduction (ask for no Feta Cheese if they can do that)

Lotus House- China- Pan Fried Vegetable bun (there isn’t much of a description on this, so I’m not sure what it is. Make sure you check with the chef before ordering)

Lotus House- China- Beijing style candied Strawberries

L’Orangerie- France- Verrine charlotte au péches- Caramalized peaches and rosemary (ask for no creme if they can do that)

Pineapple Promenade- Canada- Dole Pineapple Fruit Cup

Hanami- Japan- YakiSoba Pan - Fresh grilled carrots, onions and cabbage with Japanese noodles and teriyaki sauce served on a bun with Beni (ask for no Mayonnaise if they can do that)

and, of course-

Hanami- Japan- Frushi - fresh strawberries, pineapple and cantaloupe, rolled with coconut rice, atop a raspberry sauce sprinkled with toasted coconut (ask for no whipped cream)

<< Here’s a printable pocket guide for you to bring along! The guide is an abbreviated version of the above information, so make sure you read the disclaimer above, which is: “here are some other options that seem as though they might be made vegan, but please note that these are just guesses on my part, since I can’t get any real information on it, so you will have to ask the chef at the kiosk to be sure!:”

If you read my post about the exciting addition to Tamu Tamu Refreshments in Animal Kingdom, you would know how excited I am to hear the news about a vegan-izable items being added to a menu, ready to order, during the Flower and Garden Festival. This is a big deal. As readers of this weekly blog would know, most of my instructions on how to order vegan meals at WDW involve special request items and working with a chef to make a meal that fits your taste preferences or modifying a meal that is already on the menu. Disney is really making sure they are catering to guests’ needs, which seem to be trending towards the vegetarian and vegan meal choices. It’s easier to order these options when they are featured on the menu, ready to order, instead of per special request only. You’d agree that this might be a trend, especially if you read my post this past fall about the vegan kiosk, Terra Marketplace, during the Food and Wine Festival of 2012. If you haven’t seen the post, it’s worth checking out even if it’s just to see Lou affectionately spoon feeding Tony!

The great thing about these new vegan options, and really about all vegan options, is that everyone can eat it, it’s not just for vegans!

Are you excited about trying the “frushi” and other vegan options this year at Flower and Garden?  Please leave your answers in the comments below!

Angie has been a WDW addict since her first visit at age 8, and since then her life has never been the same! She lives in southeastern MA with her boyfriend, Kevin (fellow Disney lover), and their 3 dogs, Flip, Josie, and Hildy, where she is currently training to become a professional dog trainer.  Please join Angie every week in “Fish Are Friends, Not Food: Eating Vegan in WDW!” Angie believes that WDW is the most magical place for people with special diets, so, should you have any special diet questions (especially about vegan and gluten-free dining) she’d be happy to help! Angie is also an artist, and you can see her work at www.angiecarreiro.com!

Disclaimer: This blog post, and all past and future Fish Are Friends, Not Food blog posts, are written with my most recent knowledge of the food in WDW parks. Please note that things are constantly changing, so this information might not always be up to date. Also note that I do not take into consideration refined sugar, cross contamination, or impure food items. With that said, always ask a chef before ordering if you are unsure about something, because the recipe may have changed or you may have a different way of defining your vegan lifestyle.

The post Fish Are Friends, Not Food: 2013 Flower and Garden Festival Vegan Items appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

One more time, before I continue, I have to reiterate just how excited I am right now! I’m so excited that I RAN across my house to tell Kevin the news the second after I read it! I just couldn’t wait! It’s moments like this that make it all make sense that I’m a fan of something Lou does because we share that love and excitement for food!

The news is that Tamu Tamu Refreshments, a quick service location at Animal Kingdom park (in Africa) has added a new vegetarian meal to the menu and it sounds very creative, filling, healthy, and, most importantly, it’s “vegan-izable”! The meal is called, South African Quinoa Salad and it includes: Romaine Lettuce, Olives, Feta Cheese, Tomatoes, Chickpeas, and Fried Tofu, Hand-tossed in a light Vinaigrette and served with Pita Bread! To make it vegan, simply request, “no feta, please!”

I happy to announce 3 more tid-bits about the salad:

1. Quinoa is gluten-free! (make sure if you have an allergy to gluten, you mention this before ordering so no cross contamination is involved and don’t get the pita bread!) I mention this because I’m gluten-intolerant, and I know some of my other readers are, as well!

2. They actually X-ed out a meat-based meal to make room for this option! How exciting that is to hear, because we all know Disney listens to their guests, so I can only assume that the guests are “telling” Disney that they want more vegetarian-friendly options instead of whatever the meat option was! Are we witnessing the beginning of a trend to start throughout the parks where more vegan options will be available on the menus? Does this mean we wont have to request special orders anymore, and just be able to order straight off the menu like everyone else!?

and 3. Of course salads are usually vegan, but THIS salad has such filling options and can actually serve as a full meal! Fried Tofu!? Yes! Quinoa!? Yes! Woah, Disney! You are really stepping up your game! Again, is this the start of Disney recognizing the important of providing balanced vegan/vegetarian options? (for those of you scared of tofu, trying it fried is a great first intro to it!)

Whether or not you are vegetarian/vegan, I would love to hear your thoughts on this in the comments below!  Thank you all for reading! I hope you are all as excited as I am! I’m going to write a very happy letter to them to express how grateful I am for this addition, and I encourage you all to do the same!

Angie has been a WDW addict since her first visit at age 8, and since then her life has never been the same! She lives in southeastern MA with her boyfriend, Kevin (fellow Disney lover), and their 3 dogs, Flip, Josie, and Hildy, where she is currently training to become a professional dog trainer.  Please join Angie every week in “Fish Are Friends, Not Food: Eating Vegan in WDW!” Angie believes that WDW is the most magical place for people with special diets, so, should you have any special diet questions (especially about vegan and gluten-free dining) she’d be happy to help! Angie is also an artist, and you can see her work at www.angiecarreiro.com!

The post Fish Are Friends, Not Food: Hot off the Press! New Veg Meal at AK’s Tamu Tamu appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

There are many reasons people choose to eat vegan or vegetarian. The most popular of those reasons can be narrowed down to three categories; ethical, environmental, and health. The way you choose to eat can impact all three!

I don’t necessarily want to go in depth on the impact a vegan diet has on these three factors for a few reasons, including, that this is first and foremost a Disney blog and also, I don’t want to seem like I’m trying to force my beliefs on anyone else.

With that said, in honor of Epcot’s 30th anniversary, I thought it would be fun to relate these three categories to some of Epcot’s attractions, activities, messages, and, of course, food.

(Just to be clear, I’ve extracted these three categories to relate Epcot to their core meanings, and not necessarily how they relate to veganism, so when I say, for example, an Epcot attraction is reflecting care for the environment, I’m not assuming that it has any vegan undertones.)

So how does Epcot relate to these three themes? Let’s first look at…

Ethics

“I am interested in entertaining people, in bringing pleasure, particularly laughter, to others, rather than being concerned with ‘expressing’ myself with obscure creative impressions.” -Walt Disney

Usually ethics relates to your moral standings; what you think of as being right or wrong. This can usually go hand-in-hand with compassion, understanding, empathy, and caring

The Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow, or Epcot, was Walt’s dream, and like most of Walt’s dreams, it was made with people in mind. He wanted to create a better world, full of education and helpful technologies. Walt wanted to solve our problems for us, because, not only was he a visionary, but I’d like to think that Walt CARED. Although his original design wasn’t the final outcome of the project, a hint of his heart is still behind the Epcot we know today.

Living by your own moral standards in everyday life can make you a more ethical person, but damaging behavior can weigh heavy on your conscience. One way to reduce having a negative impact on your morals is by doing your best to take care of the…

Environment

“EPCOT will be an experimental prototype community of tomorrow that will take its cue from the new ideas and new technologies that are now emerging from the creative centers of American industry. It will be a community of tomorrow that will never be completed, but will always be introducing and testing and demonstrating new materials and systems. And EPCOT will always be a showcase to the world for the ingenuity and imagination of American free enterprise.” -Walt Disney

In my opinion, environmental concerns have a huge impact on many themes repeated throughout Epcot, including:

-Universe of Energy- Prominently featuring Ellen DeGeneres (who’s vegan, by the way!) and Bill Nye the Science Guy, this whole ride is about energy sources and concerns. The roof of the pavilion is lined with 2 acres of Solar Cells, which, originally, supplied some of the power used to move the ride vehicles!

-Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable- This short film in the Land Pavilion is about the consequences of destroying the environment for selfish reasons. Timon and Pumbaa plug up a river to create their own paradise. Simba intervenes. Eventually realizing what they’ve done, (spoilers!) Timon and Pumbaa restore the river back to its original state.

-Living with the Land- In the Land Pavilion, this attraction is all about farming. The way food is grown is so important to the environment and learning how to grow your own fruits and veggies or at least be conscious about and understanding where your food comes from can influence how you treat food, which can have a huge impact on the environment!

When you choose to be mindful of the environment, it can kickstart you to be more mindful in other parts of your life. The happier you are with the choices you are making, the more good choices you make, and one positive focus might be your….

Health

“Laughter is America’s most important export.” -Walt Disney

The quality of a person’s health has many factors. Many aspects of a person’s life can be healthy, including your body and mind. A physically healthy person generally eats a moderate, well balanced diet and has an adequate amount of physical activity. A mentally healthy person doesn’t dwell on the little things, balances their emotions, and laughs, among other things.

-Journey into Imagination with Figment- It’s important for adults to practice using your imagination. Often setting goals and having dreams can fuel your health, by feeling like what you are doing has meaning.

-Spaceship Earth- The decent at the end of Spaceship Earth has recently installed a new activity. I don’t want to bring any spoilers to what happens at the end, but it had me cracking up! A good dose of laughter is always good for your health! Laugh often.

-Sunshine Seasons and Garden Grill- Sunshine Seasons food court is known for having healthy options! Freshness is a huge factor in nutrition quality of food, and The Sunshine Season food court proudly holds itself to those standards! They offer grilled sandwiches, salads, soups, and tofu along with the oh-so-common fruit cups and apple slices! The Garden Grill looks upon the Living with the Land attraction and features food straight from the greenhouses you see on the ride!

-World Showcase and Innoventions- Both good learning experiences, these 2 features of Epcot can be healthy for your mind. It’s important to learn about other countries, cultures, and customs throughout World Showcase. Innoventions always has interactive learning experiences whether they help you learn how to save money or maybe learn what to do in a fire, in a fun way!

-Walking- Many people walk for their daily exercise! Take a stroll around World Showcase to help get in shape!

Question: In what ways do you think Epcot relates to environmental, ethical, and heath concerns?

Angie has been a WDW addict since her first visit at age 8, and since then her life has never been the same! She lives in upstate NY with her boyfriend, Kevin (fellow Disney lover), and their 3 dogs, Flip, Josie, and Hildy, where she works at Farm Sanctuary as an animal caregiver. Please join Angie every week in “Fish Are Friends, Not Food: Eating Vegan in WDW!” Angie believes that WDW is the most magical place for people with special diets, so, should you have any special diet questions (especially about vegan and gluten-free dining) she’d be happy to help!

The post Fish Are Friends, Not Food: How EPCOT Relates to Vegan Ideals appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

If you do an online search in your favorite search engine with the phrase, “Why should I go vegan,” endless results appear for websites with lists on positive reasons to go vegan. I thought I would do a little twist on this trending list format by making a light-hearted “go vegan” list, but with a Disney twist!

So, what are some Disney related reasons to go vegan, or at least reduce your meat intake, while touring the 4 WDW parks? Keep reading and see!

-Save the cheese for the mice! Mickey and Minnie have to eat, too!

-Let Pumba have a “problem free philosophy!” Pumba shouldn’t have to worry about getting eaten!

-“Oh, oobee doo, I wanna be like yoouuu!” Many people look up to and model themselves after celebrities! Some famous vegan role models include- Ellen DeGeneres, Woody Harrelson, Alicia Silverstone, Mike Tyson, Steve-O, Tobey Maguire, Casey Affleck, Prince, Paul McCartney, Alanis Morissette, Shania Twain, Alec Baldwin, Bill CIinton, Carrie Underwood, and Anthony Kiedis, to name a few.

-Donald Duck- I know you can’t understand a word he says, but that doesn’t mean you should eat him!

-Don’t become the 1000^th happy haunt too early! Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S.! Animal products are the only source of food containing cholesterol! Eating a plant based diet stops the consumption of cholesterol and tends to be lower in saturated fats, which are 2 high risk factors in heart disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol!

-Feel less sluggish throughout the day- Foods heavy on the fats and those that are high in sugar and carbohydrates with little fiber to ease the digestion can give you a food high, followed by a crash! Eat whole, healthy foods to avoid this- something easily done with a vegan diet!

-”It’s a small world, after all…”- When I think about this phrase, I think about all the countries around the world I would love to travel to (if I didn’t plan all my vacation time visiting WDW!). Americans and their love for meat, I thought, really separates us from other countries. In fact, “Americans consume more meat than people in most other developed nations. In 2009, the U.S. produced 94 kilograms (208 pounds) of meat per person for domestic consumption, not including seafood. That’s nearly 60 percent more than Europe (61 kg, or 134 pounds per person) and nearly four times as much as developing countries.*” The reason I bring this up is because when you are an American, especially one that only gets one vacation a year, and you decide to use that on traveling to WDW, you miss out on traveling to other countries. If you traveled to those countries, you might eat like them, so why not try to eat like them in WDW instead anyway and eat less meat on vacation!?

-Clarabell the Cow might come around more!- For those of you who know about rare character sightings around the parks, you know that Clarabell the Cow is one of those rare characters! Maybe she would come around more if the world was a safer place for cows!

-A single Turkey Leg is “over 1000 calories and 50 grams of fat**” for just a SNACK- need I say more?

-Live to see Tomorrow(land) or the new Fantasyland Expansion!- With all the studies conducted proving the health benefits of a vegan diet, including lower risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, hypertension, (and even cancer according to “The China Study”), it’s reasonable to bet a vegan might live longer!

-Be more like Aladdin/Jasmine- Aladdin takes place in the fictional Arabian city, Agrabah. Middle Eastern food has a reputation for having a vast selection of vegetarian and vegan options like hummus, falafel, pita bread, baba ghanouj, baklava (which Genie sings about), couscous, tabouleh, and salads among other things! Plus, in the movie, you see Aladdin snacking on a loaf of bread with Abu, Iago eating crackers, Jasmine handing an apple to a kid, and when Genie poofs up “column B,” it’s a mountain of fruit- what’s more vegan than that!?

-Feel less heavy before riding thrill rides- Dairy and meats tend to give you that “rock in the stomach,” and heartburn feeling, which is not a good mix when spinning upside down on a coaster!

-  Look more like a Princess/Prince, and less like a Pooh Bear- Along with many other health benefits of a plant based diet, a person who follows a vegan lifestyle is at less risk of obesity!***

-  “A plain yellow pumpkin to become”….. a family meal- Ok, maybe not a PUMPKIN, but… you know what I mean. It takes less work for your body to digest fruits and vegetables, so take the energy you save to walk to the next attraction and stay for all the EMH!

Angie has been a WDW addict since her first visit at age 8, and since then her life has never been the same! She lives in upstate NY with her boyfriend, Kevin (fellow Disney lover), and their 3 dogs, Flip, Josie, and Hildy, where she works at Farm Sanctuary as an animal caregiver. Please join Angie every week in “Fish Are Friends, Not Food: Eating Vegan in WDW!” Angie believes that WDW is the most magical place for people with special diets, so, should you have any special diet questions (especially about vegan and gluten-free dining) she’d be happy to help!

The post Fish are Friends, Not Food: Why Dine Vegan in Disney Parks? appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

And now for a segment I’d like to call, “Accidentally Vegan at WDW.”

When something is accidentally vegan, it means, simply, that it is vegan without the intention of being made vegan! For example, if for lunch you had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with potato chips on the side, you were eating vegan without trying, or, one might say, “accidentally.”

There are lots of food items in WDW that happen to be vegan without trying, so let’s talk about some of the snacks.

Popcorn

You might think the butter on the popcorn is just that, but you’d be wrong! Most “buttered” popcorns are made with oils and coloring, as is the case with the popcorn found all over WDW!

Nutter Butters

When first arriving at the food court of All-Star Music Resort, we needed a little sugar boost to start our bad eating habits on vacation! We found that Nutter Butters contain Nutters, but no Butters! These were safe for a vegan dieter!

Itzakadoozies and Strawberry Fruit Bars

Found at most ice cream carts, these refreshing popsicles are nothing more than sugar and non-dairy flavorings!

French Fries

All french fries consist of is essentially potato and oil! No harm there! But, if you are super picky about cross contamination, you may want to find out if your fries are being fried in the same oil as the chicken nuggets! You can also find some special sweet potato fries at Restaurantosaurus over in Animal Kingdom!

Pretzels

Who wouldn’t love a little cooked flour sprinkled with some salt? That’s pretty much all these little goodies consist of. Just don’t order the sour cream or cheesy varieties! (But, please do order the Mickey shaped ones; after all, as Lou always says, everything tastes better when it’s shaped like Mickey!)

Kaki Gori

Found in the Japan Pavillion over at Epcot! You don’t want to miss out on this treat! How would a cup of shaved ice with some flavored syrup NOT be vegan friendly?!

Potato Chips

Now, this one gets a little tricky because, with some potato chips, you must read the label to make sure they are vegan. Sour Cream and Onion chips, for example, usually have dairy. But I found these AMAZING kettle cooked BBQ chips, Disney’s own brand, in our resort and in multiple locations around the parks to eat! Most plain potato chips are ok, too, and if you aren’t sure, there’s usually an allergy warning under the ingredients that reads, “Contains: MILK.”

Fruit Cups

No explanation needed here! Well, maybe some explanation as to why it’s on this list. Although fruit isn’t technically a food that was “made,” I include this because Disney selects an assortment of food and puts it into a package, “accidentally” keeping it vegan-friendly! Disney offers so much fruit around the parks that you could literally eat only fruit for your entire vacation and never go hungry!

So, feel free to try any these foods next time you visit WDW, whether or not you are “accidentally” dining vegan!

Angie has been a WDW addict since her first visit at age 8, and since then her life has never been the same! She lives in upstate NY with her boyfriend, Kevin (fellow Disney lover), and their 3 dogs, Flip, Josie, and Hildy, where she works at Farm Sanctuary as an animal caregiver. Please join Angie every week in “Fish Are Friends, Not Food: Eating Vegan in WDW!” Angie believes that WDW is the most magical place for people with special diets, so, should you have any special diet questions (especially about vegan and gluten-free dining) she’d be happy to help!

The post Fish Are Friends, Not Food: Accidentally Vegan at WDW appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.

No matter how many inconsistencies I’ve faced in my life, one thing has always remained the same; my love for Disney. Although Walt Disney World constantly changes and evolves, it always feels like home. In fact, with all of those changes, I have changed as well!

So, let me introduce myself…. Hi, I’m Angie!

As a child, meeting Mickey Mouse and Aladdin was a dream come true. I believed I was truly flying in a pirate ship on Peter Pan’s Flight. Twirly glow-sticks at night time parades were my only true desire.

As a teenager, it was always a race to the next attraction to see how many times we could ride Rockin’ Roller Coaster, or how fast we could get from Big Thunder Mountain to Space Mountain. Wearing a cute shirt and riding as many rides as possible were all that mattered, but we could still feel like kids at heart when we were there.

Now, as a young adult, and one half of a couple, I tend to enjoy a more relaxed pace in the parks, sitting on benches, people watching, and catching all of the fireworks, shows, and parades. And I still believe I’m truly flying on Peter Pan’s Flight.

When I turned 22, a few other major changes happened. I moved out of my parents’ house, in with my boyfriend, and we both switched from a vegetarian diet to a vegan one! Living on my own brought on another first with Disney; I had to plan my own vacation, so I learned a lot about vegetarian/vegan dining in the parks, and now I’d like to help you with it, too!

Travelers with any type of special diet can experience many challenges. Planning every meal in advance, making sure to pack your own snacks, and the added stress of thinking about where to find the next place to eat, can take away from the enjoyment you should be experiencing on vacation!

As a vegan for 2 years, and vegetarian for the 10 years prior, I should know!

If you’re reading this blog, you must be interested in how to find vegan and vegetarian eateries in Walt Disney World, right? Well, you’re in luck! As you’ve heard, WDW is the most magical place on Earth, but did you know it is also the most magical place to travel if you have a special diet!?

For those who are not quite sure about what it means to be “Vegetarian” or “Vegan”, let me briefly explain.   Vegetarianism and Veganism are not religions. You do the best you can with what is available, no situation is perfect, and everyone makes the choice to “go veg” for different reasons. Being vegetarian basically means not consuming any type of meat product; no beef, pork, fish (who are friends, not food), chicken, turkey, etc., etc., so on, and so forth. Someone who follows a vegan diet does the same with the whole no-meat-thing, but on top of that a vegan does not consume dairy products (no cheese, milk, butter) or eggs. Sounds simple enough, right? Eh, well, not so much when traveling to, or visiting most destinations.. That is of course, unless you’re traveling to WDW!

In the upcoming posts of this blog I will discuss different restaurants, eating options specific to those restaurants, and foods you can get at most counter service and table service restaurants that cater to the veg population visiting WDW. Trust me, you wont be stuck eating salads for every meal  (unless you want to, of course)! You can have everything from sandwiches, to plates filled with more food than you can eat. Oh! And ice-cream too!

So, whatever reason you chose to eat veg in WDW, stay tuned, because I love food and I love to share!

(Keep in mind, things are constantly changing in WDW, so always make sure with a restaurant cast member, manager, or chef before ordering!)

The post Fish Are Friends, Not Food: Eating Vegan at Walt Disney World appeared first on WDW Radio - Your Walt Disney World Information Station by Lou Mongello.