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We've covered a couple of theme park food stories lately, including one where UK parks were visited by a "secret mum" looking for healthy foods and one where Six Flags decided to offer a protein-packed Halloween option to its guests. Now, Disney is looking to make some food changes at their parks - for the better.
The company announced that they would eliminate trans fats from the food at their theme parks, as well as in any Disney licensed food products, and will be instituting a new set of guidelines for offering healthier food options in general:
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Placing a limit on total calories, resulting in smaller portions
- Limiting fat to a maximum of 30 percent of calories for entrees and side dishes, and 35 percent for snacks.
- Limiting saturated fat to 10 percent of calories for main dishes, side dishes and snacks.
- Limiting sugar to 10 percent of calories for main dishes and side dishes, and 25 percent of calories for snacks.
The new guidelines will be phased in gradually over the course of the next few years, although the trans-fats will be eliminated by 2008. There is no telling what effect any of these changes will have on park favorites, like churros, funnel cake and ice cream cones since their nutritional information is unknown at the moment, but it's possible that you might not be able to get some of these treats after next summer.
On top of the changes at their domestic parks, the company also said that they "will sign movie and other endorsement deals only with restaurants that limit fat and sugar in menu items." This change seems perhaps a little too strict, but it does help support the company's family-friendly image, which includes helping to keep families healthy, apparently.
Kids' meals will come with low-fat milk, water or 100% juice starting next week and carrots or applesauce will be offered as side dishes, although soda and fries will be a no-extra-cost option, for those parents who still treat eating at a theme park as a special occasion worthy of an indulgence.
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10-17-2006 @9:41AM Joane said... well aware of the huge responsibility we have, given our reach and our ability to impact people's behavior and opinions.
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10-17-2006 @12:57PM rainey said... Hooray for them if they eliminate trans-fats, but color me skeptical since what people spend on food and souvenirs inside theme parks is where the real money is. Somehow I can't imagine kids nagging for carob candy and frozen tofu.
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10-17-2006 @1:01PM Kate said... I have a mixed response to this. While on the one hand, the growing obesity problem warrants drastic changes be made to school lunch programs and other institutions where children are fed on a regular basis, I can't help but feel that theme parks are here to entertain us and give us the opportunity to occasionally indulge in less than ideal fare. My mother fed us healthy, balanced meals 7 days a week. When we visited Disneyland ONCE per year, we had a churro. This was hardly an every day occurrence, or even an intermittent occurrence. It was a once yearly blow out at the theme park.
To say those types of treats may be eliminated, is unfair to the legions of parents who already feed their children healthy meals, and know how to intelligently introduce a snack in an entertainment special-event setting.
That said, I do believe it is important to ensure the theme parks DO have healthy options for those who need that type of fare for medical or dietary reasons. There will be the person who simply cannot indulge, even on special occasions, and for those persons, the choice of milk, apples/fruit, raisins, crackers and other non-sugar-laden snacks are a fabulous idea.
Elimination of the treats isn't the answer. Providing options is a good idea, but let's not forget that this is still a happy place where ice cream cones, cotton candy, popcorn and churros are meant to produce a smile on this one special day. It isn't a school cafeteria with a math test scheduled for the afternoon.
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10-17-2006 @1:29PM B said... Uhhh Kate, they're not eliminating the snacks, just taking the trans-fats out of them. Now whne you give your kids one churro a year, it'll be slightly healthier.
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10-17-2006 @1:33PM Kate said... B, I'm referring to this quote, from the post:
"There is no telling what effect any of these changes will have on park favorites, like churros, funnel cake and ice cream cones since their nutritional information is unknown at the moment, but it's possible that you might not be able to get some of these treats after next summer."
I'm all for eliminating transfats in daily fare. I'm just talking about eliminating the treats all together, which the post hinted may happen.
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12-27-2006 @12:57AM mimi said... Trying to eliminate trans fats is a great step for Disneyland-easy first step is changing the oil to a trans fat free alternative. Just because Disneyland is the land of happiness doesn't mean your kids won't get to eat good treats-get real-this helps everyone!!!!!
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11-21-2006 @8:55AM Chione said... The sad thing is that Disney has to do this at all. It is the fact that parents are sometimes not responsible enough to feed their children with healthy foods. I know that sometimes this is not possible due to money constraints, but still. Eliminating it is not the answer. Disney is not the parents.
If Disney really wants to help, they'll add some healthy alternatives (but keep the old stuff, too, for parents who KNOW limits) and encourage parents to take the healthy option back to THE HOME, where it will really matter.
Because seriously, if you are already eating unhealthy, and then you go to Disney for a week, is that healthy food really going to help?
Disney needs to encourage ALL AROUND healthy eating if they really want to help combat the obesity problem
(Personally, I feel it is a legal move to prevent lawsuits, but that's just me ;D )
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