How Disney World Helped My Picky Toddler Try New Foods (And Actually Enjoy Them)

Theme park food usually makes me nervous. I imagined we’d spend our Disney World trip eating nothing but chicken nuggets and fries. But I was wrong—and happily so.

As a mom of a 2-year-old with a notoriously selective appetite, I didn’t have high hopes for vacation dining. To my surprise, Disney World offered affordable, diverse kids’ meals that helped my son try new flavors without pressure—and without breaking our budget.

A Daily Routine That Worked for Us

During our stay at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort, we opted for three sit-down meals a day—partly to escape the Florida heat and partly for the dining experience. For just $9, each kids’ meal came with a smoothie, a small fruit (like a tangerine or grapes), and two healthy sides.

At various restaurants in the parks, our son encountered meals with grilled chicken, white rice, watermelon, soup, noodles, and even mac and cheese—many of which he tried for the first time. Here are some standout moments:

  • Skipper Canteen (Magic Kingdom): Grilled chicken with rice and watermelon. He took his first-ever bite of grilled chicken.

  • Yak & Yeti (Animal Kingdom): Stir fry noodles chosen via menu photos. He devoured the sauce-covered noodles—a big change from his usual olive oil spaghetti.

  • Coral Reef (EPCOT): He spoon-fed himself chicken noodle soup while watching fish swim past the aquarium.

  • Three Bridges Bar & Grill (Coronado Springs): He tried mac and cheese and happily munched on sliced grapes.

These meals not only introduced variety but also were reasonably priced, which made experimenting less stressful.

Why Don’t More Restaurants Offer Options Like This?

At home in New Jersey, kids’ meals often cost $12 to $20 and usually include the same boring lineup: grilled cheese, chicken fingers, or plain spaghetti. Rarely do we see grilled salmon or fruit sides.

Why? According to restaurateurs, it’s a mix of speed, cost, and familiarity.

“Parents don’t want to deal with tantrums, so ‘safe’ foods dominate menus,” says Mark Bucher, co-owner of Medium Rare steakhouse.

Fresh foods like fruits and veggies are often wasted, he explains, especially when kids don’t recognize them. And smaller restaurants don’t have the same volume as Disney to manage perishable inventory efficiently.

Could Restaurants Learn from Disney?

“Disney’s magic,” says Lauren Galifi, a clinical nutrition program manager in New Jersey. “More variety might help kids try new things.”

Bucher agrees that smaller restaurants face challenges—but not impossibilities. His restaurant offers half-price kid portions of regular menu items, including steak and salad. And yes, some kids actually request the salad.

“It’s not the norm,” he admits, “but we hear it all the time: ‘This is the only salad my kid eats.’”

Repetition, Not Just Fairy Dust

Sure, Disney’s fireworks may have added magic to mealtime. But research shows that repeated exposure is key to getting picky eaters to try new foods. A kid might need to see (and reject) something multiple times before giving it a taste.

That said, novelty and environment matter too. A celebratory atmosphere, colorful menus, and appealing food presentation can all help.

As one restaurant owner shared, a 4-year-old girl recently asked to celebrate her birthday at his barbecue joint—specifically for the ribs. Kids know what they like, but they’re also open to trying what excites them.

Final Thought

Disney didn’t just give us a great vacation—it gave us hope that our son’s eating habits could grow beyond beige food. If more restaurants embraced kid-sized portions of real food, we might see more toddlers happily slurping noodles and spooning soup.