The Best Snacks to Pack for a Budget-Friendly Day in Disney Parks

Most people know, but some may not – Disney allows you to bring outside food into the Parks. Packing your own snacks is often a hack seen when talking about doing Disney World on a budget. And while it is certainly a way to save money, it’s also convenient, potentially more nutritious, and a safe option for those who are vegetarian, vegan, require gluten-free options or have other food allergies.

You can be as simple or as fancy as you want. You can do as much or as little prep as you want. We have some healthy suggestions as well as some indulgent treats to pack up for a day at a Disney Park.

Grocery Planning

Now you may be wondering about the strategy behind acquiring all of this food. Do you shop before your trip and bring it with you, or wait until you arrive in Orlando? Well, you can do either!

There are plenty of standard grocery stores just outside of Walt Disney World property. If you’re driving to your Disney Resort, it would be easy to pop over and grab everything you need. If you don’t want to take the time, Amazon Prime will deliver to your Disney Resort.

If you bring your groceries with you or make a quick trip when you arrive, you may end up needing to restock later in the week. Again, delivery is an option. But if you have a rest day planned, that’s a good time to make another grocery run.

Now onto the snacks!

Healthy Snacks

Fruit

Some fruit options don’t need to be kept cool, such as clementines or bananas, so they’re easy to toss in your day bag with the rest of your essentials. Apples are a great option, too. And to make them easier to grab and eat, consider slicing them up before you head out the door to catch the bus to Magic Kingdom. Kick it up a notch by packing peanut butter to dip them in! 

If you’re already planning to pack a cooler or don’t mind including a mini cooler bag in your backpack, grapes or berries are a great cool treat on a hot day. You can also pre-cut watermelon or pineapple. Pretty much any fruit can be prepped to bring along as a healthy Disney snack.

Trail Mix

The great thing about trail mix is that you can buy it pre-made or mix up your own to pick your own ingredients. If you’re creating your own, add some sweet and salty pieces to hit all of the flavors in one go.

Consider adding protein-rich ingredients to help keep you full and fueled. We recommend peanuts, almonds, cashews, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate chips, and dried fruit such as cranberries or raisins. This mix will satisfy your rumbling stomach while you wait in line or wait for the next meal to roll around.

Cooler items

Like some of the fruits, there are additional healthy snacks to pack that should be kept cool. String cheese, Greek yogurt pouches, and hard-boiled eggs are great options. Like the protein-rich trail mix, these snacks will keep you fuller longer.

We often purchase snacks at Disney World just because they’re yummy (and they are). We may not necessarily be that hungry! Not that we can’t or shouldn’t indulge in some fun treats on vacation, but knowing there are healthy avenues is nice.

Treats

Chips, crackers, pretzels

Salty snacks hit different on vacation, don’t they? And purchasing several favorites before your Walt Disney World trip makes them even better. Whether you fancy honey mustard pretzels, peanut butter crackers, ranch Doritos, or classic salted potato chips, they all make for a great mid-day snack.

To save money, buy regular or family-sized bags instead of individual packs. Bring some ziplock bags with you to portion out what you want to bring to the Parks. Or portion them out ahead of time so all you have to do is grab and go.

Cookies and brownies

Sometimes it’s nice to have a sweet treat after lunch or just for fun! There are plenty of sweet treats around the parks (ice cream, anyone?), but if you want to cut back on Park treats, packing your own is the way to go.

Sure, you can pick up some packaged cookies or other treats at the grocery store. But we recommend making some of your own as a special Disney snack.

While you can’t easily bring your own ice cream, you can bring all sorts of baked goods! Opt for black bean brownies or spinach muffins if you want to kick up the nutrition. Those might not sound good, but a quick Google search will likely change your mind!

Splurging at the Park

So while this post is to encourage you to “bring your own snacks: Disney Park style” – we also encourage a splurge or two. Some of our favorite Disney treats include the famous DOLE Whip, Mickey pretzel (with cheese, of course), Mickey waffle, and the classic Mickey Mouse ice cream bar (or sandwich).

Whether you are at Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, or Epcot – you can find all of these popular Disney Park snacks – and more!

If you would rather splurge on something a little more unique, definitely explore the options around the World Showcase at Epcot. But be warned, it will be hard to choose. Snacking around the World Showcase can been an entire experience of its own. However, we recommend planning and budgeting in advance for that one! If you want to save, stick to packing!