Controlling sweets on the DDP

princessesmom · #1 12-04-2008, 12:10 PM

This might seem like a strange question, but how do you control the amount of sweets your children are eating when on the DDP? We have booked it for the first time for our February trip. I have 4 children, so it appears they will be able to get a dessert with their cs lunch, a dessert with their dinner, and another snack during the day. I realize the snack could be a non-sweet item, though I know they will want ice cream at least a few times during the trip. It is vacation, and I will be more relaxed than normal about their junk intake, but 3 treats a day for 8 days seems excessive to me. Anyone else feel the same way and have any ideas about how to reign it in a bit?

SBETigg · #2 12-04-2008, 12:24 PM

The desserts that come with the quick service meals are often individually packaged items that you can put in a bag and save for later, so you have the option of tucking them away before the kids notice you have them. The other thing is that most quick service places offer a small yogurt instead of a baked sweet treat, and that's a good option.

Another option, just say no. Just because you're paying for it doesn't mean you have to eat everything at every meal. Sometimes, we just simply passed on dessert. You could do this or ask for a fruit option on some occasions instead. They're very flexible.

TinkerbellT421 · #3 12-04-2008, 12:27 PM

It does seem like a bit excessive for sweet things. I totally agree with you on that. But I don't have kids, and when me and DBF go we don't mind the sweets, but we are adults. BUT I do remember there was a couple of places that we ate (sorry I cant remember the name of the restaurants) but their dessert was fruit or yogurt. I dont know how many restaurants are that way. Maybe some places will let you work that out. I dont know how strict they are with dessert policies, maybe you can get them a Milk as dessert instead of a piece of cake

. And snacks during the day could be popcorn or other "junk but not sweet" type items. Sorry its inconvenient for you. Hope you can work something out.

Bri · #4 12-04-2008, 12:31 PM

i also agree that you should say no to dessert. if they start to complain at lunch that they want a dessert, just point out that if they get a dessert (something sweet) at lunch they don't get one at dinner. we do the dining plan and there are many times we don't get dessert, it's a lot of food in one meal. but also, you can get fruit like the previous posters stated. i think some places you can get chips as well, i may be wrong though.

princessesmom · #5 12-04-2008, 12:38 PM

Thanks for the information about the fruit and yogurt. That sounds like a great suggestion and will help if we can do that at lunch. And we will do some non-sweet snacks, which will also help. Maybe it won't be as bad as I think. We haven't done the dining plan before, so we don't have experience with this. In the past when we were paying for CS meals we would have never gotten the kids a dessert and we would often bring our own snacks into the parks, so most of the snacks we were having were not sweets. Though we would buy them ice cream a few days during the trip.

I'll be sure to be on the lookout for fruit alternatives!

ibelieveindisneymagic · #6 12-04-2008, 01:29 PM

I think this is a bit of a challenge for anyone trying to watch the sugar intake.

We use the CS desserts as a treat later in the day, and use the actual snack coupons for drinks, or popcorn, or fruit (especially the fruit bowls from the resorts at night).

FaithTrustPixieDust · #7 12-04-2008, 02:09 PM

At most lunches, we would substitute fruit for dessert. Rather than choosing between applesauce and grapes, just get both. The desserts are pretty much always chocolate lava cake or carrot cake. We would get one per family and share it- everybody gets a bite or two.

MizMissy · #8 12-04-2008, 03:26 PM

You don't list the ages of your children, but if they are ordering of the children's menu for CS, the choice was usually only grapes or applesauce or maybe a packaged choc chip cookie. For TS, I remember a lot of fruit or sundae choices. So, it wasn't so terrible.
Now, the adult options ....

TheMartellFamily · #9 12-04-2008, 08:14 PM

We would also order the fruit salad for the kids or even for us. Yes it is hard to admit that Choc cake does get old but a fruit salad is nice every now and then. It did not matter if it was CS or TS if they had fruit we would order it. Also as a snack we would get fresh fruit under the snack choice.

pixiesmimi · #10 12-04-2008, 09:35 PM

Yes, it does sound like a lot of sweets if you aren't use to having them but think about it this way, you will be walking off most of the calories each day. That is the only thing that keeps me from gaining weight.

With the kids, if it is calories, they will run off all of it. If it is just not having sugar in their diet, there are a lot of other options. Look at the menus on Intercot Central ahead of time and choose your meal before going so you will know what comes with it. Also, on the buffets, you can choose from a lot of different things or nothing at all. You can just tell the waiter not to bring the deserts if you don't want them or get them as take out and take back to the room for later. We save a lot of our snacks for the last day and load up on things to eat on the trip home or after we get home.

illini · #11 12-04-2008, 10:31 PM

We would order fruit if it was remotely appealing (often it wasn't). Otherwise, at CS, we'd either let the kids all split one cookie or brownie or whatever OR we'd all share one of the adult desserts ('cause I got really sick of it, too!) and we'd give away the rest of our desserts to others in line. We got prepacked stuff when we did that, or if we were chatty with people next to us in line, we'd ask what they'd want and just order it and hand it to them. We're a little weird that way, though. Didn't seem to terrify anyone!