Hi everyone,

DH and I are going to an amusement park next Monday for an all-day "act like a kid" fest! We are going to Kings Island near Cincinnati. I am so excited. I haven't been on a roller coaster since 2004 and since we are hoping to conceive another child soon, I doubt I'll have the chance to do that again in quite awhile!

I am of course a little nervous about being on Phase One in such an environment. What foods would you suggest packing along? What foods would you suggest seeking out? I know that Skyline Chili is at Kings Island, do you suppose that's Phase One friendly?

Thanks for your ideas!
Kate

My advice is to bring your own food because you could be in a danger zone. I'm sure the other chickies will have lots of suggestions. Right now I'm thinking hummus and veggies and pre-counted nuts.

I've never been there so I really don't know but I looked at the website. It looks like they do not allow you to bring in food but I cannot tell if you are allowed to pack a picnic lunch and go out to your car and eat it. If so, that might be the safest bet. From their restaurant choices, Skyline Chili seems safest but then again, we don't have them so the only thing I can go by is their website. It has nutritional information but doesn't list ingredients. They show a chicken salad but it doesn't say grilled so it's hard to tell. The chili or chili with beans might be your best bet (stay away from the one with spaghetti).

Actually, your best bet might be to call the park and explain that you have dietary concerns and ask for their suggestions. You may even have to check with the restaurant to see what they serve as often amusement park restaurants do not serve the full menu that they would in one of their regular stores. Sometimes it helps to explain that you are a diabetic and CANNOT eat certain foods. They are more understanding then.

hi! i'm not on SBD, but i have a season's pass to KI and can tell you about the food there. it's a little bit of a challenge but not impossible. they've got a panda express with lots of steamed veggies, chicken and shrimp dishes, and in the same building (used to be the festhaus, now it's some sort of country-music thing) you can also get larosa's and they've got decent but not great salads. there's a buffet across from whitewater canyon - avoid like the plague. bubba gump's also has salads that you can get with shrimp, but pretty much everything is fried. there's a walk-up in the waterpark that's got great grilled chicken and shrimp, and you can get fresh fruit most places too.

and as much as i love a good 4-way, i can't imagine skyline would pass muster on ANY diet. it's incredibly fatty meat chili on spaghetti, served with loads of cheddar cheese. i had one a couple of months ago because i'd forgotten what an impact that has on my GI tract. ugh.

HTH!

Good stuff! Thanks for stopping by.

Before someone asks, HTH is an acronym for "Hope this helps." I'll add it to the acronym sticky.

Most of these places have an area where you can bring in a packed lunch. You may have to leave the park with a hand stamp then return. I would try and find a restaurant in each section before going and have a plan. In Six Flags for example, I used to hunt down the Pb&J lunch for my kids. They used to allow you to bring in food (we'd buy one light meal and pack the other).

Food prices are obscene at the parks. A $5 sandwich at a subway outside the park will cost you $7.50 inside.

I agree with the pack - chili (no starch) and salad. You may find a grill place where you can grab sliced steak or chicken with a salad.

I hope you can make it past the soft serve ice cream - I would not be able to - that is my theme park weakness!

Thanks everyone, for your suggestions!

Since we'll be there all day, I think I will go with one meal in the park (either Skyline or Bubba Gump - thanks for the tip!) and pack the rest myself as most of you suggested. Seriously: the food is overpriced anyway!!

The good thing for me is that 'fair food' is not actually my weakness. I'm just trying to find a way to beat hunger as I ride the rides!!

Thanks everyone - and if anyone has more thoughts, keep them coming!

Kate

P.S. When I was a kid we used to go back to the parking lot for our lunch, so I suppose that's what we'll be doing again. Oh well - the extra walking never hurt a Fat Chick!

I was just at an amusement park yesterday, and I did see a few places that offered healthy options, but you really had to look. I found one place that offered hummus dip with vegetables, and several places also offered a garden salad. The burgers are probably full of fat, but if you can't bring your own food, I would order one of those and ditch the bun, and have a side salad.
You could also tuck a baggie of nuts and another of raw veggies into your bag, along with some cheese sticks to keep you from stopping at the concession stands. We were actually so busy enjoying the rides and the waterpark that no one really wanted to take the time to eat, anyway.