Weight Watchers guide to 2021 Taste of EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival

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My favorite EPCOT festival is back: Flower and Garden Festival! If you can't make it to EPCOT this year and want a taste of Disney at home, check out some of my Disney recipes! EPCOT offers Dole Whip exclusively during Flower and Garden Festival, but you can whip it up at home easily (and for no SmartPoints!) with my recipe.

In the past, I've included the entire menu for Flower and Garden. But to keep things more simple for you, I'll just include some highlights of things that I think are easily adaptable to any Weight Watchers plan. 
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Beyond a ton of beautiful topiaries throughout the park and yummy food samplings, there are also a bunch of photo opportunities and fun things to check out. The Butterfly Garden is back this year with a socially distanced queue (we saw Pooh frolicking nearby while we waited). Plus, there are butterfly wings you can pose in front of that jazz up some of the construction walls around the park.
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General Tips

• Remember that most of the food options at EPCOT's festivals are bite-sized. They're meant for sampling! So if you really want to try something but are nervous about the SmartPoints budget or calorie intake, don't stress it too much. 
• If you are watching your SmartPoints budget but still want to try something around the world, look out for foods that typically have higher SmartPoints values.
  • For example, things that are heavy in cheeses or sugar will likely be more calorie dense than something that is more protein-based. 
• If you are interested in beverages but worried about your SmartPoints or calorie intake, there are many non-alcoholic options this year. Either way, be sure to balance it with plenty of water so you stay hydrated.
  • You can get free cups of water from Starbucks on your way into the World Showcase (the new Starbucks location is at the front of the World Showcase entrance, on the side closer to Canada).
• Don't feel limited to just this list. If you really want something - have it! Every diet should be sustainable and focus on a healthy relationship with food. Do not punish yourself if you want to have something that is a dessert. Everything in moderation - not just at Disney, but all the time.

My favorite menu picks for Weight Watchers and Calorie Counters

I'll bring us around the world by location. I'll keep the order of the restaurants the same as they're listed in the Disney Parks Blog to keep things convenient!

Flavor Full Kitchen (Future World West)
The two entree options here are fantastic for any Weight Watchers program. They are:

• Grilled Baby Vegetables with Hummus Cream and Red Pepper Coulis (gluten/wheat friendly; plant-based; Garden Graze).
• Seared Verlasso Salmon with Farro Risotto and Micro Herbs.

This location also has two non-alcoholic beverages if you want something fun to drink that doesn't have added SmartPoints from alcohol.

Photos courtesy Disney Parks Blog

EPCOT Sunshine Griddle (Future World East)
I would love to try this Avocado Toast as a brunch option when starting my way around the World Showcase. It has marinated toybox tomatoes and a small amount of goat cheese on top. Its on a slice of toasted ciabatta bread, and its beautiful presentation will help your eyes feel as satisfied as your stomach.

The Honey Bee-stro (Showcase Plaza)
Everything here has either a lot of cheese, honey (aka sugar), or both, which is something to watch out for in abundance on Weight Watchers. However, the Lavender Honey Mustard-marinated Chicken Flatbread with Whipped Honey-Ricotta Cheese, Marinated Vegetables, and Purple Haze Lavender Goat Cheese is great for sampling and sharing a bite with your family.

The Citrus Blossom (Showcase Plaza)
I am excited to try the Meyer Lemon-poached Lobster Salad with Grapefruit-Rosé Vinaigrette, Yuzu-marinated Hearts of Palm, and Avocado-Yuzu Panna Cotta! It's new this year, friendly to those with gluten or wheat allergies, and sounds super refreshing - perfect for a warm Florida day.

The Lion King topiary near The Land

Refreshment Port (Showcase Plaza)
While there are other plant-based options throughout the festival, I want to call this out for those of you who are on a plant-based diet. You can get a plant-based Italian sausage and peppers poutine here which is great for sampling with your family or having as a hearty snack.

Pineapple Promenade (Showcase Plaza)
If you've been here before, you already know what I'm about to say. Dole Whip is a great sweet treat for Weight Watchers! It's only 5 SmartPoints and 90 calories per half cup, so it's not going to break your Weight Watchers budget.

Trowel & Trellis (Showcase Plaza)
This entire stand is plant-based! While plant-based doesn't necessarily mean it's lower in calories, fat, or SmartPoints, I've found in my personal experience that I feel less bloated after eating plant-based foods, so I enjoy recommending these dishes for those looking to try something different.

I'm really excited to try the Grilled Street Corn on the Cob with Savory Garlic Spread as a snack. I also think the Boneless Impossible Korean Short Rib with Cilantro-Lime Rice, Danmuji Slaw, and Kimchee Mayonnaise is a great base for a light meal before snacking around the world.

Refreshment Outpost
The only thing served here is a pineapple skewer, but it's got tajin seasoning on it. This is a great snack option to try for Zero SmartPoints and is low in calories.

Bauernmarkt: Farmer’s Market (Germany)
I would recommend going for the options that have ham included. This extra protein will help you feel more satisfied with these heavier dishes.

Magnolia Terrace (America)
Oysters are Zero SmartPoints on myWW Blue and myWW Purple! The Cajun-style Roasted Oysters are a great protein-packed choice.

Taste of Marrakesh (Morocco)
Both entree choices are actually great since they both have lean protein sources as their base. Those are:

• Moroccan Seafood Couscous with Shrimp, Mussels, Olives, Preserved Lemons, and Anchovy Breadcrumbs (new).
• Shakshuka: Moroccan Baked Eggs in a Spiced Eggplant and Tomato Stew (new).

Photo courtesy of Disney Parks Blog

La Isla Fresca (between Morocco and France)
I would opt for the Sugar Cane Shrimp Skewer with Steamed Rice and Coconut-Lime Sauce, which sounds like a refreshing and light option in the Florida heat!

Festival Favorites (World Showplace; this is the building over near the Canadian Joffrey's coffee stand)
The lightest option here sounds like the Watermelon Salad with Pickled Onions, Feta, and Balsamic Reduction!

EPCOT Farmers Feast (World Showplace)
The Duck Confit with Carrot Purée, Roasted Root Vegetables, Rainbow Chard, and Duck Jus packs some protein and has plenty of vegetables, so I'd say this is a great option.

If you like beets (often labeled a superfood), the Off the “Beet”en Path: Profiteroles with Red Beet Mousse, Golden Beet Pastry Cream, Whipped Goat Cheese Cream, and Candied Walnuts sounds like a sweet way to sneak in some veggies.

Northern Bloom (Canada)
A fantastic and delicious way to get in your protein is with the Seared Scallops with French Green Beans, Butter Potatoes, Brown Butter Vinaigrette and Apple-wood-smoked Bacon. I'm looking forward to trying this! 

Jardin de Fiestas (Mexico)
All of these options are probably fairly equal to one another as far as nutritional value goes. However, the plant-based or pork options would be my go-to since you're looking at an option without cheeses, which will help keep the SmartPoints lower.

Lotus House (China)
Most of your options here are fried. However, of the three:

• Papa Cakes: Potato Cakes filled with Shrimp and Water Chestnuts served with House-made Strawberry Sauce (new).
• Bon Bon Chicken Skewer with Sesame and Peanut Sauce.
• House-made Crab and Cheese Wontons.

I'd say the best healthy-ish bests are the Bon Bon Chicken Skewers followed by the Papa Cakes.

Anthony and I tried all three of these and have to say they were all excellent. You only get three wontons, so it's great to split if you want to try it but are watching your calories and don't want to have too many fried options.

Because its not fried, the skewers are definitely the most healthyish of the bunch (and was actually Anthony's favorite thing that we tried all day). We got two cakes when ordering the Papas Cakes, so we each one one cake. The flavor combo was surprisingly delightful!

Bon Bon Chicken Skewer

Papas Cakes

Crab & Cheese Wontons

Primavera Kitchen (Italy)
I would definitely recommend the Margherita Pizza here over the Arancini, since Arancini is fried. Also, if you want a little something sweet, their cannolis are pretty small.  You get two miniature ones.

Hanami (Japan)
I absolutely love these two menu items both in terms of flavor and being great options for the calorie conscious:

• Frushi: Strawberry, Pineapple, and Cantaloupe wrapped in Sweet Rice and Pink Soy Wrap served with Whipped Cream, Drizzled Berry Sauce, and Toasted Coconut.
• Shrimp and Crab with Spicy Mayonnaise and Cucumber Slices finished with Creamy Avocado and Violet Sauce (new).

Anthony and I had the Shrimp and Crab and it was fantastic. Definitely recommend! It was pretty light, the Spicy Mayo wasn't too spicy (I'm very weak with that stuff and was fine!), and the Violet Sauce added a nice flavor to what otherwise would have been a fancy rice-less California roll. I'd definitely get this again.
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Fleur de Lys (France)
Everything here is either pretty cheesy or sugary. That being said, I'd look to the Braised Duck Confit à l’Orange with Parisian Gnocchi since its packed with more protein. If you want dessert here, you can enjoy in moderation with the chocolate macaron - they come on a stick!

Flower and Garden Festival runs now through July 5th. You can check out the full menu of food on Disney Parks Blog.
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