Canned Food Is An Unexpectedly Good Match For Disney Park Days

There's no denying that a trip to a Disney park can be a magical experience, but that magic also comes with a hefty price tag. To save some money, it's a good idea to bring your own food into the park. According to the Disney World FAQ, Disney does allow outside food and drink in its various parks, so long as they "are not in glass containers and do not require heating, reheating, processing, refrigeration or temperature control and do not have pungent odors." Quite a few food items meet that criteria, but one of the most affordable and convenient options is canned food.

Canned food, including fruit, vegetables, Spam, and various fish, are all ready to be eaten as soon as you open them up. That makes items like canned peaches or Vienna sausages perfect for a quick snack while you wander around the park — all you need is a fork! Canned goods can cost as little as a couple of dollars, so packing a few is guaranteed to save you a substantial amount of money, especially if you have a large family or group.

Of course, your canned lunch can also be elevated by adding a few Disney-approved supporting snacks. Pack a sleeve of crackers flavored with garlic or garden vegetables to scoop up canned tuna. Or, bring some grapes and cubed hard cheese like cheddar or Gruyère to create a mini-charcuterie board with some canned olives. If you're feeling really fancy, you can even bring some pre-toasted bread and slices of tomato in a reusable baggy to create open-faced sandwiches topped with tasty canned anchovies. Now that's a meal that you might find at some of the best Disney World restaurants.

One helpful tip to note is that while Disney parks don't allow loose ice, they do allow reusable ice packs. Ice isn't necessary to keep your canned goods fresh, but it may be nice to chill some of your accouterments, especially since you'll need a bag to store your canned goods anyway.

A day at a Disney park is never going to be easy on your wallet, but with a bit of planning and preparation, you can definitely cut down on costs. All you really need is an assortment of your favorite canned foods. And don't forget your can opener!