Eating For Your Amusement

About author / Pamela Chester

Mom of two; graduate French Culinary Institute; kids cooking program instructor; Master's degree in food studies. Creates kid friendly foods and loves her slow cooker.

My family and I are fresh off a day trip to a local amusement park and I’m still feeling like a big kid. Our action-packed day included braving some long lines, repeating some of the really fun rides a couple times, and splashing in the waterpark. Between all that, we really worked up an appetite. This particular park, one that is geared towards young children, is located in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country, so many a pretzel and funnel cake could be found in the food kiosks.

Our day started off with a grownup treat of jumbo presweetened iced coffees (for the adults only of course) and lemonade for our two year old. We continued our almost “no holds barred” approach throughout the day with stops for ice cream, chicken nuggets, French fries, pretzels, and more lemonade.

Now that we were so behind on the nutrition game, we made the obligatory dessert stop before heading out of the park. Just before we left we enjoyed a funnel cake decked with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, and delicious whipped cream – not for the faint of heart! I did feel a wee bit guilty after our day of sweet and savory treats, but realized that we really only indulge in fare like that a handful of times a year, plus we were all sharing it.

Although I am a meanie when it comes to everyday treats such as chocolate bars in the grocery store or lollipops at the doctors office, I take a more laid back approach for special occasion days and vacations. After all what is childhood without delicious treats like hot fudge, cotton candy, and popcorn? And with these foods beckoning at every corner in most theme parks, it’s hard not to allow a little indulgence for these once a year kind of trips.

So with that in mind I give you some ideas on how to eat at a theme park without breaking the bank and belly. With temptations for your children lurking around every corner, it’s best to make a plan. If your summer itinerary includes lots of stops at fairs and theme parks, you might want to rein it in a little bit, and possibly even bring your own.

But what do you do in places where you’re not permitted to bring in food or beverages from home? You could always pack a cooler with a picnic lunch and take a midday break to rest and fuel up. But if you don’t want to head out, the healthier items to choose from include grilled chicken sandwiches, small hamburgers, corn on the cob, pizza, and candy apples. If the majority of the food you take in is on the healthier side, you can “save up” for a couple indulgences like corn dogs or deep fried Oreos.

Even though you might feel cooler once you go on water rides or into cooling stations, it’s important to stay well hydrated as you go about your day. Most parks will let you bring in your own water (a huge money saver) even though they do not allow food. You can also stretch sugary drinks like those fresh squeezed lemonades by diluting them by half with water.

Older kids can be given a set amount of dollars at the beginning of the day that is theirs to spend at their discretion. If they end up with a tummy ache from eating only sweets (something I remember well from my own experience!), they’ll learn the lesson of how important it is to fuel up on healthy foods and drinks.

I have to say the look of pure joy on our older boy’s face as he tried some new rides and previously forbidden treats was worth a few empty calories. What are some of your favorite theme park and state fair foods?

Serves/Makes: 1 qt

• 1 quart water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice
• sparkling water (not tonic water, like Perrier)