May 11, 2022
Spring has sprung in the Smoky Mountains, and this means it is time for Dollywood’s Flower & Food Festival! If you want to read more about the overarching theme and activities that are part of the festival, you can check it out here. I love to eat, so I was so excited to get to experience the festival a couple of weeks ago, but I was admittedly also a little nervous. I am a picky eater (okay, I basically eat like a child), and I was afraid that there would not be a lot of options for me to try. Boy, was I wrong! I thoroughly enjoyed the festival food, and even got some things twice! In this post, I will share some of my favorite “picky-eater finds” so you can try them out for yourself.
Blue Woog: This is a lemonade-based fruity refresher that tastes as good as it looks. On a warm day if you need a nice, sweet drink to cool off with, you can’t go wrong with this beauty.
Cranberry Watermelon Cooler: A cranberry lemonade with Sprite was equally refreshing and pretty. I’m normally not a huge cranberry fan, but the taste was not overwhelming and really hit the spot.
Smoked Mac and Cheese: Who doesn’t love mac and cheese? For even the pickiest palette, this option was delightful and filling. The cheese had great flavor, too! You could also ask for the bacon bits to not be put on top if you prefer! *Please note I was able to have some menu items customized, but this is not a guarantee at all locations. Every host I ran into was super sweet to help me out!
Cuban Sandwich: This is one I customized. I know mayonnaise is something a lot of picky eaters don’t always love, but if you are just a sandwich kind of guy/gal, then this is a solid option! It was a great portion size to not fill me up too much so I could keep on eating.
Bacon Jammin’ Fries: French fries are another picky-eater favorite, but I know sauces are not for everyone. I didn’t ask for this one to be customized, however if I could go back again I would have asked for it to be light on the sauces. The fries had great flavor and were plentiful.
Korean BBQ Nachos: These were my absolute favorite of the trip. I was a little hesitant at first, but the sauce on top was not “a lot” nor overwhelming. This dish had amazing flavor and was not spicy at all. Two thumbs up from this picky girl!
Berry and Lavender Mini Funnel Cake: This delicious dessert is made with fresh berries like blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. This was by far my favorite dessert of the festival! It was light and refreshing, and the portion was perfect for one person. If you aren’t a fruit or honey fan, you could easily pick them off and ask for honey on the side, but they really enhanced the favor in my opinion!
Liege Waffle Ice Cream Sandwich: A waffle dipped in chocolate and pistachios, with your favorite ice cream flavor added in the middle. I loved this option because you could pick whatever ice cream flavor you wanted! There are a bunch to choose from and I (of course) got cookies and cream, my favorite. The ice cream is divine. Note that the waffle is cold, but easy to separate from the ice cream if you wanted to do so.
Cookies and Cupcakes: In Spotlight Bakery, you will find an assortment of baked cookies and cupcakes that you can purchase as part of the festival. I didn’t try these personally, but I have never met a cupcake I didn’t like, and the cookies are just plain adorable. I think these would make any picky eater’s heart leap and would be a great dessert option.
As you can see, there are some great options for picky eaters (and tons of other options I didn’t mention here!) You can check out menus for yourself ahead of your visit at the Dollywood Flower & Food Festival page. Whatever you choose to dine on, I hope you have the chance to visit the beautiful Flower & Food Festival this spring!
All Insiders Dining
All Insiders Dining
