Tell Us Your Favorite Disney Movie and We’ll Tell You What to Make for Dinner

Streaming service Disney+ is FINALLY here, which means it’s time to start planning a binge-fest of all those movies you grew up watching. And the only thing better than a deep-dive into the world of Disney is dinner to match your favorite movies. Not sure what to make to accompany your fave Disney flick? Read on for a curated guide of what dinners to pair with each film. 

That baguette that Aladdin steals in the infamous opening musical number in the 1992 film is sure to go stale in the desert heat. Rub the lamp and voila! A savory bread pudding, perfect for dinner, is born. Cover stale bread with milk, cream, eggs, ham, spinach, and more — the stuff of poor Aladdin’s dreams — and bake in the oven until brown. It’s a feast fit for riffraff, or a street rat, or a scoundrel. Take that!  

Get the recipe: Savory Bread Pudding with Spinach and Chèvre

• Other films to eat this with: Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989), The Emperor’s New Groove (2000) 

The Rescuers Down Under, the ’90s sequel to the late ’70s Rescuers, finds its hero and heroine way down in Australia. But before mouse duo Bernard and Bianca take off to rescue human boy Cody from a poacher, they share a snowy evening’s romantic dinner inside a glittering chandelier. If this iconic restaurant scene, in which a pea becomes the provenance of an army of tiny cooks, doesn’t make you crave a hot bowl of pea soup, what will? 

Get the recipe: Roasted Spring Pea Soup

• Other films to eat this with: Mickey and the Beanstalk (1947), Toy Story 3 (2010)

“What is that amazing smell?” Elsa asks in Disney’s 2013 film Frozen. The answer, of course, is chocolate. Frozen– and chocolate-lovers alike will appreciate this warm, fudgy pudding cake. It’ll warm the most frozen of hearts. (And yes, we’re suggesting you eat this for dinner. NO we will not apologize for that.)
 
Get the recipe: Warm Fudgy Pudding Cake

• Other films to eat this with: The Santa Clause (1994), Lilo & Stitch (2002)

Is it weird to eat shrimp while watching The Little Mermaid? Possibly. Will that stop us? Definitely not. True fans know that being a part of the ecosystem that is “under the sea” means, well, you eat stuff from under the sea! If your favorite movie is this 1989 classic, and you’ve long since wished for revenge against the wicked witch of the seas, this is the dish of your dreams. Get your dinglehopper ready, and dig in. 

Get the recipe: Shrimp Alfredo

• Other films to eat this with: Atlantis (2001), Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) 

I can’t say for certain that it was this soup that Robin Hood burned when he was daydreaming of Maid Marian while stirring his cauldron, but that scene always makes me hungry regardless. Yes, Robin burned the soup, but that’s a mistake you can easily avoid, if you’re paying attention. On the menu tonight for lovers of this 1973 Disney classic? A robust, spicy soup, studded with juicy shrimp, made just the way Robin Hood and Little John (although maybe not the spice-sensitive Friar Tuck) like it.
 
Get the recipe: Spicy Tomato and Shrimp Soup

• Other films to eat this with: The Parent Trap (1961), The Aristocats (1970)

Although you may not find, in your travels, any mushroom as large and magical as the one Alice ate during her time in Wonderland, you’re sure to find one that tastes just as good. Alice’s mushrooms — part of the longstanding debate about subversive culture when it comes to this 1951 film — could make her big or small. Your mushrooms, sautéed and stirred into warm orzo with spinach, will, sadly, only make you less hungry. Still, this dish is the perfect Unbirthday dinner for any night of the week.

Get the recipe: One-Pot Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Orzo

• Other films to eat this with: Cinderella (1950), Mulan (1998)

Although the pie for which Snow White is known is gooseberry, and not vegetable, she’s just as likely to whip this recipe up for a midweek meal as anything else. Disney’s first feature film, which came out in 1937, is a testament to the longevity of a classic fairy tale. A classic dinner pie is, naturally, the perfect complement. And while you may not have the help of the forest animals in your baking endeavors, this recipe is easy enough to cook without an extra set of paws or wings. 

Get the recipe: Vegetarian Root Vegetable Pot Pie

Other films to eat this with: Pinocchio (1940), A Bug’s Life (1998)

Before Arthur became King Arthur, with a little prodding from Merlin, he was just a boy, forced to suffer abuse from his foster father, Sir Ector, and foster brother, Sir Kay. Kay is a bit of a brute, showering Arthur with tasks and chores. But one thing he did know how to do — and do well — was eat. If this 1963 film is your Disney favorite, you probably remember Kay wolfing down drumstick after drumstick, sucked clean to the bone. This roast chicken, served with fennel, carrots, and a stunning gremolata, is the meal for you. 

Get the recipe: Roast Chicken with Fennel, Carrots, and Gremolata

• Other films to eat this with: Moana (2016), The Princess and the Frog (2009)

A scared, young Dumbo first meets his best pal, Timothy Q. Mouse, over a peanut in 1941’s Dumbo. The mouse has the legume hiding under his hat. What better meal to celebrate this most famous of elephants than a traditional bowl of pad Thai? This noodle dish (okay, in this case spaghetti squash instead of actual noodles) features sweet and savory elements, like tamarind, sugar, and fish sauce. But the most important ingredient is the one you taste first: those crunchy roasted peanuts, scattered on top. It’s a meal that will send you soaring, no matter the size of your ears. 

Get the recipe: Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai

• Other films to eat this with: Working for Peanuts (1953), Lady and the Tramp (1955)

Oh, to be a guest at Beast’s castle (before the Beast arrives, of course). While the parade of food — arranged by candelabra Lumière, clock Cogsworth, and teapot Mrs. Potts — is largely noteworthy, the cheese soufflé (followed, perhaps, by pies and puddings en flambé?) is the star of the evening’s show. After all, classic foods are classic for a reason. Or, as Cogworth likes to say, “If it’s not Baroque, don’t fix it.” 

Get the recipe: Cheese Soufflé

• Other films to eat this with: A Goofy Movie (1995), Ratatouille (2007) 

What’s your favorite Disney movie? Let us know in the comments!