Oh, the smell and sounds of the ballpark: hot dogs, beer, the crack of the bat, cheers and the vendor yelling “BEERRRRR HERE.” I love going to the ballpark in the summer, for it brings back great childhood memories. I grew up in a family where life revolved around the baseball season. One thing I remember the most is waiting for the chocolate frosty vendor to come during the seventh inning. As a kid, my brother, sister and I were not allowed to buy a frosty until the seventh inning.
As I became an adult and a dietitian, I continue to go to the ballpark during the summer. However, now I walk all through the stadium trying to find something “healthy” to eat. Fortunately, over the past few years, I have been able to find “healthier” foods at ballparks … with a little searching.
I had a veggie burger and a grilled chicken gyro at PNC Park in Pittsburgh and a very good black bean burger at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. At other stadiums I often go for the grilled chicken sandwich if other options are limited.
I keep waiting for ballparks to make healthier and fresher food and begin to follow some of the trends occurring in society, such as locally grown and organic foods, vegetarian and vegan options or gluten-free.
Eating the 14-types-of-cheese hamburger, footlong chili dog and nachos and cheese washed down with a 24-ounce soda, as I sit for three hours doesn’t do much for me. And I find the “all-you-can-eat seats” that many stadiums are now promoting appalling to say the least.
Further, each year many stadiums promote a “new” item. I am a Pittsburgh Pirates fan, and last year at PNC Park the promotion was a 14-cheese hamburger endorsed by the manager of the team! It was disheartening to hear “my team” promote heart attacks to their fans.
According to Danielle Kloake and Dr. Peter Titlebaum, two researchers who examine the offerings at different professional sport venues, many ballparks are beginning to provide some nontraditional baseball offerings such as gluten-free options, salads, veggie burgers and sushi. However, these foods seem to be more expensive, and the majority of the foods offered continue to be hot dogs, chicken wings, nachos and cheese, popcorn and pretzels.
So here is the caloric breakdown of some traditional ballpark past-time eats:
1. Soft pretzel: 400-500 calories
2. Small popcorn: 550 calories (35 grams of fat)
3. Plain cheeseburger: 450 calories (25 grams of fat)
4. Hot dog: 450 calories
5. Nachos with cheese: 1,100 calories
6. Pizza: 600-700 calories
7. Beer, 12 ounces: 140 calories
8. Soda, 12 ounces: 150 calories
9. Peanuts, 8 ounces: 1,200 calories
10. Helmet ice cream: 550 calories
11. Cracker Jack box: 150 calories
Most people need around 1,800-2,200 calories per day. If you eat a hot dog with nachos and cheese, a 24-ounce soda and then eat an ice cream out of a small helmet during your three hours at the ballpark, you would have consumed about 2,400-2,500 calories.
So I think it is time to change the food at the stadium of this great American pastime. Are you all with me?
Next time you are at the stadium look for the “healthier’ stand. Then in the seventh inning sing “buy me some veggie burgers and salads … .” Just don’t sing it too loud. The person next to stuffing down a cheeseburger, nachos and beer may take offense.
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