Ballpark bites
Rachel Rusnak and August Wiese
FLORIDA – When you think of baseball, what immediately comes to mind? Peanuts, summer nights, beer and hot dogs. They are the staples of a ballpark diet, but when you travel across the country to different stadiums you want to try something that maybe you cannot get in your area.
Philadelphia is famous for their cheesesteaks, New York has their thin-sliced pizza, and Chicago has their iconic style hot dog. Down in the sunshine state of Florida, you can get a taste of all these states at the baseball field without driving hundreds of miles.
Over the course of four days and traveling to different ballparks, we were determined to find the foods that are unique to a ballpark and should get some attention.
Florida Auto Exchange Stadium – Dunedin
Poutine
$10.00
Edited by: Aryn McNamara
For those trying to find some truly unique foods down in Florida look no further than the spring training home to the Toronto Blue Jays for over 40 years. This ballpark has everything to offer whether it be popcorn, peanuts, cracker jacks, or nachos. The one thing this park has that differs from your everyday ballpark food is Poutine (pictured above). Originating from the province of Quebec, Poutine is a delicious dish of French fries with cheese curds topped off with a brown gravy. It’s a staple not only at the Florida Auto Exchange Stadium but at the Toronto Blue Jays regular season stadium – Rogers Centre in Toronto – Poutine is a must-have.
Roger Dean Stadium – Jupiter
FLORIDA – When you think of baseball, what immediately comes to mind? Peanuts, summer nights, beer and hot dogs. They are the staples of a ballpark diet, but when you travel across the country to different stadiums you want to try something that maybe you cannot get in your area.
Philadelphia is famous for their cheesesteaks, New York has their thin-sliced pizza, and Chicago has their iconic style hot dog. Down in the sunshine state of Florida, you can get a taste of all these states at the baseball field without driving hundreds of miles.
Over the course of four days and traveling to different ballparks, we were determined to find the foods that are unique to a ballpark and should get some attention.
Florida Auto Exchange Stadium – Dunedin
Poutine
$10.00
Edited by: Aryn McNamara
For those trying to find some truly unique foods down in Florida look no further than the spring training home to the Toronto Blue Jays for over 40 years. This ballpark has everything to offer whether it be popcorn, peanuts, cracker jacks, or nachos. The one thing this park has that differs from your everyday ballpark food is Poutine (pictured above). Originating from the province of Quebec, Poutine is a delicious dish of French fries with cheese curds topped off with a brown gravy. It’s a staple not only at the Florida Auto Exchange Stadium but at the Toronto Blue Jays regular season stadium – Rogers Centre in Toronto – Poutine is a must-have.
Roger Dean Stadium – Jupiter
Lavender Lemonade Snow Cone Nacho Helmet Dean Dog
$5.00 $13.00 $8.00
Photo by: Aryn McNamara Photo by: Aryn McNamara Photo by: Aryn McNamara
$5.00 $13.00 $8.00
Photo by: Aryn McNamara Photo by: Aryn McNamara Photo by: Aryn McNamara
For people that love hot dogs but have an appetite for more than one would enjoy a Dean Dog (pictured left). What is unique about this ballpark frank is the extra ¼ pound of meat packed inside. Customers can customize their frank with your typical mustard and ketchup or try something new with barbecue sauce and sauerkraut. For people that love a messier snack can have a snack and a souvenir all in one with a Nacho Helmet (pictured center). This snack-pack is the size of a small child’s helmet; additional toppings like sour cream, taco meat and sour cream, are extra. For people, like me, who prefer a lighter and sweeter treat to enjoy during the game can customize a snow cone with oddly, yet satisfying flavors – chocolate, banana, strawberry, lavender (pictured right). There are already made flavor combinations, or you can make concoctions of your own.
George M. Steinbrenner Field – Tampa
Mac & Cheese with Brisket BBQ Nachos
$8.49 $9.49
Edited by: Aryn McNamara Edited by: Aryn McNamara
$8.49 $9.49
Edited by: Aryn McNamara Edited by: Aryn McNamara
The spring training home of the New York Yankees has ballpark choices that live up to the standards of the “Big Apple” that bigger is better, at a bigger price. A specialty to the Yankee stadium is their barbeque menu. The Mac & Cheese (pictured left) is unique because of the added brisket, topped with a sweet barbeque sauce. To go along with the BBQ theme of the menu was the nacho (pictured center) loaded with brisket, Pico de Gallo, jalapeños and covered in a hearty helping of cheese and BBQ sauce. The Smoked Brisket Plate, another option on their menu following the BBQ theme, comes with a pile of smoked brisket, grilled Texas toast, a side of baked beans and coleslaw on a platter for $13.19. The friendly cashiers behind the counter may try to convince adding an ice cream helmet with your purchase, but after a meal like that, there may not be any more room in your stomach. Other New York favorites on the menu include a home cooked pastrami sandwich and Italian sausage with peppers and onions.
Champion Stadium– Kissimmee
Mickey’s Ice Cream Sandwich
$5.75
Edited by: Aryn McNamara
This may be the last time that fans can enjoy the food and beverages served at the Atlanta
Braves spring training stadium. This time next season they will be relocated to North Port.
This stadium brings in fans of all ages not just because of the home team, but because of its
location inside the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Tents end each baseline seating
section that offer craft beer and a food menu prepared special for the visiting team cities. One head chef and four sous-chefs collectively come up with the menus for game day.
“We did the brisket nachos because it is a Midwest thing. When the Marlins were here, we did the turkey nachos. For the Phillies game we are doing the sandwich they do up there. For Pittsburg were doing this panini sandwich,” sous-chef Issac. “We have more special items for the visiting teams.”
An obvious but staple snack of the Disney parks is the Mickey’s Ice Cream Sandwich (pictured center). It is enjoyed by kids, teens and adults of all ages, especially on a hot Florida afternoon, the vanilla ice
