Making Healthy Choices At The Ballpark
April marks the start of baseball season for both the major and little leagues. Buying peanuts or cracker jack may not be the healthiest thing, but fortunately, many stadiums offer a variety of food choices. Obviously, some of these will be very high in calories, and often don’t yield much in the way of nutrition, so having a clear idea of what your best options will be before heading to the game will help you maintain a healthy diet.
Food Calorie Comparisons
How do you decide what to eat at the game? It helps to look at calorie counts for common stadium fare. Starting from highest to lowest:
- Popcorn: 1,500 calories for a giant tub
- Super nachos with cheese: 1,500 calories
- Peanuts: 840 calories, but plenty of nutrients
- Large soft pretzel: 700 calories
- Foot-long hot dog: 580 calories without toppings
- Fries: 500 calories
- Hamburger: 490 calories
- Chicken tenders: 446 calories for six pieces
- Pizza: 435 calories per slice
- Sausage and peppers sandwich: 430 calories
- Crackerjack: 420 calories
- Basic soft pretzel: 400 calories
- Chicken wrap: 345 calories
- Hot dog: 290 calories with no toppings
- Chicken sandwich: 280 calories
- Corn on the cob: 180 calories
- Fruit cup: 80 calories
Of course, there’s more to healthy eating than simple calorie counts. If you have a choice between cotton candy and cracker jack, for example, you will consume fewer calories with cotton candy, but it offers nothing in the way of nutrition. Crackerjack, on the other hand, has four times the calories, but it also offers protein and fiber, which may make it the better option.
Many stadiums also offer healthier items, including yogurt, turkey burgers (only 147 calories), baked potatoes, and salads. You can also bring along your own healthy snacks, like these from Kay’s Naturals. Consider bringing fruit or energy bars. If you’re looking for tasty ideas, health food providers such as Nashua Nutrition can give you a variety of options to choose from when planning your next ballpark outing.
- Nashua Nutrition Admin