Top 10 Veg-Friendly Major League Ballparks
Take me out to the ballgame! Take me out to the crowd! Buy me faux-chicken and corn on the cob, nondairy smoothies, and veggie kabobs…
The great American pastime has gotten even greater, as loads of vegetarian and vegan foods have been added to menus at ballparks across the country. Here is this year’s list of stadiums that have us hoping for extra innings:
1. San Francisco Giants’ AT&T Park
The only thing sweeter than a World Series championship is knowing that no animals had to suffer for a tasty ballpark meal. Mouthwatering meat-free options at AT&T Park include veggie dogs, veggie burgers, portobello mushroom sandwiches, meatless burritos, grilled vegetable sandwiches, and noodles with ginger, sesame, and veggies.
2. Philadelphia Phillies’ Citizens Bank Park
It’s hard to tell what’s more loaded: the Phillies’ starting rotation or Citizens Bank Park’s vegetarian menu, including Southwest black-bean burgers, mock-steak sandwiches, breaded faux-chicken sandwiches, and tangy hummus with pita chips. Don’t forget the closer: the vegan rice krispie treat.
3. Detroit Tigers’ Comerica Park
With flamethrower Justin Verlander on the mound and flame-broiled veggie Italian sausages and black-bean burgers on the grill, Comerica Park is the place to be this summer. You can also enjoy vegetable stir-fries, veggie dogs, veggie burgers, vegetable sushi, and hummus plates.
4. Atlanta Braves’ Turner Field
The Braves have a strong heart of the order, and Braves fans can have a strong heart by enjoying delicious cholesterol-free fare at the concession stands, such as veggie burgers, veggie dogs, meatless burritos, vegetable sushi, veggie pasta, and dairy-free smoothies.
5. Colorado Rockies’ Coors Field
The only thing at Coors Field longer than a Tulo home run are the lines at the concession stands for hearty meat-free fare, such as grilled portobello sandwiches, veggie dogs, veggie burgers, vegetable wraps, baked potatoes, and meatless burritos.
6. Oakland Athletics’ Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
The A’s young pitching carries the team every year, and the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum’s meatless items, such as the veggie burger, meatless burrito, made-to-order salads, and portobello sliders, carried the venue into our top 10 this year.
7. San Diego Padres’ PETCO Park
Padres fans know that they can count on the right arm of Heath Bell and delicious cruelty-free fare in the concession stands, such as veggie dogs, veggie burgers, hummus and vegetables, roasted corn, edamame, and fresh fruit salads. (Maybe the animal-friendly options at the park will inspire PETCO to stop buying animals from abusive dealers where many animals suffer and die even before being shipped to stores.)
8. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim’s Angel Stadium
Choosing tasty meat-free foods at the concession stands—like black-bean burgers, vegetable sushi, bean burritos, edamame, fresh fruit cups, corn on the cob, and roasted vegetable sandwiches on ciabatta rolls—can help get Angels fans’ cholesterol lower than Jered Weaver’s ERA.
9. Houston Astros’ Minute Maid Park
Delicious meat-free foods, like veggie burgers, mushroom sliders, fresh fruit smoothies, baked potatoes, made-to-order salads, and sun-dried tomato rigatoni, are flying out of concession stands at Minute Maid Park faster than Michael Bourn can fly around the bases.
10. Milwaukee Brewers’ Miller Park
Even if vegetarian slugger Prince Fielder leaves, the Brewers will still have mouthwatering meat-free choices to please their fans, like a portobello mushroom focaccia sandwich, a vegetable wrap, fresh fruit, build-your-own burritos, and a hearty veggie dog.
Thanks to Johanna McCloy and Soy Happy for their hard work getting vegetarian items added to menus at ballparks nationwide.
Written by Michelle Kretzer
