PETA’s 2009 Top 10 Vegetarian-Friendly Ballparks
Top athletes—including slugger Prince Fielder, NBA star Raja Bell, MMA fighters Mac Danzig and Dale Hart, NBA legend John Salley, and Olympic great Carl Lewis—look to meatless meals to boost their health and stop cruelty to animals. And judging by the ever-growing array of delicious vegetarian meals available at major league parks, fans are following their lead.
In addition to old standbys such as peanuts and popcorn, baseball fans are enjoying mouthwatering options such as fresh-grilled veggie dogs, veggie burgers, and faux chicken as well as hearty burritos, vegetable wraps, and tasty regional foods. Not only are these choices full of flavor, they’re also 100 percent cruelty- and cholesterol-free—talk about a triple play!
PETA is pleased to announce the Top 10 Vegetarian-Friendly Ballparks for 2009. (Be sure to check out PETA’s animal-friendly minor league counterparts too.) Click on each ballpark below to learn more about its vegetarian options. And the winners are …
- 1. Citizens Bank Park (Philadelphia Phillies)
- 2. AT&T Park (San Francisco Giants)
- 3. Coors Field (Colorado Rockies)
- 4. Turner Field (Atlanta Braves)
- 5. Minute Maid Park (Houston Astros)
- 6. PETCO Park (San Diego Padres)
- 7. Comerica Park (Detroit Tigers)
- 8. U.S. Cellular Field (Chicago White Sox)
- 9. Oriole Park at Camden Yards (Baltimore Orioles)
- 10. (tie) Miller Park (Milwaukee Brewers) / (tie) Wrigley Field (Chicago Cubs)
Fortunately, these aren’t the only ballparks that have stepped up to the plate to serve delicious vegetarian options. Here’s a list of ballparks that received honorable mention and a rundown of the meat-free items on their menus!
Honorable Mention:
Dodger Stadium (Los Angeles Dodgers): Veggie burgers, veggie dogs, California and cucumber rolls, fresh fruit skewers, roasted sweet corn, assorted salads, Healthy Kids meals (PB&J, juice box, and fruits and veggies)
Tropicana Field (Tampa Bay Rays): Veggie burgers, bowtie and penne pasta, black beans and rice, assorted salads, vegetarian action stations with pasta, risotto, black bean cakes, and quinoa cakes (available in the Batter’s Eye)
Busch Stadium (St. Louis Cardinals): Fire-roasted vegetable burritos with rice and beans, Asian vegetable stir-fry, garden-fresh salads, fresh vegetable plates
PNC Park (Pittsburgh Pirates): Veggie burgers, vegetable wraps, veggie pierogies, fresh fruit smoothies
Dolphin Stadium (Florida Marlins): Veggie burgers, made-to-order salad station, fruit cups, potato latkes, vegetables crudités
Nationals Park (Washington Nationals): Veggie burgers, hummus and vegetables, fresh fruit salads, pear and walnut salads with lemon vinaigrette, Healthy Kids meals (PB&J, juice box, and fruits and veggies)
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum (Oakland Athletics): Veggie dogs, chipotle black bean burgers, assorted salads, baked potatoes
Get started on your vegetarian diet today by ordering a free copy of PETA’s “Vegetarian Starter Kit.” It’s loaded with mouthwatering recipes and useful tips and information on going vegetarian. Order one now!
Thanks to Johanna McCloy and Soy Happy for their hard work in getting vegetarian items added to menus at ballparks nationwide!
Here’s a more detailed look at the ballparks that made our list:
1. Citizens Bank Park (Philadelphia Phillies): The Phillies are the first-ever dynasty when it comes to delicious vegetarian fare. Now that they’ve added Southwestern black bean burgers and faux “crab cake” salads to an already stacked lineup that included veggie “steak” and veggie “chicken” sandwiches, veggie dogs, vegetable wraps, and various salads, we’ve noticed a connection between CBP’s vegetarian rankings and the team’s on-field success that tells us the Phils may well be on their way to another World Series crown.
2. AT&T Park (San Francisco Giants): The only thing more solid at AT&T Park than the Giants pitching staff is the stadium’s amazing array of meat-free fare, including veggie dogs, Gardenburgers, portobello mushroom sandwiches, grilled corn on the cob, grilled vegetable sandwiches, vegetarian pot stickers, veggie sushi, edamame, and much more.
3. Coors Field (Colorado Rockies): Colorado fans drool over Coors Field’s delicious meat-free options like fantasy team owners drool over Todd Helton on draft day. This year, Rockies fans can enjoy veggie burgers, veggie dogs, vegetable wraps, veggie sandwiches with grilled peppers and onions, vegetable panini, roasted portobello sandwiches, and vegetarian burritos.
4. Turner Field (Atlanta Braves): You never know when freak health ailments will plague a player (just ask Brian McCann about his vision problems), but Braves fans can help to fend off heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity by going vegetarian. Meat-free options at Turner Field include veggie burgers, vegetable sandwiches, vegetable wraps, vegetarian pasta, assorted salads, a farmer’s market fruit and vegetable stand, and fresh fruit smoothies.
5. Minute Maid Park (Houston Astros): With Men’s Fitness magazine having ranked Houston one of the fattest cities in the U.S., it’s a good thing that Minute Maid Park offers Astros fans so many delicious, healthy vegetarian options. (Vegetarians are less prone to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity than meat-eaters are.) Astros fans can choose veggie dogs, vegetable hoagies, baked potatoes, fresh fruit smoothies, made-to-order salads, fresh fruit platters, black beans, pinto beans, an oven-roasted vegetable medley, and corn on the cob.
6. PETCO Park (San Diego Padres): Although the Padres’ batting lineup is struggling, the team’s lineup of yummy vegetarian options is stacked. The stadium offers veggie burgers, veggie dogs, vegetarian sushi rolls, fresh fruit salad, gourmet vegetable salads, roasted corn, and PB&J. Although PETA has serious issues with PETCO, PETA loves the Padres for providing healthy, humane fare to fans in “America’s Finest City.”
7. Comerica Park (Detroit Tigers): While the great city of Detroit is struggling through some tough times, things are looking up for vegetarian and health-conscious Tigers fans, who can enjoy delicious veggie dogs, veggie burgers, vegetarian sushi, vegetable egg rolls, vegetable stir-fry, meatless taco salads, vegetable wraps, and fruit cups.
8. U.S. Cellular Field (Chicago White Sox): The south side of Chicago is the place to be for animal-friendly baseball fans this summer. White Sox fans can enjoy veggie dogs, Gardenburgers, vegetarian taco salads, corn off the cob, fresh fruit cups, and PB&J.
9. Oriole Park at Camden Yards (Baltimore Orioles): Birds fans would be disgusted to know that the meat industry drugs chickens and turkeys, making them grow so fat that their legs often become crippled under their own weight. Luckily, Orioles diehards can help prevent such cruelty by choosing mouthwatering vegetarian options such as veggie burgers, veggie dogs, vegetable wraps, vegetable panini, various salads, made-to-order sandwiches, and fresh fruit cups as Camden Yards cracks PETA’s list for the first time.
10. (tie) Miller Park (Milwaukee Brewers): What better proof that an athlete can be kind to animals while still knocking the cover off the ball than Prince Fielder? Off to another solid season, Prince can enjoy delicious vegetarian options such as veggie dogs, vegetable wraps, fresh tossed salads, fresh fruit, made-to-order stir-fry, and baked potatoes at Miller Park concession stands.
10. (tie) Wrigley Field (Chicago Cubs): After being plagued for years by an angry goat and a spurned black cat, the Cubs might finally get on the good side of the animal world with their first-ever appearance on PETA’s Vegetarian-Friendly Ballparks list. Vegetarian options at Wrigley field include Gardenburgers, black bean burgers, assorted salads, vegetable wraps, and a Healthy Kids meal (PB&J, juice box, and fruits and veggies).
Get started on your vegetarian diet today by ordering a free copy of PETA’s “Vegetarian Starter Kit.” It’s loaded with mouthwatering recipes and useful tips and information on going vegetarian. Order one now!
