What to Eat at the Ballpark

Courtesy of WeightWatchers.com


We compare 10 popular concession-stand grabs — and see which hit home runs. At Milwaukee's Miller Park they're serving soy burgers, and at New York's Citi Field you can get anything from fresh fish to pulled pork.

Sports arenas have heard the cry for more nutritious food options and stepped up to the plate. But when your friend is eating a foot-long hot dog in the seat next to you, having a salad just won't cut it.

"It's silly to tell people not to have a hot dog at a ball game," says David Grotto, RD, LDN, and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. "Go ahead and eat those foods, but go in with a game plan."

Here's how the players on the menu score:

Smart picks

Cracker Jacks
The song doesn't tell you to buy peanuts and Cracker Jacks for nothing. An 8 oz. box of Cracker Jack runs 4.5 POINTS® values and contains protein-packed nuts, making it one of the smarter options if you're craving something sweet.

Grilled chicken sandwich
For a change of pace, swap your burger for a grilled chicken sandwich. An average grilled chicken sandwich will only cost you 7 POINTS values. Hamburgers without garnishes can run you anywhere from 9 to 13 POINTS values.

Hot dog
A regular hot dog with mustard is 8 POINTS values. Yellow mustard is a better topping choice than sugar-laden relish or ketchup. Sauerkraut has 0 POINTS values per serving, says Grotto.

Nachos
A 4-ounce serving of six to eight nachos will cost you 9 POINTS values; substitute salsa for the cheese and you'll tip the scales down to 7.

Roasted peanuts
Raw and roasted peanuts, with or without shells, are both a filling and vitamin-packed snack. But don't go overboard; at 11 POINTS values for half a cup of dry roasted unsalted peanuts you don't want to start mindlessly crunching. "A big bag of peanuts is meant for sharing," says Grotto. "Stick with just a few handfuls."

Once-in-a-while choices

Soft pretzel
At 5.5 POINTS values for the 5-ounce, supersize soft pretzel, you may as well go for a hot dog. "There aren't a whole lot of nutrients in the pretzels," says Grotto, pointing out that the lack of nutrients and fiber put it as a once-in-a-while choice.

Popcorn
Although popcorn is generally a good snack choice — 5 cups of 94% fat-free microwaved popcorn is only 1 POINTS value — stadium popcorn is the enemy in disguise, says Grotto. "When people think popcorn, they think of a light snack, but even if you opt for plain concession-stand popcorn, it has been popped in oil that is filled with 'bad cholesterol'-raising trans-fats."

French fries
You know they're no smart pick, but you might be surprised at just how costly they can be. A 6-ounce bag of fries can use up to 11 POINTS values.

Chicken tenders
"Remember that tenders are just fried chicken," says Grotto. They may look little, but a three-piece box of Nathan's Chicken Tenders is 13 POINTS values.

Chicken Caesar wrap
Seems like a healthy choice? Think again. At 16 POINTS values, the fatty dressing and cheese in a 6-inch Caesar wrap makes it an expensive grab. If choices are limited and the alternatives are worse, cut it in half and share it.