PHOENIX — Danielle LaFata has been in big stadiums and sports arenas for most of her adult life, so the nutritionist has some advice for anyone who wants to eat healthy when attending a professional sporting event.
No.
“Go ahead and eat your burger, eat your hot dog, eat some slices of pizza,” LaFata said.
LaFata – director of performance and nutrition for the NBA’s Phoenix Suns – says her advice is simply practical and based on her own appetite. Over the past 20 years, the culinary game on the baseball scene has exploded, with offerings like The Renegade in Pittsburgh, The 4 Bagger in Atlanta or a Polish sausage topped with smoked brisket and spicy barbecue sauce in Chicago.
Even looking at the pictures looks like it could raise your cholesterol.
Yes, there are some health options, especially in places like San Francisco, where the Giants have a place called The Garden that highlights “sustainability, urban agriculture and healthy eating.” Most parks and arenas have a few areas that offer salads, gluten-free or vegan options if fans are willing to do a little hunting.
But the vast majority of people who watch baseball games aren’t necessarily looking to eat healthy.
Food offerings reflect these desires.
Baseball occupies a unique space in the world of sports nutrition due to a few factors. For one, the 162-game regular season means each team has 81 home games, so there are plenty of selling opportunities. There’s also the relatively slow pace of the sport, which allows plenty of time to eat a hot dog or five.
Juan Villegas Sr. walked through the concourse of Chase Field — home of the Arizona Diamondbacks baseball team — with a large tray carrying two items called the XL Footlong Sonoran Style Dog and some Korean pork belly nachos.
“Normally, I’m more of a classic guy, you know, like a regular hot dog,” Villegas said. “But my son and I had to try. I’m about to devour them.
LaFata said she likes to use the 80/20 rule when it comes to diet, eating healthy 80 percent of the time and indulging in some comfort food the other 20 percent. The nutritionist said that if a person knows they are going to a sporting event, they should spend the days before eating healthy to have fun.
That means lots of vegetables and lean meats like fish.
“This will be my 20% day or my junk food day,” LaFata said. “All week long, you’re eating 80%, you’re eating healthy, you’re eating frequently, you’re doing all the good things you need for your body.”
Most customers don’t count calories – and in fact, calorie counts are often not even published. Diamondbacks executive chef Stephen Tilder said Chase Field offers a handful of healthy options, but the top five sellers are almost always some variation of hot dogs, chicken fingers, popcorn, soft pretzels and nachos.
“That’s going to be 90% of your sales in any stadium and arena because that’s just traditional food,” he said.
There seem to be some exceptions in places like San Francisco, but most cities are more like Milwaukee.
“We had Impossible (Meat) at our taco stands and found that it wasn’t very successful,” said Loren Rue, executive chef at the Milwaukee Brewers stadium. we just weren’t there to prove it was worth continuing.”
Still, Rue said people don’t need to gain weight while watching the Brewers.
“We’re not trying to limit those options,” she added. “We still have veggie dogs. We still have veggie burgers. There are options available for our guests. It’s just making sure the menu matches what the fans want.”
LaFata – the nutritionist – said there are some tips for those who don’t want to stuff themselves while watching a baseball game. Among them, it’s a good idea to take a few laps around the park, to get an idea of the selection and which options might be better than others.
Healthy options are usually grouped in some parts of the place.
She also suggested eating before heading to the game so you don’t end up starving when looking at a Chimichanga apple pie display.
While there are certainly ways to reduce calories, LaFata suggests it’s best to stop worrying. Those who have paid to attend a sporting event can also spend their money on good things.
“Sure, we could make a hot dog without a bun, or a hamburger without a bun, and that could save 100, 150 calories if we want to do it that way, or if we’re following a specific paleo or keto diet and trying to cut out the carbs. ” said LaFata.
“Or you can just take away the bun to make room for your beer!”
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AP Sports Writers Steve Megargee in Milwaukee and Stephen Whyno in Washington contributed to this report.
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