Short Essay #3: Food and Culture

I don’t care if I never get back

            Just in my hometown there are at least 8 places to get a burger. Smash Burger, Fat Burger Two Guys, Freddy’s, Red Robin, and Village Inn, not to mention the steadfast Burger Kings and McDonalds’. I could probably list off the same number of restaurants for tacos, pizza, and Chinese. What does this tell me about American culture? We like choices and we like tradition. By tradition I mean to say that Americans like to eat American foods. In our country, we have taken different culture’s foods and Americanized them. Taco Bell and Panda Express are certainly not authentic, but this is what we like to eat. We also love purely American dishes, things that were concocted and made popular in our country long ago, things like hamburgers and hot dogs. And by my count of burger joints, clearly we are not satisfied with only one option for our favorite foods. While I attended a weekend game at Coors Field, these American food values were apparent.

            At a Rockies game, you will never go hungry. The concourse of Coors alone has more options than your typical mall food court. Leaving my seat in center field and continuing in a clockwise direction, every few sections I pass the typical built-in concession stand and at least two beer carts. The stands sell hot dogs, hamburgers, fries, popcorn, sodas, helmet sundaes, nachos, etc. and the carts, well, they sell beer (Coors of course). The first specialty stand I hit is the kettle corn tent followed by Dip and Dots ice cream. Then I pass by the funnel cake and donut place. After that comes the cleverly titled Infield Greens salad cart, where I believe they also have gluten free options. Above the corner of right field, certain ticket holders can go up one level and enjoy eating inside at the Mountain Ranch Bar and Grill, a glass fronted restaurant that looks out onto the field. Back on the main concourse, I next run into the Tornadough stand that sells a delicious treat made from twisted pretzel dough dipped in sugar or parmesan cheese. Fresh squeezed lemonade is available here, also. Rounding home plate, there is the Blue Moon smokehouse where fans can order and sit down.

Continuing up the third base line, I eventually reach the Italian looking food court area. Here they sell pizza, salads, and more hamburgers. Interspersed between all of these specialty places, built-in concessions, and beer carts are stands selling the iconic Rockie Dogs, foot-long brats, and cotton candy. But back to my food tour. Right before I head into the outfield, there is a cart selling all kinds of roasted nuts. Back in the open, straight ahead is Buckaroos, a concession stand geared towards children. To the left side of this, tucked back in a corner exists Wok in the Park which serves noodle bowls out the side of a van. Carrying on past Buckaroos, I hit Madeline’s (ice cream) and Helton’s (the best burgers and onion rings in the park). After passing one last Tornadough stand I’ve made it back home.

This was just an overview of what is readily available on the main concourse; other places there are burritos and oysters to have, and heading up into the different levels unveil other options. If fans prefer to stay in their seats, vendors happily oblige by walking around with flats full of novelties; frozen lemonade, cotton candy, chocolate covered strawberries and bananas on a stick, and the occasional hot chocolate can be purchased with the raise of a hand. Workers hawking beer are plentiful, also. 

Even with all of these options available, the most prevalent things I observed fans eating were those stereotypical baseball staples: hot dogs, peanuts, and beer (lots and lots of beer). Everyone in my immediate vicinity had a Rockie dog at some point during the game and at least one beer (for those who were old enough). The two women on my right got them with all the fixings: peppers, onions, and sauerkraut. On my left was a family of four with a boy and a girl who had to be below the age of 8. Both the kids sat down before the game with Buckaroo hot dog meals. Below me in the handicapped seating were families and pairs of friends who all had Ziploc bags full of peanuts. One guy even had a bag that was already shelled. Browsing the stands I saw more hot dogs, the occasional nachos or burger, and everywhere beer. I can’t stress enough the amount of beer that was consumed in the first few innings alone. It seemed like whenever someone got up from their seat they returned with at least two cups in hand.

More than 20 billion hot dogs are consumed in a year by Americans, 7 billion of which are eaten between Memorial and Labor Day (peak baseball season) (“The History of Ballpark Food”). This shows that American tradition is alive and well. I can think of nothing more American than a hot dog, especially when it’s eaten at a baseball game. Peanuts and Cracker Jack also have their place in American culture; about 600 million pounds of peanuts are consumed in a year and Cracker Jack is still a high seller at all 30 Major League parks (“The History of Ballpark Food”). By the amount of peanut shells dusting the ground around my seat, I can definitely attest to the popularity of the snack. I mean, it wouldn’t be a real game without “buy me some peanuts and cracker jack” would it?

In addition to the kinds of food eaten, I observed a trend in who was consuming what. Families tended to eat a lot more while people, mostly young adults, who were there with friends or in couples just drank beer. The family I spoke of above with the boy and girl had kid’s meals and the parents ate Rockie dogs and beer. The boy was bought strawberries on a stick, the girl shelled pistachios and drank a Dr. Pepper, some Twizzlers were pulled out of a backpack, and then the mother came back with some nachos to share. And this was all within the first three innings! The family right behind me ate even more. The two little girls started off the game eating salted pretzels with cheese. Their mother had a hard time deciding between bratwurst and Helton’s fare, so rather than having to choose, both parents got foot-long brats, went back for burgers and onion rings, and then got a funnel cake to share. This was definitely not the behavior of others at the ballpark. Excluding families, most of the crowd was predominantly male and mainly spent their time drinking.

            At any ballgame, there are a variety of people in the stands. From race and age to couples, friends, and families, the fans at a baseball game really exemplify the American melting pot. And while most may come for the game, there is also something to be said for the food. The variety of options and type of foods being consumed points out something about our American food culture. It shows that we like choices and enjoy observing American traditions, like eating a hot dog at a baseball game.

"The History of Ballpark Food." Web log post. History in the Headlines. History.com, 31 Mar.

 2011. Web. 14 Apr. 2012.