Sports Americana

Ballpark food wasn’t always the culinary adventure it is today.

In the early days of baseball, fans brought their own food or bought simple snacks from vendors outside the ballpark. Peanuts became a baseball staple in the late 1800s, helped along by vendors who could easily carry bags through the crowd. The famous cry of “peanuts and Cracker Jack” eventually became part of the game’s soundtrack.

Then came the hot dog.

By the early 1900s, hot dogs were becoming a ballpark favorite, helped by their portability and the fact that you can eat one with one hand while using the other to argue about a called third strike.

As baseball grew, so did the menu. Beer, popcorn, pretzels and ice cream became staples. Eventually, stadiums started getting creative.

Today, you can find everything from barbecue and tacos to sushi, gourmet burgers and absurdly large sandwiches. Some ballparks have turned food into an attraction of its own.

And yet, after all these years, there’s still something perfect about sitting in the stands with a hot dog, a bag of peanuts and a cold drink.

Baseball may have changed.

The food may have gotten considerably more expensive.

But at least the peanuts are still peanuts.