Opening day at Dodger Stadium means the crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd, and the smell of . . . Greek salad with olive oil vinaigrette.
It may not be typical ballpark fare, but let's face it: Sitting for hours with a bellyful of Dodger Dogs and nachos does not a svelte figure make. So, with Monday's home opener at Dodger Stadium, the culinary wizards there are joining ballparks nationwide in serving up more healthful food.
Not to worry: The meaty, foot-long Dodger Dog hasn't been replaced. Nor have the nachos. And heaven forbid the beer be taken away.
But these items have some wholesome new neighbors: curried chicken salad made with low-fat mayonnaise, turkey sandwiches on whole wheat, and fruit and yogurt parfaits, all served in the stadium's three Healthy Plate carts set up on various levels.
The DodgerVision board is even getting in on the act. Keep an eye on the screen for exercise prompts encouraging kids (and willing adults) to move.
Lest you think such measures are unnecessary, consider the calorie count at what could be a typical game. Start with two Dodger Dogs (240 calories each, not including the bun), add a pile of nachos (a typical plate can run up to 1,000 calories), two beers (about 300) and a cup of peanuts (about 300), and . . . no, you don't really want to do the math.
Sports stadiums around the country are, or have been, making similar moves (Seattle, San Diego and Anaheim have beaten L.A. to the punch), acknowledging that going to a game perhaps shouldn't be inextricably linked with a food binge.
Low-fat offerings and exercise follow-alongs may seem like sacrilege to fans who think baseball means a hot dog in one hand and peanuts in the other. But to many nutrition experts, this is long overdue.
"I think the world would be a worse place without hot dogs and ice cream," said James O. Hill, director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado in Denver, "but we can't splurge everywhere. We have to make choices to eat healthier. It sounds to me like these aren't sacrifices, these are pretty good choices."
The Dodgers have offered a smattering of items in their Healthy Carts for about three years: Think ordinary raw vegetables (yawn) and hummus (not exactly slim-line at about 400 calories a cup). The turkey wrap might have been healthful had it not been for the cheese. And bacon.
Those items had some takers, but the team's new partnership with sponsor Kaiser Permanente has pushed efforts up a notch.
