NFL Football eating advice needed!

goalsuccess · 08-22-2008, 07:12 PM

I am headed to a Vikings game tomorrow night and just learned that I'm not going to be able to sneak in my healthy foods, though I'm thinking big sweatshirt pockets might be a blessing

What can I eat at a football stadium that won't make my weight absolutely skyrocket?? I know I'm going to be super careful about my eating the rest of the day to save calories for what I think will be high fat eats.

Any advice would be VERY MUCH appreciated!

paris81 · 08-22-2008, 07:19 PM

I've read that the best things that you can eat at the ballpark are either hot dogs (as long as they're not the footlong ones) or peanuts (as long as you only eat one serving, which is not very much). Everything else (pretzels, nachos, etc) are really really, really, really bad. So even though it's not ideal, those are the best options, from what I've read. Maybe check a calorie counter and enter some options to check before you go?

Luckily, everything is so expensive there, it's not as tempting to eat too much. You could also fill up on veggies and fruits before you go so that you're not hungry while you're there.

BlueToBlue · 08-22-2008, 07:46 PM

A lot of stadiums serve tofu or veggie dogs now; that can also be a good choice.

I always pack all my own food for sporting events. It seems odd that the stadium won't let you bring food in. I know many don't allow beverages, but I've never had a problem bringing in food. I also know that they don't really check the bags all that carefully, so I'd try to stash some food in my bag anyway. The worst that can happen is they make you throw it out.

EZMONEY · 08-22-2008, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueToBlue

A lot of stadiums serve tofu or veggie dogs now......

WHAT!???

of course BARB....working up (kind of) near you in Folsom this week I can see why this "tofu" thing is happening...

it is freakin hot in Sacramento!....thank goodness you are more coastal...

poor Amanda

mandalinn82 · 08-22-2008, 07:59 PM

EZ, you wimp! This is NOTHING! It's only in the mid-90's! That's prime-time summer weather!

Just wait until you have 15 days in a row over 105. Then we can discuss "HOT" (and I'm sure truly desert-dwelling folks among us would have something to say about that, too)

WebRover · 08-22-2008, 11:15 PM

We always tailgated before the games and did all our eating then. (For a 1:00 game we'd leave home at 8 am and return about 5 pm. The stretch between the tailgate lunch and getting home for dinner is about the same stretch as between lunch at work and dinner.) Even if you won't be tailgating, you can make sure you eat a hearty meal before you go. Then you won't be starving and have to chose among junk options.

Depending on the stadium, there may be grilled chicken sandwiches or subway sandwiches.

EZMONEY · 08-22-2008, 11:26 PM

Now AMANDA...I will say this week hasn't been too bad...but last week was pretty darn hot! I think most the water evaporated from the river as far as I could tell

It's funny how at the time it starts to cool down here...it is the hottest part of the day there...around 4 or 5pm. Or so it seemed the last 11 days I was there.

Hoping for a

cool

down next week

BlueToBlue · 08-23-2008, 04:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EZMONEY

[b][size="7"]it is freakin hot in Sacramento!....thank goodness you are more coastal...

poor Amanda

Lucky Amanda! I wish it were freakin hot. It's been freakin cold the past week or so. Barely in high 70's or low 80's and then the wind picks up in the afternoon. I seriously need to consider moving inland.

WaterRat · 08-23-2008, 12:47 PM

Quote:

It's been freakin cold the past week or so. Barely in high 70's or low 80's

Cold? high 70's ? low 80's?

But then you knew I'd feel that way, right?

It's in the high 40's right now, about 8:45 am, and probably won't go above the high 50's today unless the overcast lifts... I actually was happy to see that this morning, as I'm going to the state fair (which is in my city) this afternoon, and the cooler weather will keep down the crowds - and I hate crowds!

Never had the opportunity to go to anything beyond a HS football game, but I think the strategies given here are good ones. Plan, plan, plan and stick to your plan as closely as possible.

Mel · 08-23-2008, 03:56 PM

I always sneak food in. Big purse, pockets, etc. It's the $6.00 water than really annoys me!

WebRover · 08-23-2008, 04:23 PM

$6 water and they keep your bottle top so you can't throw it on the field. $5.50 soda and they don't give you a lid or straw (so you can't throw them on the field). But it's ok that everyone that goes in and out your aisle rubs their pants leg or sweaty skin (Florida - all games are sweaty) against your container and rain, peanut shells, whatever can fall in. (Can you tell I have some strong feelings about that?)

Mudpie · 08-23-2008, 05:48 PM

I thought pretzels were pretty benign? At least they are baked.

I wouldn't touch anything in a hot dog though - we're having people dying from eating one brand of processed meats right now in Toronto.

Our stadium has a bunch of different food kiosks with all sorts of food. I had vegetarian pizza at the last ball game I attended and it wasn't too greasy. Ditto a chicken sandwich from the grill later.

Drinks are a problem. Beer is cheaper than water.

Dagmar

EZMONEY · 08-24-2008, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueToBlue

.......I seriously need to consider moving inland.

It's not too bad down here in North San Diego county either BARBARA! Want me to run a coat up to you when we do a job in Redwood City next year?

[quote=WaterRat;2329644].........
It's in the high 40's right now, about 8:45 am, and probably won't go above the high 50's today unless the overcast lifts... QUOTE]

WHAT!? Are you

PAT?

....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mudpie

........ Beer is cheaper than water....

I keep telling Angie beer is a MUCH better buy Dagmar....but she ain't buying it!

WaterRat · 08-24-2008, 05:16 PM

Quote:

WHAT!? Are you

PAT?

....

Well, of course, Gary!

Much nicer today, but Barbara would be cold.

goalsuccess · 08-24-2008, 05:53 PM

I think I need to come here and let you all know what happened.

I had good intentions; I really did. I packed food, put some in my coat pockets (2 kelloggs bars and a 100 cal pack), and ate a grilled chicken sandwich and french fries about 2 hours before the game. My main mistake was buying kettle corn before entering the game...I think I ate the whole damn bag myself, and it wasn't a tiny bag. Second, I also gave in and bought myself midgee tootsie rolls and threw them in my bag too. I ate all of them, too--probably about 15 of them. They were very good, but not very healthy. At the game, I bought a large diet soda and shared it with my hubby and bought chocolate chip cookies and ate two of those as well.

Overall, it was bad but not nearly as bad as it could have been. My weight was up 3 lbs this morning. Perhaps some of its water weight, but after eating popcorn and tootsie rolls and cookies, I deserve a gain.

Now, I'm putting it behind me. I'm not going to beat myself up about what I did wrong, and I'm going to throw out or freeze the rest of the tootsie rolls and the bag of dove chocolate I bought (that I never opened). I'm human. I even did worse than my husband because I packed those damn toosie rolls and bought that popcorn. He just drank the diet pop!

I did learn that they really don't check your bags very closely; and I need to think about what I do to myself (!) when I choose to pack fattening things. Part of me did look at this as a chance to enjoy eating again! Thankfully, I didn't want most of the crap they had to eat and I didn't want to pay what they were asking, but I should have been stronger. They also DO have a grilled chicken sandwich, so I could have had that if we hadn't eaten out prior to the game.

The game was great by the way though the Vikes lost it in the last 30 seconds. I'm not a football fanatic, but I wasn't bored watching it as I am when I'm at home.