No More Peanuts and Cracker Jacks?

[MMMordabito]

Apparently, the Hartford Yard Goats are the first team to ban peanuts and cracker Jacks stadium wide.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/02/13/minor-league-team-takes-peanuts-cracker-jack-out-ballgame/

 

Not sure what I think of this. They make a good point that there are many other concession options, but those are baseball staples IMO.

 

Does Target Field even have a peanut free section?

 

I know a couple people with peanut allergies, and I know one of them goes to at least two or three Twins games a year. His allergy is bad enough that he always has his epi-pen with him.

 

Is this common sense, an overreaction or a club trying to get publicity? Or, is it somewhere in the middle of all three of those?

[Squirrel]

I think having a handful of games each year 'peanut free' is great ... but to never have this available, ever? Not sure I like that idea. Maybe stadiums can have a 'peanut free' section, like they do with alcohol. It seems like completely redoing the stadium for a few people. But then ... it's not like I have either peanuts or cracker jacks at every game I attend ... but I do sometimes. Would miss not having the option to buy cracker jacks, actually.

[MMMordabito]

I think I agree with you, Carole. I'd even go with one section on each level (in fact I'd like to see a no alcohol section on the first level, but I understand the lost revenue claim for not doing it).

 

I think there has to be a solution that gets peanut-allergy folks below comparative and cumulative risk already assumed that doesn't result in completely banning those products as concession options at the ballfields.

 

Sounds like a thesis study for a statistics major to claim.

[Thrylos]

Former Twins' affiliate (Rock Cats) that moved a few miles North...

 

I know enough people with bee sting allergies, but I haven't seen a place banning bees.  Individuals can control what goes in their mouths.  For someone who is vegetarian, peanuts is about the only choice of getting protein in a ballpark, and banning them is inconsiderate...

[MMMordabito]

 

Former Twins' affiliate (Rock Cats) that moved a few miles North...

 

I know enough people with bee sting allergies, but I haven't seen a place banning bees.  Individuals can control what goes in their mouths.  For someone who is vegetarian, peanuts is about the only choice of getting protein in a ballpark, and banning them is inconsiderate...

 

That's good perspecitve that I can appreciate.  I wouldn't think of that as a non-vegetarian.  I wonder how much perspective the Yard Goats ownership entertained before coming to their decision.

[sweetmusicviola16]

I'm with you guys. Make a couple of concession stands ans sections peanut free. Are we going to ban peanuts in all places to accomadate less than 2% of the people? 

[MMMordabito]

 

I'm with you guys. Make a couple of concession stands ans sections peanut free. Are we going to ban peanuts in all places to accomadate less than 2% of the people? 

 

By making the concession stands and and sections peanut free, I think you are accommodating that less than 2%.  

[sweetmusicviola16]

 

By making the concession stands and and sections peanut free, I think you are accommodating that less than 2%.  

true true true

[darin617]

 

Former Twins' affiliate (Rock Cats) that moved a few miles North...

 

I know enough people with bee sting allergies, but I haven't seen a place banning bees.  Individuals can control what goes in their mouths.  For someone who is vegetarian, peanuts is about the only choice of getting protein in a ballpark, and banning them is inconsiderate...

Are they going to hire peanut sniffing dogs to be placed at gates so nobody can bring in their own?

 

Actually they should train squirrels to find them if people bring them in. Nothing worse than a squirrel grabbing your nuts.

[Thrylos]

 

Are they going to hire peanut sniffing dogs to be placed at gates so nobody can bring in their own?

 

You do realize that these days they are searching every bag that comes in a ballpark and the only food/drink item allowed in most is water, I suspect

[Mr. Brooks]

Former Twins' affiliate (Rock Cats) that moved a few miles North...

 

I know enough people with bee sting allergies, but I haven't seen a place banning bees. Individuals can control what goes in their mouths. For someone who is vegetarian, peanuts is about the only choice of getting protein in a ballpark, and banning them is inconsiderate...

You can control what voluntarily goes into your mouth.

You can't control a vendor handling your food with peanut residue on his hands, which for some people, can be enough to kill them.

That said, there is only so much you can do about that risk. But, this is a business self imposing this ban, it's not a government ban, so I have zero problem with it.

People who want their peanuts can take their money elsewhere, just as free market is intended.

[Otto von Ballpark]

I know Target Field has had some "peanut controlled days" where they let some fans sit on the team office balconies in left field:

 

http://www.minnesotafoodallergy.org/twins

[biggentleben]

 

Former Twins' affiliate (Rock Cats) that moved a few miles North...

 

I know enough people with bee sting allergies, but I haven't seen a place banning bees.  Individuals can control what goes in their mouths.  For someone who is vegetarian, peanuts is about the only choice of getting protein in a ballpark, and banning them is inconsiderate...

 

Except that a peanut allergy can be triggered simply by the shell dust in the air. It's not about what the person consumes. If that dust is even on their food, it can set off an attack. It's not at all about what they choose to put in their mouth.

[biggentleben]

I think the story needs to be fully read. This was not the Hartford team bending to pressure of loud voices. This was a pair of dedicated fans who both happen to have children with peanut allergies reaching out to the team, asking for a peanut-free day or something of that sort. The team made this decision.

 

As far as history goes, it's right in line with true history of the game. The author of the lyrics of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" had never been to a baseball game. Beyond the rulebook, he did not have an idea what was a common occurrence at the game. Crackerjacks were a dying brand that was near being eliminated from the shelves when they were injected into the song, likely for lyrical purposes as much as anything. Peanuts often were incredibly stale at games at the time because no one purchased them. The popular items were popcorn, hot dogs, cotton candy, and roasted corn on the cob well ahead of peanuts.

 

As far as vegetarian and even vegan options, nearly every stadium, major and minor league has had multiple protein options for my wife when we've gone to games without having to resort to peanuts, but if you're really needing something in a shell at a ballgame, try unsalted sunflower seeds:

Sunflower seeds

1 ounce serving
163 calories
14 grams fat
1.5 grams saturated fat
5.5 grams protein
6.5 grams carbs
3 grams fiber

 

Peanuts
1 ounce serving
161 calories
14 grams fat
1.9 grams saturated fat
7.3 grams protein
4.6 grams carbs
2.4 grams fiber

[RaymondLuxuryYacht]

This will put an end to the long series of peanut-dust related deaths at ballparks.

[biggentleben]

 

This will put an end to the long series of peanut-dust related deaths at ballparks.

 

Good that you can joke about it. For those who live with it, it's not a joking manner.

[Loosey]

If there are kids that can't be safe going to a baseball game because of peanuts and simply not allowing peanuts makes a baseball game a safe environment for them, I am all for it.  

 

Having or not having peanuts available at a baseball game will impact my experience 0%.  There are plenty of other options.

 

Neither of my kids have peanut allergies, but a few friends of ours do.  And they do not come to Twins games because of the peanuts.  However, the St. Paul Saints have "Peanut-Free Games" on occasion they can go to and the kids get to enjoy baseball.

 

Now if they ban beer, you may hear me complaining. .  .

[USAFChief]

 

Good that you can joke about it. For those who live with it, it's not a joking manner.

The most common food allergy is to milk. Should we ban ice cream? 6th most common is to wheat...should be ban hot dog buns too?

 

I'm sympathetic to those with food allergies, but unfortunately it should be up to those suffering the allergies (or their parents) to deal with the issue, not the rest of us. Since this is a private industry, they can make their own business decisions, I have no problem with that. But climb down from your high horse a bit here. It's not my responsibility to cater to your special needs, nor yours to mine.

[Aichiman]

I'd like to sit in a politically correct free section. 

[Mr. Brooks]

The most common food allergy is to milk. Should we ban ice cream? 6th most common is to wheat...should be ban hot dog buns too?

 

I'm sympathetic to those with food allergies, but unfortunately it should be up to those suffering the allergies (or their parents) to deal with the issue, not the rest of us. Since this is a private industry, they can make their own business decisions, I have no problem with that. But climb down from your high horse a bit here. It's not my responsibility to cater to your special needs, nor yours to mine.

I assume this means you are against handicap accessibility?

Replace allergies with wheelchairs in your post and it becomes very cringe worthy.

 

Also comparing allergies that give people a tummy ache, to one that causes children's throats to immediately close is an exceptional reach.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

 

Former Twins' affiliate (Rock Cats) that moved a few miles North...

 

I know enough people with bee sting allergies, but I haven't seen a place banning bees.  Individuals can control what goes in their mouths.  For someone who is vegetarian, peanuts is about the only choice of getting protein in a ballpark, and banning them is inconsiderate...

There are people with the allergy that are severe enough, that they don't have to consume them to react. There is a child in my kids' daycare that if he inhales peanut fumes, he/she reacts. The entire daycare center is peanut free, and my wife and I choose not to feed our children peanut butter for breakfast on weekdays.

 

And so we have a question about how far is too far. Clearly banning bees would be sacrificing the planet to protect the minority. Not only is banning bees near impossible, but as the most important pollinator in our ecosystem, changing or altering their environment to that extent could put us all in peril of suffocation.

 

I don't know the answer to this one, but I think the yard goats chose to sacrifice the protesters in order to entice kids with peanut allergies. I give them credit for making a choice and taking a stand.

[Craig Arko]

 

There are people with the allergy that are severe enough, that they don't have to consume them to react. There is a child in my kids' daycare that if he inhales peanut fumes, he/she reacts. The entire daycare center is peanut free, and my wife and I choose not to feed our children peanut butter for breakfast on weekdays.

 

And so we have a question about how far is too far. Clearly banning bees would be sacrificing the planet to protect the minority. Not only is banning bees near impossible, but as the most important pollinator in our ecosystem, changing or altering their environment to that extent could put us all in peril of suffocation.

 

I don't know the answer to this one, but I think the yard goats chose to sacrifice the protesters in order to entice kids with peanut allergies. I give them credit for making a choice and taking a stand.

In general favoring kids' health over cranky old SOB's is a good idea.

[USAFChief]

 

I assume this means you are against handicap accessibility?
Replace allergies with wheelchairs in your post and it becomes very cringe worthy.

Also comparing allergies that give people a tummy ache, to one that causes children's throats to immediately close is an exceptional reach.

Anaphylaxis is among the reactions possible for milk allergies in children. 

[biggentleben]

 

The most common food allergy is to milk. Should we ban ice cream? 6th most common is to wheat...should be ban hot dog buns too?

 

I'm sympathetic to those with food allergies, but unfortunately it should be up to those suffering the allergies (or their parents) to deal with the issue, not the rest of us. Since this is a private industry, they can make their own business decisions, I have no problem with that. But climb down from your high horse a bit here. It's not my responsibility to cater to your special needs, nor yours to mine.

 

Once again, as has been stated multiple times, when those allergies can be airborne and have nothing to do with the ingestion of the person in question, we're talking on the same level. Until then, peanuts are much different. The most common form of peanut allergy includes allergy to the shell and shell dust, which is easily put into the air all around at a ballgame.

[biggentleben]

 

I'd like to sit in a politically correct free section. 

 

Nothing to do with political correctness. Not at all.

[biggentleben]

 

I don't know the answer to this one, but I think the yard goats chose to sacrifice the protesters in order to entice kids with peanut allergies. I give them credit for making a choice and taking a stand.

 

The thing I love about this is that they did this of their own accord. The two friends who wrote into the team were hoping for a single game to be peanut-free at some point in the season. No protests, no threats of not coming to games. On the contrary, both are season ticket holders who simply wanted their peanut-allergic children to be able to join them at a game or two. Hartford made this choice on their own accord.

[MMMordabito]

 

I think the story needs to be fully read. This was not the Hartford team bending to pressure of loud voices. This was a pair of dedicated fans who both happen to have children with peanut allergies reaching out to the team, asking for a peanut-free day or something of that sort. The team made this decision.

 

As far as history goes, it's right in line with true history of the game. The author of the lyrics of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" had never been to a baseball game. Beyond the rulebook, he did not have an idea what was a common occurrence at the game. Crackerjacks were a dying brand that was near being eliminated from the shelves when they were injected into the song, likely for lyrical purposes as much as anything. Peanuts often were incredibly stale at games at the time because no one purchased them. The popular items were popcorn, hot dogs, cotton candy, and roasted corn on the cob well ahead of peanuts.

 

As far as vegetarian and even vegan options, nearly every stadium, major and minor league has had multiple protein options for my wife when we've gone to games without having to resort to peanuts, but if you're really needing something in a shell at a ballgame, try unsalted sunflower seeds:

Sunflower seeds

1 ounce serving
163 calories
14 grams fat
1.5 grams saturated fat
5.5 grams protein
6.5 grams carbs
3 grams fiber

 

Peanuts
1 ounce serving
161 calories
14 grams fat
1.9 grams saturated fat
7.3 grams protein
4.6 grams carbs
2.4 grams fiber

 

Wait ... so saving the peanut allergy people at the expense of the sunflower seed allergy people is OK?

[biggentleben]

 

Wait ... so saving the peanut allergy people at the expense of the sunflower seed allergy people is OK?

 

If you can show an allergy to the SHELL of sunflower seeds that can be airborne and make attendance at a game impossible for the sufferer is the most dominant strain of the allergy, then sure, we can have that conversation.

[MMMordabito]

 

You can't control a vendor handling your food with peanut residue on his hands, which for some people, can be enough to kill them.

 

I think this could be controlled by having the peanut free concession stands and sections as stated above. The vendors working at those stands or in those sections wouldn't and shouldn't be handling peanuts. 

 

Also, it's on the allergy sufferer to carry his/her epipen.  

 

[luckylager]

 

 

 

As far as vegetarian and even vegan options, nearly every stadium, major and minor league has had multiple protein options for my wife when we've gone to games without having to resort to peanuts, but if you're really needing something in a shell at a ballgame, try unsalted sunflower seeds:
 

Sunflower seeds are disgusting