BASEBALL GAME PARTY MENU

BASEBALL GAME PARTY MENU

THE BEST BASEBALL PARTY SNACKS

There is something about the leisurely pace of a baseball game that makes people feel like snacking. I mean, it is right there in the song: “Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack!” Your guests will love it if you have some of both on hand for your party. You can buy red and white striped popcorn bags or plastic containers from the dollar store.

DELICIOUS BALLGAME BEVERAGES

After all that salty snack food, your guests are probably thirsty. Most baseball fans are accustomed to putting back a cold one (or more) while watching a game. Instead of beer from the bottle, serve your guests a beer cocktail. A mixture of beer, fresh lime juice, and ginger ale makes for a refreshing beverage to get you through all nine innings (or more).

Give your guests alternatives to alcohol by also providing soft drinks in bottles. Again, we are tapping into the nostalgia factor again!

WHAT KINDS OF FOOD SHOULD YOU SERVE AT A BASEBALL PARTY?

Hot dogs are the quintessential stadium food. They are tasty, portable, and can be eaten with one hand while wearing a foul ball-catching glove on your other hand. Every MLB baseball stadium has its own version of the classic hot dog in its concession stands. In Detroit, we locals cover the dog with Coney Sauce and onions. Pro Tip: Don’t EVER look up the ingredients in traditional Coney chili sauce. Some things are better left unknown.

The d@mn Yankees are hot dog purists. Dogs served at Yankee Stadium MUST be Nathan’s hot dogs topped with yellow mustard and onions. At Wrigley you can get a Chicago-style hot dog topped with tomatoes, mustard, pickles, relish, onions, sport peppers, and celery salt. If you don’t wear some of it home, you are eating it wrong.

At your ball game party, you can choose to serve the type of dog specific to your home team, or you can let your guests experiment by offering a Build Your Own Hot Dog bar. We did that for my son’s 2nd birthday party, which had a baseball theme.  Put out a few signs with the “recipes” for different stadiums’ specialties along with small bowls filled with a wide variety of hot dog toppings.  Interactive party food is always a home run.

An alternative to serving the classic dog is the Brewers bratwurst.  Brats are a Wisconsin staple, and Miller Park serves Klement’s sausage exclusively.  Klement’s is also the sponsor of the Famous Racing Sausages™ that entertain visitors at each home Brewers game.  You have not lived until you have 1) seen five grown adults wearing sausage costumes racing down the foul line of a baseball field and 2) been emotionally invested in the results of the race.

To get the most authentic brat experience, choose all-beef bratwurst (Klement’s and Johnsonville are both Wisconsin-based companies).  Before grilling, place the brats in a medium-sized pot and pour in a beer.  Add enough water to the pot to cover the brats, and bring the liquid to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer the brats for at least 15 minutes and for up to an hour.  Remove the brats from the cooking liquid, and grill till done. Serve the brat on a split bun with kraut and brown mustard.  Wash it all down with a cold one.

MORE STADIUM FOOD IDEAS:

• Build your own nachos bar
• Soft pretzels with all the fixings – salt, different mustards, etc.
• Barbecue – pulled pork sandwiches, rib tips, brisket sandwiches
• French fries with all the fixings – salt, vinegar, ketchup, fry sauce, etc.

BALLPARK DESSERT IDEAS

For a sweet finish to the meal, these Cracker Jack cupcakes are the real deal, and they are a cinch to make.   It’s all the flavor you remember from your childhood, just kicked up a notch. Serve it with a scoop of ice cream on the side to really tap into those childhood feels.

Send leftovers home with your guests in some easy baseball takeout boxes.  Tuck a package of baseball cards in each container as an extra surprise!

_{This post was originally created for ForRent.com}