April 12, 2012 at 8:30AM by Kiri Tannenbaum
Baseball season has finally arrived, and many Major League Baseball stadiums will be hosting their home-openers this week. But that doesn't bring joy to all baseball fans. Some parents have grappled with the idea of bringing their peanut allergy-stricken kids to a stadium filled with freshly roasted peanuts and Cracker Jacks. But with the help of food allergy organizations, stadiums have begun to offer nut-free days and some have created permanent nut-controlled seating.
What's nut-controlled seating? Not only do the stadiums keep the section clear of the vendors selling their famous "Peeeaa-Nuts!", they also have a cleaning crew meticulously power wash the chairs, the floors, railing, stairs, and anything within harm's way. Reuters reported that one clean-up crew at the Missoula Osprey Minor League Baseball stadium spent five hours making certain they eliminated all possible allergens in the nut-controlled area.
But it's not just the minor leagues that are stepping up to the plate.
The Washington Nationals, St. Louis Cardinals, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, and most recently, the New York Yankees added nut-free games. There's even a site, peanutfreebaseball.com, dedicated to providing information about peanut-free baseball games.
The sought-after isolated sections and peanut-free days are so popular with allergy sufferers that many stadiums have already sold out of seats, inspiring many teams to add more days to their schedules.
If you think those fans are relegated to the bleachers, you'd be wrong. Many of the stadiums offer suites to those with peanut allergies, which provide the most protected environment.
There are millions of allergy sufferers across the country, but peanut and nut allergies are considered the most severe since exposure could be deadly. Research in the medical journal Pediatrics confirmed that 8 percent of children under the age of 18 suffer from allergies, with the most common allergen being peanuts. Some stadiums not only scrub down their seats, but they also have medical units on the ready to deal with any risks.
For a complete list of peanut-free stadiums check out Food Allergy Foundation's web site, and visit your local team's web site for further details on the schedules.
Do you think stadiums should be obligated to provide peanut-free days?
Baseball season has finally arrived, and many Major League Baseball stadiums will be hosting their home-openers this week. But that doesn't bring joy to all baseball fans. Some parents have grappled with the idea of bringing their peanut allergy-stricken kids to a stadium filled with freshly roasted peanuts and Cracker Jacks. But with the help of food allergy organizations, stadiums have begun to offer nut-free days and some have created permanent nut-controlled seating.
What's nut-controlled seating? Not only do the stadiums keep the section clear of the vendors selling their famous "Peeeaa-Nuts!", they also have a cleaning crew meticulously power wash the chairs, the floors, railing, stairs, and anything within harm's way. Reuters reported that one clean-up crew at the Missoula Osprey Minor League Baseball stadium spent five hours making certain they eliminated all possible allergens in the nut-controlled area.
But it's not just the minor leagues that are stepping up to the plate.
The Washington Nationals, St. Louis Cardinals, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres, Arizona Diamondbacks, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, and most recently, the New York Yankees added nut-free games. There's even a site, peanutfreebaseball.com, dedicated to providing information about peanut-free baseball games.
The sought-after isolated sections and peanut-free days are so popular with allergy sufferers that many stadiums have already sold out of seats, inspiring many teams to add more days to their schedules.
If you think those fans are relegated to the bleachers, you'd be wrong. Many of the stadiums offer suites to those with peanut allergies, which provide the most protected environment.
There are millions of allergy sufferers across the country, but peanut and nut allergies are considered the most severe since exposure could be deadly. Research in the medical journal Pediatrics confirmed that 8 percent of children under the age of 18 suffer from allergies, with the most common allergen being peanuts. Some stadiums not only scrub down their seats, but they also have medical units on the ready to deal with any risks.
For a complete list of peanut-free stadiums check out Food Allergy Foundation's web site, and visit your local team's web site for further details on the schedules.
Do you think stadiums should be obligated to provide peanut-free days?
