Fielder's Choice: 2016 Gluten-Free Guide to Major League Baseball Ballparks

Gluten-free stand at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia

Another baseball season brings even more gluten-free options. Many Major League Baseball stadiums have dedicated gluten-free concession stands and carts, while others have expanded their offerings.

Here's where you can find gluten-free concessions at each of the 30 MLB ballparks for the 2016 season (bookmark this post and check back throughout the season for updates; you can email me with any additions/changes that you find).

New & Notes: April 8, 2016

National BBQ restaurant chain Dickey's Barbeque Pit, which has area locations in Philadelphia (650 South St., 267-273-0364), East Norriton (65 E. Germantown Pike, 610-292-8800), Limerick (301 N. Lewis Rd., 484-791-3452), Allentown (1042 Mill Creek Rd., 610-366-7484), Wyomissing (1153 Berkshire Blvd., 484-709-2577), Bethlehem (3221 Schoenersville Rd., 610-625-2200) and Easton (1800 Sullivan Trail, 610-810-3149) has added gluten-free pulled pork street tacos to its menu for a limited time. Guests can either order two tacos for $3 or four tacos with one side and a Big Yellow Cup for $9.95. In addition to the pulled pork, the ribs, brisket, sausages, turkey and chicken breast are gluten free, as are all sauces and many non-fried sides.

Meanwhile, Dickey's new line of gluten-free smoked sausages is now available in 3,000 Walmart stores nationwide. The Original Smoked Polish Sausage, Smoked Spicy Cheddar Sausage and Hot Links contain no MSG or nitrites and are ready to heat and serve. After the initial launch in select Walmart stores, the sausages will also be available in other grocery stores nationwide, with outlets to be announced at a future date.

The Great American Pub locations in Phoenixville (148 Bridge St., 610-917-3333) and Wayne (4 West Ave., 610-964-9535) offer gluten-free menus that include baked wings, burgers and sandwiches, salads, pasta dishes and Angry Orchard hard cider. The Phoenixville outpost also has gluten-free pizza.

Yours Truly

Boston Beer Company, the maker of gluten-free Angry Orchard hard ciders (and, of course, the non-gluten-free Samuel Adams beers), is entering the trendy flavored alcoholic sparkling water space with the launch of Truly Spiked & Sparkling. The new gluten-free "hard" seltzers are being shipped to distributors in 16 states in the Mid-Atlantic region (Pennsylvania and New Jersey included), the Midwest and New England.

Each of the three low-carb flavors - Colima lime, grapefruit & pomelo and pomegranate - comes in 12 oz. bottles, are 100 calories per serving, and have a light (5% ABV) alcohol content.

The debut of Truly follows the growing popularity of similar hard seltzers such as Boathouse Beverage's gluten-free Spiked Seltzer line.

News & Notes: March 25, 2016

Firebirds' Sorrento Chicken Salad

Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, with area locations in Collegeville (51 Town Center Dr., 484-902-1860), Chadds Ford )91 Wilmington-West Chester Pike, 484-785-6880), Moorestown (400 Rt. 38, 856-380-0604) and Newark (1225 Churchmans Rd., 302-366-7577), has launched its Spring Features menu, featuring seasonal gluten-free items Jalapeño Deviled Eggs, Maple Mustard-Glazed Duroc Pork Medallions, Chicken Sorrento Salad and Chile-Lime Grilled Swordfish. The Spring specials are available until May 3. The restaurant's regular gluten-free menu offers dozens of options, including a flourless chocolate cake for dessert.

The Angelo's Pizza locations in Berlin (2 Rt. 73 S., 856-768-7222) and Voorhees (2999 Evesham Rd., 856-528-2999) offer gluten-free pizza made with separate ingredients and bakeware. Each pizza comes in its own tray with a plastic cutter. (Thanks to reader Jared G. for the tip.)

Insomnia Cookies will be adding a vegan and gluten-free chocolate chip cookie to its menu beginning April 6. The cookies will be prepared in a shared kitchen, although employees will be trained to prepare them separately from other products, including using separate pans and utensils. The college-centric cookie delivery service has six locations in Philadelphia, one in Bryn Mawr, and one in Newark.

Born on the Bayou

You know "hard" root beers have reached critical mass when The King of Beers enters the market with its own version. Unfortunately, most of the big brewers' formulations - like Not Your Father's Root Beer and Coney Island Root Beer - are not gluten free.

Enter Louisiana's Abita Brewing Company, which has released an alcoholic version of its famous root beer. It's the first product in the brewery's line of "Bayou Bootlegger" hard sodas.

Bayou Bootlegger Hard Root Beer is based on the same root beer formula Abita has been craft brewing with pure Louisiana cane sugar for more than 20 years, and brewed to achieve a 5.9 percent alcohol by volume (ABV). The brew is all natural, caffeine free, and gluten free. Its flavor profile delivers aromas of wintergreen, vanilla and sassafras, with hints of clove and anise.

Abita currently produces more than 14,000 barrels of root beer annually in its state-of-the-art brewing facility. Its root beer is made with a hot mix process using Abita Springs’ natural spring water, herbs, vanilla and yucca. 

Locally, Bayou Bootlegger Hard Root Beer is available throughout New Jersey, though not Pennsylvania or Delaware at the moment. (Check Abita's website for a store location near you.)

Another gluten-free hard root beer, Row Hard Root Beer, hasn't yet made it to the Philadelphia region. However, since I first wrote about it, the beverage is now distributed in New York and several New England states in addition to the Midwest U.S.