MLB Opening Day at Home Snacks

Pretend you’re at the ballpark with  MLB Opening Day at home and great snacks.

Today should have been MLB Opening Day. Like many of you, I am home working, with my kids and husband and trying to find a way to keep “normal” in our life while we are under “Stay at Home” orders in our state of Michigan. Luckily, other baseball loving fans, namely the MLB, think the same way today and created Opening Day at Home on their website for others who are missing baseball.

While under normal circumstances there would have been tailgates laden with food and drinks, parties on the deck around a grill and the TV, pre-game drinks at the pub and a greasy, overpriced dinner from a vendor inside the stadium – we have to make do for this year. There will be an Opening Day to celebrate in person in the future, but until that time here are some snacks to prepare while you watch livestream games and special events of the baseball season.

The games MLB.com has chosen to livestream are listed in a schedule here. They include special and historic moments from every one of the 32 teams. The livestream links can be accessed from any device you have in your home – or every device at the same time if your family members are at odds of what game to watch. So let’s get the snacks ready for a day and night of baseball.

Cook a Weiner

It won’t be like a delicious ballpark dog, but you might need to improvise with your own grill, a stovetop or even the microwave today. Get it in the bun and load it up with all of the condiments that have been sitting in your fridge for months, waiting for this perfect time to be used: mustard, cheese, pickles, sauerkraut…be creative. Send in a pic of you eating your creative dog in front of the game!

Make a Sweet Treat

Here is a recipe adapted from Delish that uses basic items from the pantry for MLB Opening Day.

"Trash Can Bars4 tbsp unsalted butter10-12 oz bag of marshamallows3 tbsp peanut butter – smooth or crunchy works5 ½ cups plain potato chip crumbs – regular or ridges work fine2 ½ cups pretzel twists, crushed½ cup M & M’s or Reese’s Pieces¾ cup chocolate chips, melted (dark or milk work great)Directions:Melt the butter in a large pot. Keep the heat on medium and add the marshmallows and peanut butter. Stir only until melted and combined, then remove from the heat. Add the potato chips and pretzels and stir until most of the dry pieces are coated.Grease an 8 x 8 pan. Pour the mixture in and gently smooth and press into the pan. Cover the top with the candy pieces. Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl – careful not to scorch – and then pour over the pan in even stripes. Allow to cool before cutting in to squares and serving."

Bagged Snacks

If a run to the grocery store is not in your future, just use what you have. Open a bag of pretzels and dip them in some mustard. Eat some tortilla chips with melted cheese on top. Grab the salsa and pour that on top too. Give the kids a juice box and don your favorite team t-shirts. There’s no such thing as a bag snack while watching a baseball game!

Beverages for MLB Opening Day

Hopefully you got some pop or beer from the store before the shelves were cleaned out, because the concession workers aren’t walking by the couch, yelling to sell you one. Didn’t know you’d ever miss them this much, did you? Open your favorite can or fill a glass with ice and pour as you settle in the couch to watch watch a classic game, All-Star game or home run derby. .

While the substitutions are not like being at the ballpark for MLB Opening Day, they can do for now, to at least feel a little normal. The celebrations, the in-person baseball games and tailgate parties and real first pitches will come soon.

What is your favorite ballpark snack? What MLB Opening Day snacks are you eating today?