Mashed Survey: The Absolute Best Snack For A Summer Baseball Game, According To Fans

Summer might be wrapping up, but baseball season is in full swing. Going to a sports game and cheering your favorite team from the stands is not complete without a delicious snack or two. Fuel is definitely needed because watching professional athletes run around the diamond can work up an appetite. Chowing down on the best foods an MLB ballpark has to offer is a classic way to spend a summer afternoon.

Baseball stadium concession stands, in particular, have a few set menu items that have been ever-present and popular. Snacks like hot dogs and Cracker Jack are so synonymous with the sport that there's even a song (per the Library of Congress). Out of all of the possible foods, these two handheld snacks have become ballpark staples thanks in large part to the 1893 World's Fair (via MLB). Known for the countless inventions to come from its vendors, the World's Fair is where German immigrants introduced the U.S. to dachshund sausages and also is where the Rueckheim brothers perfected their popcorn recipe now known as Cracker Jack. History aside, snacks are a huge part of the game day experience to this day, and some current favorites have been around for centuries.

Mashed asked, "what's your favorite snack for a summer baseball game?" According to the 599 people who answered, at the bottom of the list is the sugary sweet treat, cotton candy with only 5.01% or 30 votes. It might be forever linked to baseball games via the catchy song, but Cracker Jack placed second to bottom on the list of favorite snacks, clocking in at 10.52% or 63 votes. With only one vote more, peanuts came in next at 10.68% (64 votes). While not making it to the top of the list of favorites, peanuts are one of the original ballpark snacks as they were cheap and easy for fans to bring (via The Vista Press). Nowadays, however, you can find some pretty wild offerings at stadiums (per Today).

In the top three favorite ballpark concessions is popcorn with 15.36% or 92 votes. Pretzels came in second at 17.86% or 107 votes. And at the top of the list of favorite summertime baseball snacks, with almost half of the survey respondents choosing it, is the classic hot dog with 40.57% of the votes or 243 votes. Given the wild number of hot dogs fans eat at ballparks every year, it's no surprise the mighty dog garnered first place.