My daughter is on 3 softball teams.
Do you know what that means? It means that we spend 5 meals a week at a softball field for the next couple of months. Minimum. If there’s a weekend tournament, we’re basically camped out at the field for 2 and half days straight.
That’s a lot of junk food we could potentially be consuming. Last year we definitely had a lot of sandwiches and rushed takeout at dusk after games.
Not this year, friends. This year, I’m prepared. I’ve come up with some quick and easy options that will make dinner (or lunch) fun to eat and they even include vegetables (or fruit).
What You Need to Make Ball Park Meals Happen
Before we get into the meal ideas, let’s talk about supplies. Because you can have all the Pinterest-worthy recipes in the world, but if you’re standing in the kitchen at 4:45 trying to shove chicken salad into a Ziploc bag, the dream dies fast.
Here’s what I keep stocked so I’m always ready for game day:
Clear Plastic Cups with Lids
These are the backbone of ball park dining in our house. You already know I use them for the Salad in a Cup and the Chicken and Green Beans, but honestly, half of the ideas on this page work beautifully in a cup. They’re portable, they have lids (crucial), and the kids can see what’s inside, which for some reason makes them more willing to eat it. I buy the 16oz size in bulk.
Cupcake Liners
Okay, this is my secret weapon and people always ask me about it. Cupcake liners are the perfect little separators and portion cups. Use them inside a Tupperware to keep things from getting soggy or mixing together, or use them as little individual dipping cups for ranch or hummus. They also make everything look cuter, which is a completely valid reason to use them. Trust me on this one.
Aluminum Pans w/ Lids
These are great and easy because they keep the little things tidy. You could use tupperware, too, but, I really love when I can chuck everything at the end of the day. I know it’s not ideal, but I really don’t want to open the cooler for the next game and find I forgot to empty out the tupperware and now it’s moldy and I have to throw it away anyway.
Backpack Cooler
I’ve tried several different types of coolers. The backpack one is the easiest to lug around. Because you know you also have a chair. And your kids chair. And your hat and sunglasses. Backpack is the way to go.
With those things on hand, you can pull together pretty much any of these meals in under 15 minutes. Stock up once, and you’re set for the whole season.
The Ball Park Meals You’re Kids WILL Eat
Ok, without further ado…
Wrap Pinwheels
Okay, so if you’re like me and you’ve been making the same turkey sandwich since 2009, it’s time for a glow-up. Enter: Wrap Pinwheels. These are basically the fancy appetizer you’d see at a baby shower, except you’re eating them in a camping chair at a Little League field. No judgment.
Here’s what you do. Take a big flour tortilla and spread a nice layer of cream cheese all over it. Then layer on some deli turkey (or ham, or both – live your life), a handful of spinach, and maybe some thinly sliced red pepper if you’re feeling ambitious.
Roll the whole thing up as tightly as you can, wrap it in plastic wrap, and pop it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. When you’re ready to go, slice it into little rounds like you’re some sort of professional caterer. They’re adorable. They’re delicious. And they contain a vegetable. That’s a triple win in my book.
The best part? You can make a whole bunch of these with different fillings at the same time, just like the salad cups. Let the kids pick their flavor and suddenly everyone is happy and fed. Miracle.
Veggie & Hummus Cups
I told you, the cup is the MVP of ball park dining.
This one could not be simpler. Scoop a generous amount of hummus into the bottom of your cup – and I mean generous, because nobody wants a sad, dry carrot stick – and then stand up your veggie sticks like little edible soldiers. Carrots, celery, cucumber strips, red pepper slices, sugar snap peas – whatever your crew will actually eat.
It looks like a little bouquet of vegetables and honestly, that presentation alone makes the kids more interested. Something about food standing up in a cup makes it 10 times more appealing than the same exact vegetables lying on a plate. I don’t make the rules.
I like to drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil on top of the hummus and sprinkle some everything bagel seasoning on there because I am an adult and I deserve nice things, even at a softball game.
Fruit & Cheese Kabobs
Alright, this one is almost embarrassingly easy, but it looks like you really put in some effort and I think that’s what matters.
Grab some wooden skewers (or those cute little cocktail picks if you’re feeling extra) and thread on alternating pieces of fruit and cheese cubes. I like to do grapes, strawberries, and cheddar or Colby jack cheese. You can also throw in some blueberries or chunks of apple if that’s what you’ve got.
That’s it. That’s the whole thing.
But here’s why they work so well: they feel like a treat, they’re easy to eat without a plate or utensils, and they cover your fruit AND your protein in one cute little package. My kids will eat twice as much fruit if it’s on a stick. Again, I don’t make the rules, I just observe them.
Make a bunch of these in the morning, lay them in a container with a lid, and you are golden.
Banana Oat Energy Bites
These little guys are the secret weapon of ball park snacking. They’re basically health food that are pretending to be cookies, and everyone falls for it. Every. Single. Time.
Here’s what you need: a cup of oats, half a cup of peanut butter, a third cup of honey, and then whatever mix-ins make you happy – chocolate chips, shredded coconut, a little flaxseed if you want to feel really virtuous. Mash in one ripe banana, stir it all together, and roll them into little balls.
Pop them in the fridge for about 30 minutes to firm up and you’ve got grab-and-go energy bites that are perfect for the 7th inning when everyone is starting to lose steam. Including you. Especially you.
I make a big batch on Sunday and keep them in a container in the fridge all week. They travel beautifully, they don’t melt, and they give you actual energy instead of the sugar crash you’d get from the vending machine. Plus, your kids will think you’re a genius. Let them.
Chicken Salad Waffle Cones
Okay, hear me out. Chicken salad. In a waffle cone.
I KNOW. But trust me on this one, because this might be the most fun thing I’ve ever brought to a ball field, and that includes the time I accidentally brought a lawn chair with a broken leg and had to sit lopsided for 3 hours.
Make your favorite chicken salad – I keep mine simple with rotisserie chicken, a little mayo, some diced celery, salt and pepper, done – and then scoop it right into a waffle cone. Like an ice cream cone, but dinner. You can even wrap a little parchment paper or foil around the bottom to keep it tidy.
The kids absolutely lose their minds over this. Other parents will look at you like you’re some kind of Pinterest wizard. You don’t have to tell them it took you five minutes. That’s your business.
The crunch of the waffle cone with the creamy chicken salad is honestly kind of perfect. And if someone wants to put actual ice cream in a waffle cone for dessert afterward, well, you’ve already won the nutrition battle with a full serving of protein and celery. You’ve earned it.
Kid Friendly Salad in a Cup
Up first is a kid-ified version of the Salad in a Cup that I’ve posted about before. One of the great things about a salad in a cup is that it isn’t terribly difficult to make slightly different versions all at once. Just gather all of your ingredients and you can let your kids and/or husband fill up their cup with whatever they like and everyone is happy.
Just remember to add the dressing first, then a dense vegetable, then your lettuce and then whatever else your little heart desires. For this kid friendly version, I used Ranch Dressing, some chopped red pepper, romaine lettuce, some rolled and then sliced ham and turkey and a little bit of chopped apple. Pop a fork through the hole in the lid and you are good to go.
Don’t forget to shake it before you eat it to distribute the dressing. That’s the fun part, after all.
I’ve never been able to find the clear solo cups with lids at my grocery store, so if you’re in need of those, here’s a link to purchase them through Amazon: 16 oz Clear Cups with Lids.
Chicken and Green Beans To Go
Continuing with the “In a Cup” theme, I’ve got Chicken and Green Beans to Go.
This is so simple. I pop some frozen chicken fingers in the oven, blanch some green beans (just boiled enough to soften them a tiny bit), add some Ranch dressing to the bottom of the cup and when the chicken and the green beans have cooled down a bit, pop them in the cup.
These are brilliantly portable and green beans as finger foods are definitely a win. I totally enjoy eating this, but what’s better than that is that my kids do, too. While it’s great fuel for the one who’s playing softball, it’s also something sort of fun for my son who spends a LOT of time watching his big sister pitch.
He gets his own time, too, but the poor child watches an excessive amount of 12u softball. I have to try to make it as enjoyable as possible for him.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sushi
Okay, we’re going outside the cup to something a little kooky. Peanut Butter and Jelly Sushi. Don’t worry there is no fish in it.
This is super simple and fast to make. You just take a piece of bread and flatten it a little with your rolling pin (or the jelly jar, I won’t judge). Slap some peanut butter on it, then some jelly and then go the extra mile and julienne (cut thin strips) a little bit of apple to add as well.
Add the julienned apple to the top portion of the peanut butter and jelly and then roll it as you would sushi. Slice into pieces and you just made some fancy PB&J. &A. Honestly, this one is probably my favorite.
I LOVE peanut butter and jelly, but I don’t eat it very often because I try to avoid the gluten in the bread, but I couldn’t resist these when I was making them. The little bit of tartness from the apple really makes these special.
These are going to be a hit, I promise.
S’More’s Cups
And, last but not least, a little portable dessert. I found this fanastic recipe for S’Mores Cups at The First Year Blog .
First of all, these are amazing. Second of all, everything else on that blog looks amazing, so when you’re done here, go have a looksie, ok? I love the idea of taking a classic outdoorsy food item like a S’More and cooking it in the convenience of your oven to then be eaten outdoors.
Makes total sense since they unfortunately don’t allow fires at the Little League fields. Sticklers for safety.
Now you are officially ready to feed yourself and your kids in style at the ball fields.
No more Taco Bell at 8pm on a Tuesday night! Well, maybe sometimes.