The Best of the Ballpark

Ready to knock it out of the park on Opening Day? Take a self-guided tour across the country with these regional toppings for the classic ballpark frank. And to serve up even more nostalgic flavor, you can create your very own snack mix and nacho cheese sauce — so you can get concession stand faves without concession stand prices. Now let’s play ball!

Seattle-Style

The Seattle secret? A hearty helping of cream cheese. That’s because the bun is typically made from the same dough as a bagel! Each dog is split in half, then grilled and placed on a toasted bun topped with grilled onions and sliced jalapeños or sriracha sauce for a little heat.

The Sonoran Dog

This Southwestern fan favorite hails from Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona. It’s wrapped in bacon and topped with pinto beans, fresh tomatoes, grilled onions and bell peppers, and tangy relish. But there’s more — it’s then topped with tomatillo jalapeños salsa, mayo, mustard and shredded cheese.

Big Apple Bites

Keep it simple but keep it flavorful — that’s the motto of the New York hot dog. But depending on the neighborhood, toppings slightly differ. Oftentimes, you get steamed onions and a basic, deli-style mustard. In another borough, you might see tangy onions, tomato sauce and sauerkraut.

A Jersey Special

While a variety of toppings call themselves home to the New Jersey ballparks, one topping style is particularly noteworthy. It’s the Italian Dog — and for good reason. Placed in a thick hoagie roll, this hot dog is topped with grilled onions and bell peppers, and deep-fried potatoes.

The Boston Way

The real secret to the “Fenway Frank” is the cooking method. First, it’s boiled. Then, it’s grilled. Best topped with mustard and relish, a scoop of Boston baked beans is also a tasty addition. Finally, it’s wrapped in the same buttery bun used by another notable classic — the lobster roll.

Carolina Dogs

Throughout the South, hot dogs feature a squeeze of mustard, beefy chili and the most crucial element: coleslaw. Because of the crunchy, tangy coleslaw, these dogs are also referred to as slaw dogs.

A Chi-Town Classic

The Windy City traditionally layers its dogs with yellow mustard, dark green relish, chopped raw onion, pickle spears, sport peppers and tomato slices. It’s piled high in a steamed poppy seed bun and topped with a few shakes of celery salt.

With easy frozen snacks on deck, you’re always ready to watch a game.

Soft Pretzels

Frozen pretzels take only minutes to heat to fresh-baked perfection. Serve with ground mustard or beer cheese for dipping.

Pigs in a Blanket

No need to wrap these up yourself. Bake this frozen app, then serve with a variety of dipping sauces.

Loaded Tots

Prepare frozen tots as instructed, then top with loaded potato toppings (sour cream, green onions and bacon bits) or spice things up with nacho toppings.

Sundae Fun Day

Make a sundae bar with a variety of ice creams and the classic add-ons or mix-ins: crushed cookies, sprinkles, chopped candies and whipped topping. Or make ice cream sandwiches using store-bought cookies.