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All the new food to eat at Arizona Cardinals games this season

Posted at 5:25 PM, Aug 05, 2019
and last updated 2019-12-16 14:09:11-05

GLENDALE, ARIZONA — Ahead of the Bird Gang's preseason game at home on Thursday against the San Diego Los Angeles Chargers, the Arizona Cardinals unveiled this season's smorgasbord of calorie-busting fare fans can try at the concession stands -- though, those looking to stay lean and mean, should notice quite a few healthier options on the menu, too.

THIS YEAR'S "BIG WOW ITEM"

First things first, this year's "big wow item" is the "4th and Long," a 22-inch all-beef Vienna hot dog that is served inside a nearly two-foot hot dog bun (and cardboard carrying case). Fans can keep it simple with mustard and ketchup or spice it up with chili and cheese.

It turns out last year's item, the 7-pound "Gridiron Burger," proved to be too big of a challenge for fans. No one was able to successfully eat it all, according to Sean Kavanaugh, executive chef at Craft Culinary Concepts, the company that handles the concession stands at State Farm Stadium.

"We still wanted to have something fun like that here to get the fans excited about coming to a game, but also something that they can actually enjoy and consume and share with their family," he said about the "4th and Long." “I don’t think I could eat one by myself, but I’m sure I could eat one with a couple of my buddies when we came to the game together.

It will be available at the South Bridge for $24.

ADDING LOCAL AND HEALTHY TO THE MENU

Those looking for those stadium staples like the hot dogs, pretzels, nachos, and chicken tenders will be able to find those throughout the stadium, But this year, the stadium added some more healthy options.

Chef Kavanaugh said it was because of fan feedback. "We get feedback from our fans and a lot of them want to stay healthy when they come to a game," he told ABC15 on Monday at the stadium.

New this year are the "Touchdown Tossers," which are essentially a "salad in a jar," and protein boxes with a pinwheel or sandwich wrap, and a mix of vegetables, cheese, and nuts.

Touchdown Tossers ($10-$15, available in sections 112, 135, 406, 437):

  • Tokyo Tosser: Carrot-ginger dressing, cucumber noodles, julienne carrots, green onions, edamame, Shichimi Togarashi grilled chicken, tomatoes, crunchy noodles, slivered almonds, and Arizona greens.
  • Tuscan Cotenna Tosser: Blood Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette, black olives, zucchini noodles, red onion, salami, Roma tomatoes, basil, Pepperoncini, and chopped Romaine lettuce.
  • Tenacious Tosser: Potato-garlic dressing, baby heirloom tomatoes, charred Tofu, cucumber noodles, herb-toasted chic peas, Tabouleh, red onion, roasted red peppers, and Arizona greens. This one is vegan and gluten-free.

Protein boxes ($10, available in sections 112, 135, 406, 437).

  • Mediterranean protein box: Genoa salami, pepperoni and provolone pinwheels, grapes, hard boiled egg, whole wheat pita, hummus, cucumber and carrot sticks, and toasted Marcona almonds.
  • Turkey wrap protein box: Roasted turkey, spinach, roasted red peppers and Boursin cheese wrap, organic peanut butter, carrot and celery sticks, hard boiled egg, smoked Cheddar squares, and trail mix.

They also partnered with Claudine's Kitchen, a catering company in Glendale that specializes in Lebanese food. Claudine's will have a cart near section 106 with chicken or steak Shawarma bowls or flatbread; a platter with hummus, Baba Ghannouge, and Tabbouleh, and Baklava. Dishes range from $6 - $14.

Doc's Artisan Ice Cream, a staple at some food festivals around the Valley, will have gelato and sorbet for sale near section 108. The cost is $6.

Other new items include a Bruschetta chicken sausage ($7, near section 107), breaded onion rings ($6, near section 124), chicken wings with celery and carrots ($11, section 124), and barbecue sandwiches with beans and coleslaw ($12, section 127).

The concessions will also some of the popular items from last year's season:

  • Cardiac Cards Dog, a foot-long beef hot dog wrapped in a 7-ounce burger patty, which is wrapped in maple-peppered bacon and topped with roasted Poblano queso, pico de gallo, and Cotija cheese
  • The Fire Dog, a beef hot dog topped with nacho cheese, jalapenos, and Flamin' Hot Cheetos.
  • Taco-Dillas, a 12-inch cheese quesadilla cut into four sections and topped with either Pollo Asada or Red Chile Beef tacos, sour cream, pico de gallo, and guacamole.
  • Churro Donut Sundae, a waffle cone cup stacked with vanilla and chocolate ice cream, and two cinnamon-sugar churro doughnuts, and topped with chocolate and caramel sauces.

For those looking to stay on a budget, the Cards will also have their "Family Fan Value Packs":

  • Hot dog and 24-ounce soda, $7
  • Burger and 24-ounce soda, $8
  • Hot dog, fries, and 24-ounce soda, $10
  • Burger, fries, and 24-ounce soda, $11
  • Chicken strips, fries, and 24-ounce soda, $11