Ballpark Foods: How Peanuts Are Made

Introduction to Our Ballpark Foods Series

Welcome to our "Ballpark Foods" series! In this collection of articles, we explore how popular snacks sold at sporting events are made. From hot dogs to nachos, we'll take you behind the scenes of your favorite stadium treats. Today, we're cracking open the story of one of the most classic ballpark snacks: peanuts!

The Taste and Experience of Ballpark Peanuts

Peanuts at the ballpark come in their shells, warm and slightly salty. When you crack open the tan, textured shell, you find two or sometimes three light brown nuts inside. They have a rich, earthy flavor that's both sweet and savory. The nuts are firm but not hard, with a satisfying crunch when you bite into them. There's something special about the ritual of cracking peanut shells while watching a game, tossing the empty shells at your feet (if the stadium allows), and enjoying this protein-packed snack.

How Peanuts Are Grown

Surprisingly, peanuts aren't actually nuts! They're legumes, related to beans and peas. Peanuts grow underground, which is why they're sometimes called groundnuts.

The journey of a ballpark peanut begins on farms primarily located in states like Georgia, Texas, Alabama, North Carolina, and Florida. Farmers plant peanut seeds in the spring when the soil warms up.

Peanut plants grow yellow flowers above ground. After these flowers pollinate, they wilt and a special stem called a "peg" grows down into the soil. The peanut pods then form and develop underground where we can't see them. This hidden growth is what makes peanuts so interesting!

From the Ground to Harvest

It takes about 4 to 5 months for peanuts to grow fully. When harvest time arrives, special machines called "diggers" loosen the soil and pull up the entire plant. The plants are flipped upside down so the peanuts face the sun to dry for a few days right there in the field.

Once dried, another machine called a "combine" separates the peanut pods from the rest of the plant. Farmers then dry the peanuts more until they reach the perfect moisture level, usually around 10 percent.

Processing Peanuts for the Ballpark

After harvest, peanuts go to cleaning facilities where machines remove dirt, rocks, sticks, and any damaged peanuts. They're sorted by size and quality.

For ballpark peanuts, processors select larger peanuts that are still in their shells. These peanuts go through a washing process to clean the shells.

Next comes the roasting, which brings out the delicious flavor we all enjoy. Large roasters heat the peanuts to temperatures around 300 degrees. The peanuts are stirred or rotated to ensure even roasting.

After roasting, the peanuts cool down before being lightly salted. Some processors steam the shells slightly so the salt sticks better. Finally, they're packaged in bags or boxes for distribution to stadiums and ballparks.

From Farm to Your Stadium Seat

The packaged peanuts travel from processing facilities to food distributors and then to stadiums. At the ballpark, vendors may warm them before selling them to hungry fans.

The entire process—from planting to reaching your hands at the game—takes about 6 to 7 months. So next time you hear "Peanuts! Get your peanuts here!" you'll know the amazing journey those peanuts took to reach your stadium seat.