Levy Restaurants, a restaurant company that caters sports & entertainment venues across the country, has expanded their gluten-free offerings at select ballparks locations.  Some parks allow you to bring food in, but others have strict rules against it.  If more ballparks & catering companies follow the lead of Levy Restaurants, there may not be a need to bring in your own food.  Here is the press release regarding the new offerings:

Expanded Gluten-Free Menus Make it to the Big Leagues

— Levy Restaurants Increases Gluten-Free Menu Offerings at MLB Ballparks and MLS Soccer Stadiums and NBA Arenas —

[Chicago, IL] – Levy Restaurants, the Chicago-based restaurant company and leader in sports and entertainment dining, announced today that the company is expanding gluten-free menu offerings at the company’s ballparks, stadiums and arenas nationwide. Kicking off with the 2011 MLB season, all Levy Restaurants’ venues will offer gluten-free options, including new gluten-free concessions carts at select venues.

According to the National Institutes of Health, more than two million people in the United States have Celiac Disease, or about one in 133 people. Last year, Levy Restaurants added gluten-free snacks and beer to all sports venues to accommodate guests that follow a wheat- and gluten-free diet, and the response was tremendous. Now, Levy Restaurants is going even further to make sure gluten-intolerant guests can enjoy traditional game day favorites, by launching a portable cart at select venues nationwide dedicated exclusively to freshly prepared, gluten-free sports favorites.

The new expanded gluten-free offerings include:

Concessions Cart Fan Favorites

• Hot Dog – Certified gluten-free hot dog, Kinnikinnick bun, Heinz ketchup and French’s mustard
• Chili Cheese Dog – Certified gluten-free hot dog, Kinnikinnick bun, Ghel’s chili sauce and cheese
• Nachos –  Mission tortilla chips, Ghel’s cheese, Embasa jalapeños
• Loaded Nachos – Mission tortilla chips, Ghel’s chili sauce and cheese, LaVictoria Alamo salsa, Embasa jalapeños

Snacks, Sweets and Beverages

• Red Bridge Beer – Gluten-free beer made without wheat or barley
• Taste Good Tortilla Chips – Olive, sweet potato flavored tortilla chips
• Classic Snacks Gluten-Free Carmel & Cheddar Popcorn Mix
• Eden Organic Pumpkin Seeds
• Eden Organic Berry Mix
• Larabars – Cherry pie flavor gluten-free fruit and nut bar
• NuGO Free Dark Chocolate Bar – NuGO FREE bars are gluten, soy, and dairy free, certified OU Pareve, and made with real dark chocolate
• Classic Snacks Gummy Bears
• Skittles

The ballparks, stadiums and arenas that will debut the gluten-free portable cart include American Airlines Arena in Miami, American Airlines Center in Dallas, Chase Field in Phoenix, Fed Ex Forum in Memphis, Nationals Park in Washington, DC, Philips Arena in Atlanta, Qwest Field in Seattle, Rio Tinto Stadium in Salt Lake City, TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha and United Center in Chicago.

Additionally, AT&T Center, Dodger Stadium, Haymarket Park, Home Depot Center, Oklahoma City Arena, Pepsi Center, PNC Park, Toyota Park, US Cellular Field, Verizon Center and Wrigley Field will continue to offer gluten-free snacks and Red Bridge Beer, both in concessions and via healthy snack baskets in suites. More information about specific availability of each menu item at each venue is available upon request.

Levy Restaurants is also working in conjunction with Gluten-Free Passport, an internationally recognized health education firm, to have information on ballpark and stadium venues offering gluten-free menu items accessible via mobile applications.  By the end of April, gluten-free sports fans will be able to access information on Levy Restaurants’ sports locations offering gluten-free fare via the iCanEat OnTheGo app, iEatOut Gluten & Allergen Free app, as well as the new regionally-focused iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch apps including Gluten Free Chicago, Gluten Free LA and Gluten Free New York.

About Levy Restaurants

Levy Restaurants, founded in Chicago in 1978, is recognized as one of America’s fastest growing and most critically acclaimed restaurant companies, and is the leader in premium sports and entertainment dining concessions. Levy was recently named one of the 10 most innovative companies in sports in the world by Fast Company magazine. The company’s diverse portfolio includes award-winning restaurants such as James Beard-winning Spiaggia and Bistro 110 in Chicago, Fulton’s Crab House, Portobello and Wolfgang Puck Grand Café at Walt Disney World Resort, renowned sports and entertainment venues like Lambeau Field in Green Bay, STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, and American Airlines Arena in Miami, and events including the Super Bowl, World Series, Kentucky Derby, NHL and NBA All-Star Games and the Grammy Awards. For details, visit www.levyrestaurants.com.

Are you excited about this?  Have you had a chance to try any of the above snacks or locations out?  Please share your experiences with us!