Celiac Disease Awareness Night at Citifield

On Tuesday, May 25th the NY Mets hosted their first, and hopefully annual, Celiac Disease Awareness Night at Citifield. The NY Mets gave their spirit award to Kozy Shack and Randi Albertelli of ROCK-Long Island.

Kozy Shack recently announced that their puddings, flan, and gels are all gluten-free. Before the game, they were even giving out free samples of their gluten-free chocolate and rice pudding in the parking lot. I ate two before I even got in the park. I don't eat pudding a lot, but the chocolate pudding was good. It was also great to see right in front of the Kozy Shack sign the poster announcing Celiac Disease Awareness night and the spirit award recipients, including Kozy Shack.

Raising Our Celiac Kids is a free support group for parents, families and friends of kids on the gluten-free diet for any reason including celiac disease, gluten intolerance, autism, ADD/ADHD, allergies, dermatitis herpetiformis, or personal preference. Their meetings are held in Plainview, NY. Randi had coordinated with Citifield so that a portion of the proceeds from our group sales tickets would go towards the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University. The NYC Celiac Disease Meetup Group sold 74 tickets for this event! This was our largest meetup event ever!

Although the fundraiser and the first annual Celiac Disease Awareness night was more than exciting, it was the gluten-free concession stand that made everyone quite excited. One of our group members had called ahead to tell the stadium that to prepare for a large demand of gluten-free food, but they were really unprepared. The lines for the gluten-free food were longer than other concession stands in the area. Everyone was so excited at the opportunity to eat "normal" food at the ballpark.

I waited until about the 4th inning to go down and enjoy some gluten-free food when I knew the lines wouldn't be so long. I am a rare gluten-free beer drinker, but I bought two Redbridge beers just because I could! For dinner, I got sausage and peppers on a gluten-free hero roll. I was super excited!! The concession stand also sold hotddogs and hamburgers on gluten-free buns. The bread products all come from The Grainless Baker. My friend Dean and I always go to games and I usually end up eating peanuts and Carvel, but this time he laughed as I gorged myself on gluten-free carbs. I was a happy lady.

I love going to Mets games and think Citifield is amazing. This gluten-free concession stand only reinforces my NY Mets fan status. I am going to another game on June 24th and can't wait to enjoy another great night of gluten-free food in the park.

Enjoy the pictures of the first annual Celiac Disease Awareness night at Citifield with the NY Mets below.



1. Rotunda, 2. Celiac Disease Awareness Day at Citifield, 3. Gluten-Free Sponsor: Kozy Shack, 4. Gluten-Free Concession Stand, 5. Gluten-Free Menu, 6. Redbridge Beer, 7. Dinner, 8. Take me out to the ballgame

Let's Go Mets! Gluten-Free at Citifield

Last year was the grand opening of the new Citifield, home of the New York Mets. I have always enjoyed going to Mets games ever since my dad started taking me in the mid-1908s. There was something nostalgic and comforting about Shea Stadium, but the new Citifield was an exciting addition to an otherwise dreary part of Queens. Upon my second or third game of the season, I found out they served RedBridge gluten-free beer in one of their beer kiosks. This was an exciting addition to the new ballpark.

Today I just read a press release that said there will now be a gluten-free Kozy Shack cart in Citifield serving not only Kozy Shack products but gluten-free hot dogs, buns, and beer!! This is just plain awesome. I can now enjoy more than a bag of peanuts or a Carvel soft serve at a game. Although the Mets didn’t have a great season last year, this is more than enough of a reason to give them a chance.

LET’S GO METS



It's Amazin! Gluten-Free Eating Goes Mainstream At Citifield
By PR Newswire 03/24/10 - 12:30 PM

HICKSVILLE, N.Y., March 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Along with the opening pitch at Citifield, the New York Mets home opener marks the beginning of ballpark fare for all consumers – even those afflicted by Celiac disease, thanks to a new gluten-free food cart sponsored by Kozy Shack®.

A partner of the Mets since 2008, and official pudding of the team, all Kozy Shack® puddings and gels are gluten-free and will now be available along with additional food products in a branded gluten-free food cart for easier recognition by fans. The Mets developed the stand-alone cart in response to one of the most common requests from fans, who asked for a gluten-free concession. In addition to Kozy Shack® gluten-free snacks, the cart will also feature hot dogs and hamburgers with gluten-free buns and gluten-free beer. Baseball fans can locate the cart on Field Level in the right field corner, just outside the World's Fare Market.

One look at the buzz on food websites shows that consumers have long known that Kozy Shack® products offer a delicious homemade taste and guilt-free indulgence that supports an active lifestyle. Made with real milk and no preservatives or hydrogenated oils, the Kozy Shack® line of products have always been a perfect snack for those who suffer from Celiac disease and those who are gluten-intolerant.

"Dietary restrictions are a growing concern in the food industry and we have always strived to make our products available to meet all consumer needs and palates," says Kozy Shack® CEO Bob Striano. "We're excited to further our partnership with the Mets and offer fans a designated cart for gluten-free food products. It's a home run for everyone."

A wholesome treat for fans of any age, Kozy Shack® pudding snacks are also sold at concession stands throughout the ballpark as part of the Mets' healthier food offerings which will include more fruits and salads.

Noted as a "Supermarket Gem" by The New York Times , for its ready-to-eat wholesome and delicious taste, Kozy Shack® traditional products meet today's consumer lifestyle. For more than 40 years, Kozy Shack® has been providing the finest-quality, ready-to-eat refrigerated desserts. Packaged for convenience, the products are available in ready-to-serve portions in the dairy cases of food retailers across the country. For this and other Kozy Shack® products, visit us at www.kozyshack.com or become a fan on Facebook and share your passion for pudding.

SOURCE Kozy Shack(R) Enterprises