County Pool Menus Lack Healthy Food

By Laura Van Wert

The wave pool at Boyce Park might be a great place to burn off extra calories, but the concession stand offerings won’t help keep them off.

“I would highly encourage someone to pack their food,” said Paula Martin, registered dietician at Carnegie Mellon University’s Student Health Services, after analyzing a copy of the snack bar’s menu.

There’s just one problem.

Patrons of Allegheny County’s public pools are banned from bringing in their own food, leaving the more health-conscious folks with an unpalatable choice: Buy the hot dogs, hamburgers, french fries, ice cream, nachos and pizzas — or go without a snack.

Many Boyce Park pool-goers choose a third option — they smuggle in their own food, said snack bar manager Phil Fratta, 72, of Beechview.

“We don’t check every bag,” he said. “If we see a bag, lunch, cooler, we’ll stop them.”

The owners of snack bars at county pools have three-year contracts that restrict outside food and beverages, which has been a county policy for several years, said county spokesman Kevin Evanto. Otherwise, “we wouldn’t have anyone interested in providing concessions,” he said.

County Parks Director Andy Baechle agreed.

“To have a successful pool, we need to have food,” he said.

A county committee that reviews each vendor’s bid for providing concessions looks at the menus — but for prices, not nutritional value, Baechle said.

It all comes down to supply and demand, said Baechle, suggesting that vendors would add fruits and vegetables to the menus if more people wanted them.

Nonsense, said Martin.

“That is a common response,” she said, adding that patrons are a “captive audience” when they have limited choices. “It’s like, ‘If you build it, they will come.’ People will eat it.’ “

“There’s no option,” she said.

The pool menus are generally high in fat and carbohydrates, said Martin, who found a few redeeming items. The grilled chicken salad and sandwich are lower in calories. “That’s a little bit better than chicken tenders,” she said.

Dr. Paula Sammarone Turocy, a dietician who chairs the Rangos School of Health Sciences at Duquesne University, also analyzed the pool menu.

Like Martin, Turocy found nutritional problems with the low-carb wraps. The bacon ruins it, she said.

“Low-carb doesn’t mean low-fat,” said Turocy, who suggests revising the menu to include low-carb wraps without the bacon, or just vegetable wraps.

Jessica Fichter, 28, of Ross munched french fries one day last week at North Park swimming pool.

“I always buy food here,” she said.

But she worries about feeding it to her 18-month-old daughter, Olivia. So Fichter sneaked in a fruit cup.

Others are less concerned about nutrition when it comes to snack food at the pool.

Ron Mignella, 38, of Marshall sat with his children at a nearby table, eating chicken fingers and french fries slathered in cheese sauce.

“It’s just part of going out,” he said. “You’re coming to a pool, so the food is what it is.”

On the menu

Snack bar menus at Allegheny County public pools include:

Boyce Park Wave Pool

Low-carb wraps (chicken or turkey, w/bacon): $4.50

Chicken tenders: $4

Grilled chicken sandwich: $4

Popcorn chicken bites: $4

Meatball sandwich: $3.75

Cheeseburger: $2.75

Hamburger: $2.50

Hot dog: $2.50

Whole pizza: $16

Pizza slice: $2.50

Nacho grande: $4.75

Large nacho: $4

Small nacho: $3.50

Onion rings: $3.75

Fries: $2.75

Soda or fruit punch: $2 (small); $2.50 (large)

Bottled water: $2

Grilled chicken salad: $3.50

Funnel cake: $4

Pretzel: $1.50

Popcorn: $2.25 (small); $2.50 (large)

Churro: $1.50

Cheese cup: $1

Chips: $1

Cookies: $1

Candy: $1.75

Slush: $3 (small); $3.50 (large)

Sno-Kone: $1.50

Prepackaged ice cream: $2 to $3

South Park Wave Pool

Fountain drinks: $1.50 (large, $1.75)

Bottled soda: $2

Powerade: $2

Water: $1.50

Nachos and cheese: $3.50

Assorted chips: $1.25

Slice of cheese pizza: $2.25 (pepperoni $2.50)

Pepperoni roll: $2.50

Soft pretzel: $2.25

Churro: $2.25

Funnel cake: $3.50

Cookie: 85 cents

French fries: $2.50 (with cheese, $3)

Hot dog: $2.50

Hamburger: $3.50

Cheeseburger: $3.75

Grilled chicken sandwich: $4

Chicken tenders and french fries: $4.75

Cotton candy: $2.50

Candy: $1.25

Ice cream bars: $1.75, $2, $2.50

North Park Pool

Hot dog: $1.75; (with cheese, $2)

Hamburger $2.75; (with cheese, $3)

Chicken tenders: $3.75; (with fries, $5.50)

Large soft pretzel: $2; (with cheese, $2.50)

Funnel cake: $3

Cookies: 75 cents

Ice cream: $1.50

Chips and candy: $1

Bottled beverages, 20 ounces (including water, Powerade and soda): $1.75

Fountain drinks, 20 ounces: $1.50

5-inch pizza: $2.50; (with pepperoni, $3)

French fries: $2.50

Cheese fries: $3

Source: Tribune-Review research

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