Dr Sue's Calgary Stampede Food Review

The Calgary Stampede 101 is ON! I’m so proud and amazed by our city for pulling it together so soon after the flooding which devastated Calgary just two weeks ago. With a truly herculean effort, the Stampede grounds have been cleaned up, and with the exception of the Saddledome which won’t be ready for concerts until next week, the grounds are running full speed ahead. This 101st Stampede will be a celebration not only of our tradition, but even more so of the amazing spirit of the city that came together and stood united in the face of such incredible adversity.

As I did last year, I thought I’d share with you my thoughts about what’s cooking on the midway this time around. There are no less than ’31 new delicious treats’ available, which once again leave me wondering ‘How do they do that??’ or better yet ‘Why do they do that?!’… ranging from deep fried bubble gum to deep fried Doritos (with beer batter and bacon bits) to chocolate covered bacon. I thought I saw green beans on the menu… then I saw that they too are battered and deep fried.

However – there are some healthier potentials on the menu too! Wrap Daddy’s is serving up cone-shaped wraps (I’ll have to check out what exactly is in these wraps… chicken breast or deep fried Mars bars would lead me to a substantially different conclusion!). There’s a Salt Spring Noodle Bar that sounds promising, and the Esquites (warm corn salad) are apparently making a return appearance.

Want gluten free? The Naaco Truck and Avatara Pizza promise gluten sensitive, lactose free and vegetarian options as well.

So, it looks like there are a few potential options for eating more healthily at this year’s Calgary Stampede – keys to successful weight management at the Stampede include looking for these healthier options; pick just one or two options; and portion control by sharing with friends.

Above all – have fun, and celebrate our great city with pride!