Trying out the new vegetarian options at Wrigley Field - Axios ChicagoLog InLog InAxios Chicago is an Axios company.

Take meat out of the ball game

A nacho helmet with plant-based chicken. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios Hey, it's Monica. I've been trying to eat less meat for a while, so I was thrilled to hear that Wrigley Field expanded plant-based versions of popular snacks in late July. Driving the news: OZO Foods (owned by Brazilian meat giant JBS) just inked a three-year deal to become the "official plant-based food choice of the Chicago Cubs."But is this stuff any good? I went to the Cubs-Brewers game on Saturday to see. Veggie dogs at Wrigley Field Saturday looked like they'd spent too much time under a heat lamp. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios The dishes: Nachos (both helmet and regular) with OZO "chicken strips" and "ground beef," veggie dogs and planterra burgers — all at the same price of their meaty counterparts. The ingredients: OZO products are that includes non-GMO pea protein, soy protein, rice, wheat gluten and fermented shiitake mushrooms. The verdict: Despite the shriveled look of the weenies, the dogs offered a surprisingly nice bounce and taste, albeit when covered in traditional Chicago hot dog toppings. The faux ground beef and chicken in my nacho helmet was so covered in other stuff that its flavor was hard to distinguish. But the texture was good.I didn't love the aftertaste and texture of the planterra burger, which required a long-ish custom preparation, compared with other burgers on the menu. The bottom line: The weird looks and long waits I encountered while ordering these items at Wrigley tell me concession staffers (and visitors) may need more time to get used to these vegetarian-friendly options. Of note: After I finished my tasting, I learned that the veggie dog is not made by OZO, but instead by Beyond Meat. Get more local stories in your inbox with .Subscribe Support local journalism by becoming a member.

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