New Hampshire Fisher Cats Urged to Retire Manchester Chicken Tenders Identity That Promotes Unhealthy Food

MANCHESTER, N.H. – The New Hampshire Fisher Cats, a Minor Leage Baseball team, occasionally plays under two alternate identities: the Manchester Chicken Tenders and the New Hampshire Space Potatoes, team names that reference where chicken tenders were invented and the state vegetable. In a letter dated May 12, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is asking the team to retire their Manchester Chicken Tenders identity, which promotes an unhealthy food, and instead focus on their New Hampshire Space Potatoes identity and the health benefits of eating potatoes and other plant-based foods.

The team first adopted the Manchester Chicken Tenders identity in 2022 and the New Hampshire Space Potatoes identity in 2025. According to the MLB site, “Over the last decade, Minor League Baseball teams across the nation have made it a habit to temporarily change their name to one that pays homage to a regionally beloved delicacy.”

“As a baseball fan and a registered dietitian, I know how important good nutrition is for baseball players’ performance and recovery. As role models, baseball teams should also share the importance of healthy eating with fans,” writes Stephanie McBurnett, RDN, a nutrition educator with the Physicians Committee. “That is why the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is urging you to retire your Manchester Chicken Tenders identity and stop Tender Tuesdays, both of which promote unhealthy fried chicken.”

The letter continues, “Instead, we encourage you to focus on your New Hampshire Space Potatoes identity and promoting ‘Tater Tuesdays,’ when fans can enjoy New Hampshire’s nutritious and delicious state vegetable in plant-based menu items like Ultimate Baked Potato Skins, Creamy Potato Salad for Everyone, or baked potatoes topped with Mushroom Bacon and Sunflower Sour Cream.”

The Physicians Committee’s letter to the team highlights research showing that consuming fried chicken increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and death from heart disease. Eating 300 grams of poultry—about six typical chicken tenders—per week has also been found to increase the risk of gastrointestinal cancer and death from all causes.

Potatoes, on the other hand, are loaded with health benefits. They are high in potassium and vitamin C and are a rich source of complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates, found mostly in whole plant foods, maintain their natural fiber and fuel the body with the energy it needs—including for sports like baseball. Potatoes have also been shown to lower the risk of heart disease and early death and help people with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar.

“I understand how difficult it is for many people to make healthy choices in a culture where fast food is so heavily promoted. Increasing the visibility of healthier options can make a meaningful difference in helping communities make better choices,” adds McBurnett in the letter. “Please let me know if you would like to discuss how we can assist you in developing potato and other plant-based recipes to celebrate the New Hampshire Space Potatoes and ‘Tater Tuesdays.’”