"Take me out to the ballgame, take me out to the crowd ... Buy me some peanuts and ... tofu dogs?"

Several years ago, if you were a baseball fan and a vegetarian, you were practically out of luck, left to dine on nachos, French fries, and the occasional cotton candy. But as we are becoming a less carnivorous society, some ballparks are choosing to adapt, adding veggie-friendly items to their menus.

Last week, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) released its list of the top 10 vegetarian ballparks. Making the list were Citizens Bank Park, home of the Phillies, as well as AT&T (NYSE: T) Park, where the San Francisco Giants play, and Atlanta's Turner Field - home of the Brave(s).

Does the word "McVeggie" seem like an oxymoron to you? No, it's just the latest way McDonald's (NYSE: MCD), the fast-food behemoth that made its name serving cheap hamburgers, is adapting to the world's demands.

In an effort to expand more into Indian markets, where vegetarianism is the common lifestyle, McDonald's has devised a menu completely lacking in beef and pork. According to IndiaMarks, an online guide to "everything India," some of the items featured on Indian McDonald's menus include:

• McVeggie: Vegetarian patty with all the fixings on, yes, a sesame-seed bun.
• McAloo Tikki: Vegetarian patty made from potatoes and peas, garnished with tomato and vegetarian mayonnaise.
• Paneer Salsa Wrap: Paneer (homemade cheese) breaded and fried, then topped with a salad mixture, veggie mayo, and cheese.
• Veg McCurry Pan: Similar to pizza, this is crust topped with sauce and vegetables.
• Pizza McPuff: A crust stuffed with tomoato-based sauce, vegetables, and mozzarella cheese.

Things are bigger down in Texas. Especially controversies that blend beef with cheesecake.

Thirty-year-old B-list actress Alicia Silverstone (of Clueless fame) did a commercial for controversial animal rights group PETA recently. In it, the actress, an animal rights activist and recent convert to vegetarianism, climbs out of a pool to seductive music. She offers the camera various come hither-looks as she drips dry, and in an inane voiceover, tells the camera about how her life has changed since she's become a vegetarian.

I suppose the idea is to show us how good she looks, now that she's no longer eating meat. Too bad being a vegetarian hasn't boosted her vocabulary. "It's so amazing!" Is it now? I'm so convinced.

An interesting piece on MSN Money highlights a little-touted benefit of vegetarianism, for all of cynical cheapskates out there. I probably wouldn't go vegetarian because I feel sorry for the furry woodland creatures, and I certainly won't do it for my health. Arteries? I mean come on. But they've finally found something that might just convert this steak-guzzling carnivore: Being a vegetarian can save you money.

Aside from the benefits of having good health later in life, check this out:

If you drop red meat, poultry, and fish from your diet, you'll find plant proteins cheaper than the equivalent amount of animal protein ... Contrast that with dried beans and lentils at less than $1 a pound and rice well below $1 per pound ... Even tofu, the chicken of the vegetarian world, is usually well under $2 a pound.

All right, I'm sold! Note to PETA: Instead of sending me mailings full of propaganda about animal cruelty, send me a detailed summary of how much money I can save each year by being a vegetarian. The number one thing marketing experts say you have to tell the the customer is: "What's in it for me?"

I would be willing to bet that a national ad campaign touting the economic benefits of a meat-free diet would convert a lot of cynics like me.