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State fair food fight: Comparing list of new foods at Iowa, Minnesota state fairs

State fair food fight: Comparing list of new foods at Iowa, Minnesota state fairs
26TH AND 27TH. WELL, WE KNOW NOTHING COMPARES TO THE IOWA STATE FAIR. THE STATE OF MINNESOTA IS TRYING ITS BEST. ONE THING BOTH FAIRS SHARE IS A LOVE FOR OUTRAGEOUS. OVER THE FOOD. AND WE鈥橰E FANS OF THAT. YES, WE ARE. TUESDAY, IOWA STATE FAIR UNVEILED 67 NEW FAIR FOODS. THE NEXT DAY, MINNESOTA RELEASED A LIST, BUT IT WAS ONLY 33. SO WE WENT, SO WE鈥橰E GOING TO DO A LITTLE COMPARISON BASED ON NAME. WE HAD TO GO FOR SOME WEIRD ONES. THIS YEAR鈥橲 IOWA STATE FAIR. YOU鈥橰E GOING TO BE ABLE TO FIND A FLAMING HOT PICKLE PIZZA THAT鈥橲 FROM LEHMAN鈥橲 PIZZERIA IN MINNESOTA. YOU鈥橰E GOING TO BE ABLE TO FIND A HOT HONEY JALAPENO POPPER DONUT AT FLUFFY鈥橲 HAND-CUT DONUTS. OKAY. A DIGITAL EDITOR, KELBY WINGERT, PUT TOGETHER A WHOLE LIST OF WHAT SHE SAYS ARE SOME OF THE MOST INTRIGUING OPTIONS AT BOTH FAIRS. YOU CAN FIND THAT RIGHT NOW ON OUR WEBSITE AND MOBILE APP. ALL RIGHT, WHO鈥橲 HUNGRY? YEAH, I OUT THE WINDOW. TOTALLY. YOU KNOW, CALORIES CONSUMED AT THE FAIR. DON鈥橳 ACTUALLY COUNT. SO IT鈥橲 SCIENCE. AND IF STACY SAYS IT, IT鈥橲 TRUE. SO THERE WE GO. RIGHT. AND THE
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Updated: 10:29 PM CDT Jul 10, 2025
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State fair food fight: Comparing list of new foods at Iowa, Minnesota state fairs
糖心vlog logo
Updated: 10:29 PM CDT Jul 10, 2025
Editorial Standards
Iowans and Minnesotans will likely always spar over a few quintessential regional debates. Is it a casserole or a hot dish? We'll never agree. Duck-duck-goose versus duck-duck-gray duck? A conversation destined to go in circles.And of course, there's the perennial rivalry over which state boasts the best fair. But let鈥檚 be honest: it鈥檚 Iowa. The Iowa State Fair isn鈥檛 just a fair 鈥 it鈥檚 a state treasure, complete with its very own musical. Sure, Minnesota may claim higher attendance, but Iowa has an entire Rodgers and Hammerstein musical and the iconic Butter Cow on its side.Still, one thing both fairs share is a love for outrageous, over-the-top foods 鈥 usually deep-fried and served on a stick. It's a hallmark of Midwestern state fair culture.This week, both fairs revealed the food lineups for their upcoming festivities. On Tuesday, the Iowa State Fair unveiled 67 brand-new food creations set to debut this year. The Minnesota State Fair followed up a day later with its list of 33 new fair foods.The Iowa State Fair runs 11 days (Aug. 7-17) and the Minnesota State Fair is 12 days (Aug. 21-Sept. 1).With weeks to go before the fun begins, I鈥檝e gone through the lists and picked out the most intriguing additions 鈥 from the sweetest treats to the meatiest bites and the downright weird.SweetIowaFunnel cakes. Who doesn't love to munch on a good funnel cake while walking around the state fair? Light and crispy, chewy and sweet, it's the perfect fairtime snack. This year, two of the fair's vendors are debuting new funnel cake flavors 鈥 McGrath's Funnel Cakes' Cafe Colada funnel cake and Jada's Funnel Cakes' Cap'n Crunch Berry funnel cakes.Deep-fried Banana S'mores from Taylor Concessions. Name a more iconic summer snack than the s'more. I'll wait. Now, make it a little healthy, maybe add some fruit, like a banana. How, you may ask, can we make it even better? Great question. I'll tell you 鈥 coat it in batter and give it a swim in a vat of frying oil.Deep-fried PBJ with Nutella from The Bird's Nest. A PB&J sandwich might just be the one thing all Midwesterners can agree on. It's a nostalgic throwback to the comfort of our childhoods. Adding Nutella and deep-frying it? Even better.Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake from Dough Crazy. I don't think this one even needs an explanation. I know why it's on the list. You know why it's on the list. Let's just move on.Thelma's Lemon Blueberry Ice Cream Sandwich. What better way to cool off in the Iowa summer heat with a delicious Des Moines-made ice cream sammy? Take an afternoon breather with a refreshing blueberry ice cream between two chewy lemon cookies.MinnesotaBirthday Cake Cookie Dough On A Stick from Kora & Mila's Cookie Dough. The description is in the name. It's basically the most portable way to carry around a week's worth of sugar. I'll take two.Cherry Bigfoot Limeade Float from Tasti Whip. OK, I'll start by saying I don't get the "Bigfoot" part of this. Is that a Minnesota inside joke? Anyway, it's a glass of limeade with cherry Dole soft serve. What's not to love?Cannoli Gelato Nachos from Mancini's al Fresco. Dessert nachos are another 2020s trend I am fully behind. Hand me a pile of cannoli chips with a scoop of cannoli-flavored gelato covered in chocolate sauce and I'll be your best friend.Grandma Doreen's Dessert Dog from West End Creamery. The name alone almost landed this treat on my weird list. But it's basically an ice cream sandwich made with Doreen's Coffee Cake and vanilla ice cream from the Minnesota Dairy Lab. Throw it on a stick and top it with strawberry rhubarb jam, cinnamon toast crispy treats, whipped cream and sprinkles, and call it a Dessert Dog.Land of 10,000 Cakes from Bridgeman's Ice Cream. This one might have me making the trip up north on Interstate 35. An ice cream sundae featuring butter brittle ice cream and cupcakes from my favorite author's bakery, Nadia Cakes? Well worth the drive. MeatIowaSloppy Dog from The Snack Box. Honestly, my first reaction to this was 'How in the world is this a new food?' It's basically a coney dog with sauce. How has this not been done before? Anyway, sounds messy and delicious.Three Little Pigs from Whatcha Smokin? BBQ. I was on the fence on whether to put this item on the meat list or the weird list. I'm still not sure, but there's no shortage of weird new foods this year, so I figured I'd put it here. They're a trio of smoked ham balls. Sounds very Iowan and very normal, right? Wrong. One has honey mustard with cornbread crumbles, another has cherry soda and maraschino cherries and the last one is covered in a vanilla glaze and dusted with powdered sugar. Definitely weird. Definitely going to try them, though.The Butcher's Donut from DG Grill. Possibly the only tangentially-healthy part of this one is that it's gluten-free. It's made with bacon, ground beef and Graziano sausage, rolled in crispy rice puffs, and then fried. The donut 鈥 not sure how that works, but we listen and don't judge here 鈥 is then served on a bed of corn tortilla chips and topped with a barbecue glaze, queso and chives. Remind me to pack some antacids.Smoked Meatloaf Platter from Blue Ribbon Bar & Eatery. I feel like this one is pretty self-explanatory, but I'll tell you about it anyway. They use a blend of brisket, short rib and ground chuck, grill it with a Boursin cheddar blend and then slow smoke it before topping with a housemade bourbon glaze. Not enough food for you? It also comes with thin-cut onion rings, cheesy potatoes and country slaw. I'm going to need a nap after that one.Bacon Popcorn from Zag's Popcorn. Someone somewhere looked at a bowl of popcorn and thought, 'You know what this could use? More salt.' And they were right. Crunchy, buttery popcorn topped with smoky bacon bits? Sign me up.MinnesotaBison Meatball Sub from Minnesota Farmers Union Coffee Shop. How often do you get to enjoy bison? Not nearly as often as you should, if you ask me. Well, at this year's Minnesota State Fair, you can gorge on locally-sourced bison and bacon meatballs served with bison gravy on a toasted wild rice hoagie bun.Hula Kalua Pork from RC's BBQ. This seems like the perfect snack if you're wanting to pretend you're relaxing on a beach in Hawaii. Slow-smoked pork collar with Hawaiian barbecue sauce served on a charred banana leaf? Yes, please.Shrimp & Pork Toast On A Stick at Union Hmong Kitchen. This sounds like a Texas-toast version of shrimp and pork dumplings, and I am very on board with it. It's ground pork and shrimp seasoned with Hmong aromatics like lemongrass, ginger, garlic and Thai chilis. The mixture is spread on Texas toast, deep fried and served on a stick with apricot jelly hot sauce. Spectacular. Give me 14 of 'em right now.Uncrustaburger from Coasters. A 1/4 pound burger sandwiched between two deep-fried Uncrustables? I need it now.Timber Twists at Giggles' Campfire Grill. This was another contender for the weird list, but I felt it fit better here. It's Italian sausage, mozzarella and cream cheese stuffed into large manicotti shells, which are then wrapped in bacon and cooked in a wood-fired smoker. So basically, a fusion of Italian cuisine and American barbecue, creating a unique and tasty bite.WeirdIowaChoco Tater from Iowa Specialty Crop Growers Association. Listen. I like chocolate. I like potatoes. But together? I'm willing to give it a chance. It's a blend of mashed potatoes, shredded coconut and powdered sugar, dipped in dark chocolate. Then it's topped with a raspberry and lemon drizzle, so at least you're getting some fruit, I guess.Chicken Pickle Ranch Rocket On A Stick from JR's SouthPork Ranch. Honestly, this one's not that weird, it's just the name that gives me pause. It's basically a kebab with grilled chicken and three kinds of pickles, all covered in a ranch butter glaze. Flamin' Hot Pickle Pizza from Leimon's Pizzeria. Remember the early 2010s when everything 鈥 and I mean everything 鈥 was bacon-covered or bacon-flavored? I think the 2020s version of that is dill pickles and Flamin' Hot Cheetos. And, whaddya know? This new Iowa State Fair treat has both.Lobster Biscuits & Gravy from JR's SouthPork Ranch. I just have two questions. Why? and Why not? Sweet Stine Stack Attack from Bubbly Bar. I'm still trying to wrap my head around this one. It's like a grilled cheese, but with bacon and .... chocolate chip cookies? It features the famous Barksdale's State Fair Chocolate Chip Cookies, cheese curds and bacon in between two slices of grilled sourdough bread. Talk about a carb overload.MinnesotaChicken-fried Bacon Fries at Soul Bowl. This one feels like it should be illegal, but I'm glad it isn't. Tempura-fried beef bacon strips served with Cashville Hot sauce and a passionfruit barbecue sauce. I didn't even know beef had bacon.Croffle Cloud from Spinning Wylde. They've waffle-ized a croissant and topped it with whipped cream, fruit puree and a cloud of cotton candy. Sounds like the best kind of breakfast to me.Dill Pickle Iced Tea from Loon Lake Iced Tea. Don't come for me, but this one sounds so refreshing. I've already commented on pop culture's obsession with dill pickle (see above), but I think this sounds equal parts weird and wonderful.Hot Honey Jalapeno Popper Donut at Fluffy's Hand Cut Donuts. I can't decide how I feel about this. On the one hand, I firmly believe when it comes to breakfast pastry that donuts should be sweet and bagels should be savory. On the other hand, I love all three of the elements of this dish individually, so they must be great together, right? A hand-cut yeast donut covered in jalapeno cream cheese, crumbled bacon, pickled jalapenos and hot honey. I'd definitely give it a try.Pizza Cheese Curd Tacos at Richie's Cheese Curd Tacos. I would like to meet whomever first came up with the idea to put fried cheese curds in tacos, because that sounds like a great move. And here, Richie's decided to add pepperoni, sausage, marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese, elevating the cheese curd taco to a whole new level. Still weird, though.Will I try all of these fair foods? Probably not. But if officials from either state fair need an official taste-tester, have your people call my people.But if you see me munching on something deep-fried on a stick while singing "Our State Fair is a great State Fair" to myself next month, mind your business.禄 See all of our Iowa State Fair coverage here.

Iowans and Minnesotans will likely always spar over a few quintessential regional debates. Is it a casserole or a hot dish? We'll never agree. Duck-duck-goose versus duck-duck-gray duck? A conversation destined to go in circles.

And of course, there's the perennial rivalry over which state boasts the best fair. But let鈥檚 be honest: it鈥檚 Iowa. The Iowa State Fair isn鈥檛 just a fair 鈥 it鈥檚 a state treasure, complete with its very own musical. Sure, Minnesota may claim higher attendance, but Iowa has an and the iconic Butter Cow on its side.

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Still, one thing both fairs share is a love for outrageous, over-the-top foods 鈥 usually deep-fried and served on a stick. It's a hallmark of Midwestern state fair culture.

This week, both fairs revealed the food lineups for their upcoming festivities. On Tuesday, the Iowa State Fair unveiled 67 brand-new food creations set to debut this year. The Minnesota State Fair followed up a day later with its .

The Iowa State Fair runs 11 days (Aug. 7-17) and the Minnesota State Fair is 12 days (Aug. 21-Sept. 1).

With weeks to go before the fun begins, I鈥檝e gone through the lists and picked out the most intriguing additions 鈥 from the sweetest treats to the meatiest bites and the downright weird.

Sweet

Iowa

  1. Funnel cakes. Who doesn't love to munch on a good funnel cake while walking around the state fair? Light and crispy, chewy and sweet, it's the perfect fairtime snack. This year, two of the fair's vendors are debuting new funnel cake flavors 鈥 McGrath's Funnel Cakes' Cafe Colada funnel cake and Jada's Funnel Cakes' Cap'n Crunch Berry funnel cakes.
  2. Deep-fried Banana S'mores from Taylor Concessions. Name a more iconic summer snack than the s'more. I'll wait. Now, make it a little healthy, maybe add some fruit, like a banana. How, you may ask, can we make it even better? Great question. I'll tell you 鈥 coat it in batter and give it a swim in a vat of frying oil.
  3. Deep-fried PBJ with Nutella from The Bird's Nest. A PB&J sandwich might just be the one thing all Midwesterners can agree on. It's a nostalgic throwback to the comfort of our childhoods. Adding Nutella and deep-frying it? Even better.
  4. Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake from Dough Crazy. I don't think this one even needs an explanation. I know why it's on the list. You know why it's on the list. Let's just move on.
  5. Thelma's Lemon Blueberry Ice Cream Sandwich. What better way to cool off in the Iowa summer heat with a delicious Des Moines-made ice cream sammy? Take an afternoon breather with a refreshing blueberry ice cream between two chewy lemon cookies.

Minnesota

  1. Birthday Cake Cookie Dough On A Stick from Kora & Mila's Cookie Dough. The description is in the name. It's basically the most portable way to carry around a week's worth of sugar. I'll take two.
  2. Cherry Bigfoot Limeade Float from Tasti Whip. OK, I'll start by saying I don't get the "Bigfoot" part of this. Is that a Minnesota inside joke? Anyway, it's a glass of limeade with cherry Dole soft serve. What's not to love?
  3. Cannoli Gelato Nachos from Mancini's al Fresco. Dessert nachos are another 2020s trend I am fully behind. Hand me a pile of cannoli chips with a scoop of cannoli-flavored gelato covered in chocolate sauce and I'll be your best friend.
  4. Grandma Doreen's Dessert Dog from West End Creamery. The name alone almost landed this treat on my weird list. But it's basically an ice cream sandwich made with Doreen's Coffee Cake and vanilla ice cream from the Minnesota Dairy Lab. Throw it on a stick and top it with strawberry rhubarb jam, cinnamon toast crispy treats, whipped cream and sprinkles, and call it a Dessert Dog.
  5. Land of 10,000 Cakes from Bridgeman's Ice Cream. This one might have me making the trip up north on Interstate 35. An ice cream sundae featuring butter brittle ice cream and cupcakes from my favorite author's bakery, Nadia Cakes? Well worth the drive.

Meat

Iowa

  1. Sloppy Dog from The Snack Box. Honestly, my first reaction to this was 'How in the world is this a new food?' It's basically a coney dog with sauce. How has this not been done before? Anyway, sounds messy and delicious.
  2. Three Little Pigs from Whatcha Smokin? BBQ. I was on the fence on whether to put this item on the meat list or the weird list. I'm still not sure, but there's no shortage of weird new foods this year, so I figured I'd put it here. They're a trio of smoked ham balls. Sounds very Iowan and very normal, right? Wrong. One has honey mustard with cornbread crumbles, another has cherry soda and maraschino cherries and the last one is covered in a vanilla glaze and dusted with powdered sugar. Definitely weird. Definitely going to try them, though.
  3. The Butcher's Donut from DG Grill. Possibly the only tangentially-healthy part of this one is that it's gluten-free. It's made with bacon, ground beef and Graziano sausage, rolled in crispy rice puffs, and then fried. The donut 鈥 not sure how that works, but we listen and don't judge here 鈥 is then served on a bed of corn tortilla chips and topped with a barbecue glaze, queso and chives. Remind me to pack some antacids.
  4. Smoked Meatloaf Platter from Blue Ribbon Bar & Eatery. I feel like this one is pretty self-explanatory, but I'll tell you about it anyway. They use a blend of brisket, short rib and ground chuck, grill it with a Boursin cheddar blend and then slow smoke it before topping with a housemade bourbon glaze. Not enough food for you? It also comes with thin-cut onion rings, cheesy potatoes and country slaw. I'm going to need a nap after that one.
  5. Bacon Popcorn from Zag's Popcorn. Someone somewhere looked at a bowl of popcorn and thought, 'You know what this could use? More salt.' And they were right. Crunchy, buttery popcorn topped with smoky bacon bits? Sign me up.

Minnesota

  1. Bison Meatball Sub from Minnesota Farmers Union Coffee Shop. How often do you get to enjoy bison? Not nearly as often as you should, if you ask me. Well, at this year's Minnesota State Fair, you can gorge on locally-sourced bison and bacon meatballs served with bison gravy on a toasted wild rice hoagie bun.
  2. Hula Kalua Pork from RC's BBQ. This seems like the perfect snack if you're wanting to pretend you're relaxing on a beach in Hawaii. Slow-smoked pork collar with Hawaiian barbecue sauce served on a charred banana leaf? Yes, please.
  3. Shrimp & Pork Toast On A Stick at Union Hmong Kitchen. This sounds like a Texas-toast version of shrimp and pork dumplings, and I am very on board with it. It's ground pork and shrimp seasoned with Hmong aromatics like lemongrass, ginger, garlic and Thai chilis. The mixture is spread on Texas toast, deep fried and served on a stick with apricot jelly hot sauce. Spectacular. Give me 14 of 'em right now.
  4. Uncrustaburger from Coasters. A 1/4 pound burger sandwiched between two deep-fried Uncrustables? I need it now.
  5. Timber Twists at Giggles' Campfire Grill. This was another contender for the weird list, but I felt it fit better here. It's Italian sausage, mozzarella and cream cheese stuffed into large manicotti shells, which are then wrapped in bacon and cooked in a wood-fired smoker. So basically, a fusion of Italian cuisine and American barbecue, creating a unique and tasty bite.

Weird

Iowa

  1. Choco Tater from Iowa Specialty Crop Growers Association. Listen. I like chocolate. I like potatoes. But together? I'm willing to give it a chance. It's a blend of mashed potatoes, shredded coconut and powdered sugar, dipped in dark chocolate. Then it's topped with a raspberry and lemon drizzle, so at least you're getting some fruit, I guess.
  2. Chicken Pickle Ranch Rocket On A Stick from JR's SouthPork Ranch. Honestly, this one's not that weird, it's just the name that gives me pause. It's basically a kebab with grilled chicken and three kinds of pickles, all covered in a ranch butter glaze.
  3. Flamin' Hot Pickle Pizza from Leimon's Pizzeria. Remember the early 2010s when everything 鈥 and I mean everything 鈥 was bacon-covered or bacon-flavored? I think the 2020s version of that is dill pickles and Flamin' Hot Cheetos. And, whaddya know? This new Iowa State Fair treat has both.
  4. Lobster Biscuits & Gravy from JR's SouthPork Ranch. I just have two questions. Why? and Why not?
  5. Sweet Stine Stack Attack from Bubbly Bar. I'm still trying to wrap my head around this one. It's like a grilled cheese, but with bacon and .... chocolate chip cookies? It features the famous Barksdale's State Fair Chocolate Chip Cookies, cheese curds and bacon in between two slices of grilled sourdough bread. Talk about a carb overload.

Minnesota

  1. Chicken-fried Bacon Fries at Soul Bowl. This one feels like it should be illegal, but I'm glad it isn't. Tempura-fried beef bacon strips served with Cashville Hot sauce and a passionfruit barbecue sauce. I didn't even know beef had bacon.
  2. Croffle Cloud from Spinning Wylde. They've waffle-ized a croissant and topped it with whipped cream, fruit puree and a cloud of cotton candy. Sounds like the best kind of breakfast to me.
  3. Dill Pickle Iced Tea from Loon Lake Iced Tea. Don't come for me, but this one sounds so refreshing. I've already commented on pop culture's obsession with dill pickle (see above), but I think this sounds equal parts weird and wonderful.
  4. Hot Honey Jalapeno Popper Donut at Fluffy's Hand Cut Donuts. I can't decide how I feel about this. On the one hand, I firmly believe when it comes to breakfast pastry that donuts should be sweet and bagels should be savory. On the other hand, I love all three of the elements of this dish individually, so they must be great together, right? A hand-cut yeast donut covered in jalapeno cream cheese, crumbled bacon, pickled jalapenos and hot honey. I'd definitely give it a try.
  5. Pizza Cheese Curd Tacos at Richie's Cheese Curd Tacos. I would like to meet whomever first came up with the idea to put fried cheese curds in tacos, because that sounds like a great move. And here, Richie's decided to add pepperoni, sausage, marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese, elevating the cheese curd taco to a whole new level. Still weird, though.

Will I try all of these fair foods? Probably not. But if officials from either state fair need an official taste-tester, have your people call my people.

But if you see me munching on something deep-fried on a stick while singing "Our State Fair is a great State Fair" to myself next month, mind your business.

禄 See all of our Iowa State Fair coverage here.