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The 10 Most Interesting Food At State Fairs You Have To Try

Ever had a deviled egg and thought, “gosh, I wish this put me in a sugar coma.” Well the Ohio State Fair’s got you covered. This year, at the Devilishly Good Food stand, visitors can feast on chocolate-flavored deviled eggs along with S’mores, Lemon Meringue, and Cotton Candy twists on the classic. Although this may sound strange to some, state fairs are known for mixing seemingly incompatible ingredients, putting them in a fryer, and serving the resulting concoction to visitors. Across the 50 states, this innovative spirit has resulted in everything from Kool-Aid pickles to Fried Jelly Beans. Because it’s not even a question that you’re interested in these wacky, slightly disturbing food combinations, I’ve compiled a lineup of the weirdest, yet tastiest, foods at state fairs that are too good to not try.

Alabama — Krispy Kreme Hamburgers

Food At State Fairs
Photo from Krispy Kreme

A juicy quarter pounder sandwiched between two classic Krispy Kreme Glazed donuts.

Arizona — Mealworm-Covered Caramel Apples

Instead of nuts, these caramel apples are covered in mealworms. Yum…protein.

Florida — Cheeseburger with Deep-Fried Ice Cream

A glorious cheeseburger topped with Fried Ice Cream instead of ketchup.

Kansas — Pickle Pops

Fight off the summer heat with licks from a stick of frozen pickle brine.

Michigan — Elephant Ears

Big rounds of fried dough that come out looking like elephant ears.

Minnesota — Crispy Lutefisk Steam Bun

Food At State Fairs
Photo by Minnesota State Fair

Lutefisk on a lotus bun with veggies, yum yum sauce, hoisin, and sesame seeds.

North Carolina — Kool-Aid Pickles

Koolickles are pickles soaked in Kool-Aid for a sweet and sour treat to while away the hours at the ring toss.

Oregon — Roadkill

This is a flat deep-fried pastry covered in syrups, sauce, and whipped cream that looks like a delicious spin on road kill.

Texas — Fried Beer

Basically, pretzel ravioli with a beer filing and nacho cheese sauce. A Texan’s dream.

Utah — Deep-Fried Green Jell-O

A cube of Jell-O covered in batter and fried.

Joelle Stephenson is a National Contributor and Editorial Intern for Spoon University. She writes articles focused on Tiktok food trends and a variety of other popular media-inspired food coverage (anything Taylor Swift-related is a must for Joelle). Outside of Spoon University, Joelle writes short fiction. In June of 2023, Joelle graduated from the University of Chicago with her Bachelor’s in English Language and Literature and her Master’s in Humanities.  In her free time, Joelle knits Latvian mittens, loves dog sitting, and enjoys reading Nordic Noir mysteries that make it impossible for her to sleep at night.