The 10 Best Food-On-A-Stick Items In Iowa You Need To Try
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Rachel Morey Flynn
Author
What’s the attraction to food on a stick? Well, if your lunch (or dessert) is on a stick, you can walk, people watch, and eat while meandering around your local county or state fair. The Iowa State Fair published a list of 50 food-on-a-stick items. Here are 10 we think you need to try.
Some of us aren't over the terrifying Twinkie shortage of 2012. This once-in-awhile treat is an iconic Iowa State Fair tradition. The Twinkie itself has only 135 calories. The "additions" jack that number up quite a bit. So maybe one or two per summer is enough for most of us.
There's no "stick" but there is a bone, and it works just fine for getting this moist, delicious smoked meat into your mouth. This particular treat weighs over a pound. Hope you have strong arms.
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Your mother always said you should eat more fruit. Does the funnel cake batter cancel out the "good" part? We don't think so. Fruit is fruit. You'll find it at the Iowa State Fair, for sure.
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The Iowa pork producers are happy to bring truckloads of pork chops to the Iowa State Fair so you can enjoy this delicacy. The "stick" is the bone of the chop, and the meat is cut in such a way that it's easy to hold and eat while walking. There are more pigs than people in Iowa, so it makes sense that this food on a stick item is one of the most popular.
We didn't invent fried butter here in Iowa, but we have perfected it. Recipes for fried butter date back to the 17th century. Ours is dipped in a honey and cinnamon-laced batter, fried, and drizzled with a white sugar glaze.
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Each year at the Iowa State Fair, the Egg Council has a seemingly unlimited number of hard boiled eggs on a stick available. Perhaps it's one of the perks of living in the #1 egg-producing state in the nation, but these eggs are free. You'll find them in the Agriculture Building every day of the Iowa State Fair.
Actually, the "stick" is simply the husk peeled back. This awesome Iowa food is steamed in the husk, and dressed how you like it (butter, salt, pepper, or plain). It's a favorite among Iowans who understand how important (and delicious) this food is to our state.
These "loaded taters" come complete with bacon bits, cheese, and sour cream. The ingredients are mixed, dipped in batter, and fried. A cheese sauce garnish and extra chives complete this wonderful treat.
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Who thought of this? The deep fried HO-HO on a stick is a long-standing Iowa fair tradition. It's also not the kind of food you can get just any time. So, if you are curious, you'd better try it when you get the chance!
After all of that heavy-duty indulgence, you may need a bit of clean eating. Go for a salad on a stick and regain your nutritional balance.
The Iowa State Fair has an amazing selection of food on a stick, and it's August 10 through August 20, this year.
Will you look for any of these popular food-on-a-stick items the next time you are people-watching at a local fair? We hope so. Did we miss anything? Let us know!
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