They say things are bigger in Texas, but that’s not entirely true when it comes to state fairs. The Minnesota State Fair, aka The Great Minnesota Get-Together, boasts the largest average daily attendance of any state fair in the United States. Given that the Minnesota State Fair’s opening day broke its attendance record this past Thursday, chances are good that it will keep its crown. It seems silly, but I’m really excited that my husband, my brother, and I contributed to that opening day record. We had a delicious time contributing.
You might have missed opening day, but don’t fret. The Great Minnesota Get-Together is open until September 2nd, 2024. There’s plenty of time to give its glorious food a try.
Our Favorite Minnesota State Fair Foods:
Even if you think donuts are okay, get in line at Peachey’s Baking Company; their Amish donuts are that amazing. Warm, freshly glazed, simple donuts. They taste like love. And like true love, they are worth the wait.
When sorting out where to meet when we arrived at the fair, my brother suggested we meet in line at Peachey’s Baking Company. Whoever made it in line first could save a spot for the other. His recommendation was genius. I arrived a few minutes before 8 a.m. and a few minutes ahead of him. We were in line for maybe fifteen minutes. Knowing what I know now, I’d get in line, even if it meant waiting an hour or more. They’re that good.
Unless you’re a snowbird who winters in Sarasota or plan to follow Peachey’s Baking Company from fair to fair, the Minnesota State Fair is your only chance to devour these delicious donuts.
Tater Tots may not have originated in Minnesota, but they are a very big deal here. Thanks, Tater Tot Hot Dish! It only makes sense that our great state would be home to the famous Tot Boss food truck – ranked by Food Network as one of America’s 26 Best Food Trucks.
This year, Tot Boss has brought new tots to town – Dill Pickle Tots. They’re described on the Minnesota State Fair site as “Fried tater tots tossed in dill seasoning with a hint of vinegar flavor – like a dill pickle potato chip.” After tasting them, we agree with the description. If you like pickles and you like tater tots, the Dill Pickle Tots are a darn tasty combination. The tots were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside – total tot perfection.
Tony explained to me that what makes the Fresh French Fries at the fair the best French fries is their method of deep-frying them three times. I did not reach out to the company to verify their method, but I trust my brother’s information. According to their site, Fresh French Fries only uses potatoes from Big Lake, Minnesota. They’re picked days before being cooked at the fair. Local, fresh-from-the-earth potatoes might also impact their fantastic taste.
It’s not just my brother’s opinion that Fresh French Fries are the best. Gourmet magazine voted their fries to be the best in America. They’ve been at the Minnesota State Fair since 1973 for a reason. They’re amazing.
Fun Fair Fact: They sell 400,000 pounds of potatoes during the fair.
Corn Roast Stand - A MN State Fair Staple
While living the nomadic life, Chris and I missed Minnesota-grown sweet corn so much. For me and my most missed Minnesotan food item, it’s a toss-up between sweet corn and the Queen’s Apples topped with caramel and vanilla ice cream at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. That’s one reason it thrilled me to see an entire stand dedicated to serving up the most incredible corn on the cob I’ve ever had.
The corn sold at the Corn Roast Stand is grown and hand-harvested in Waverly, Minnesota. It’s the sweetest corn grown. Then, they char it at the Corn Roast Stand, which caramelizes the corn’s sugar.
Tony and I each bought an ear of corn as a morning snack, then returned with Chris in the evening for another round.
Fun Fair Fact: On a busy day, they sell more than 25,000 ears of corn.
Can you even say you’ve been to the Minnesota State Fair if you haven’t eaten anything on a stick? I think not.
The Blue Barn’s Nashville Hot Chicken on a Stick is flavorful, but maybe it should be called Minneapolis Hot Chicken on a Stick. Both cities have major music scenes, but while Nashville likes to kick it up a notch in the spice department, Minnesotans like their spice on the mellow side. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll gladly go back to The Blue Barn and order it again – their chicken was tasty, just not that spicy, which isn’t a bad thing.
I washed my Nashville Chicken on a Stick down with some Wildstate Hazy Apple Pie — a crisp cider with lovely cinnamon notes. Yum!
I want to go back to the fair and try their PB Bacon Cakes: thick-cut bacon dipped in pancake batter, griddled, and topped with peanut butter whipped cream, grape jelly, and banana chips. Sounds delicious, right? It’s a brand new menu item this year, so I should go back and try it. Not trying it was a serious oversight on my part.
Fun Fair Fact: This year is The Blue Barn’s 10th year at the fair.
Union Hmong Kitchen is a popular Twin Cities restaurant that opened in 2016 and now has multiple locations. When I read that their Grilled Purple Sticky Rice on a Stick was all new for this year’s fair, I knew I wanted to try it. You can get it topped with shredded Hmong Beef Jerky or Pickled Mushrooms. It’s then topped with fresh herbs and finished with Krunchy Chili Aioli. I chose the Pickled Mushrooms and loved the flavor combination. I’m not sure if this meal on a stick is considered a healthy food option, but I think it was the healthiest decision I made all day.
At Union Hmong Kitchen, I also ordered a Coconut Lychee Colada. There’s no alcohol in it. The drink is as refreshing as it is delicious.
You can sit on old car seats, watch an old movie, and dine on something sweet like Blue Moon Diner’s famous Sweet Corn Ice Cream, a Minnesota State Fair favorite since 2011. Minnesota sweet corn is magical don’t’cha know? Well, iykyk.
I gave their Sweet Corn ice cream topped with Honey Butter and Bacon a try. I loved every part of it except the bacon – an easy fix. Next time, I’ll ask for it without bacon. However, I want to return to Blue Moon Dine-In Theater for their all-new Irish Butter ice cream. Minnesota Dairy Lab makes the Irish Butter and the Sweet Corn ice cream.
When my brother Tony and I went, we found seats within the dine-in theater part of their setup and watched Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Well, I watched Chitty Chitty Bang Bang while he strategized on where else we needed to go. It might not surprise anyone who has followed us for long that I grew up on Dick Van Dyke musicals. I loved hanging out there, and it will be a top spot on my return to the Minnesota State Fair list of musts.
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