Getting to the fair can be difficult if you have dietary restrictions or are on a specific diet. Fair foods are high in meat, dairy, bread crumbs, oil, and carbohydrates.
But this isn’t the 1990 Minnesota State Fair.
This is the 2022 Gastronomic All-Inclusive Minnesota State Fair.
If you’re looking for great-tasting gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, keto, or paleo food, you’ve got it thanks to State Fair’s innovative food vendors.
We’ve put together a food guide to help you find delicious foods that meet your specific requirements.
But first, two disclaimers.
- We have not reviewed the ingredients used by the food vendors listed below. Please check with the vendor to ensure the food is suitable for your dietary restrictions.
- This is not an exhaustive list. Many food booths have options to suit special diets.
Here are our selections:
gluten free options
hayley nelson
So many fair foods are battered and fried.
Thankfully aunty m gluten free Popular menu items include gluten-free funnel cakes, corn dogs, and cheese curds.
new vendor arepa bar (in the Food Building) offers three gluten-free arepas (pockets of corn baked Venezuelan-style). One of them is also vegan.
Chirokroketes, one of the new foods of the year dino gyro Gluten free. These fried balls contain cheese mixed with Greek seasonings, rolled in gluten-free breadcrumbs and fried.
ginger apricot scones French Meadow Bakery & Cafe It was an unexpected and pleasant discovery.
We grabbed it on our way out of the fair – after a day of eating – and couldn’t put it down!
of corn roast Of course, it’s also gluten-free.
vegetarian options
There are plenty of meat-free options at the fair. Almost every food vendor has something to offer vegetarians.
One of our favorite vendors selling great vegetarian options is Mr. BabaBaba’s hummus bowls are great on so many levels. They are substantial and affordable. And many of their bowls are Sun’s Meat, which contains lots of delicious, flavorful ingredients.
Here are some of their vegetarian options:
- Falafelicious: falafel, fried eggplant, chickpeas, pickled cabbage, pickled Arabic, tahini, sumac
- Dill & Curds: Dill Pickled Hummus, Dill Pickled, Cheese Curds, Crispy Onions
- Creamy and dreamy traditional: warm chickpeas, herbs, pine nuts and olive oil
Full menu of new food vendors Nautical bowl It’s both vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and plant-based. We loved the Naughty Bowl because it was refreshing and light.A nice break from the heavy frying of the fair.
vegan options
Poultrygeist of The Herbivorous Butcher.
hayley nelson
There are so many vegan options at the fair – this list just scratches the surface:
of herbivorous butcher Participating in the fair is great news for vegans. Their two vegan his entrees are Poultrygeist and Steak-xorcist.
coconut bowl Mr. Baba Hazelnut chocolate hummus, chocolate chips, hazelnuts, chopped coconut and banana, powdered sugar pita puffs.
“Meat” balls and marinara from French Meadow Bakery.
hayley nelson
Darryl’s doghouse We offer vegan corn dogs.
French meadow We have two new vegan entrees this year. Earth Sliders (fried “chicken” sandwiches) and “meat” balls with marinara.
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Paleo & Keto Options
Carousel BBQ pork chops.
hayley nelson
People on grain-, dairy-, and sugar-free diets may have a harder time finding fair and good picks than vegetarians and vegans, for example. There are many great grilled and smoked meat options.
hangar It’s one of the few places that sells turkey legs at fairs. They also sell pork belly wrapped in bacon ($15).
carousel barbecue Offers turkey leg ($18) and pork chop ($10).
Here are some other options that are good for a paleo or keto diet.
- Fresh fruit and grilled peaches Agricultural exchange
- Firecracker shrimp stuffed with avocado Hideaway Speakeasy
- Giant stick pickles of fried pickles
- Olives on sticks at St Martin’s Olives at International Bazaar
hayley nelson