63 new foods debut this year at the Iowa State Fair

Since the last Iowa State Fair in 2019, attendees may have a big appetite for fair favorites when the event returns this year.

With less than two weeks to go before the 2021 fair, take a look at some of the most interesting and unusual new items added to the menu. Whether you’re in the mood for something sweet, salty, on a stick or all of the above, there something for everyone with 63 new items.

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New food at the 2021 Iowa State Fair includes:

• Chicken bacon ranch ball on a stick

• Atomic strawberry shortcake

• Bacon fanny packs

• Caramel apple smoothie

• Chicken and egg salad with Indian fry bread chips

• New flavors of cotton candy like maple bacon, habanero bacon and spicy pickle

• Crawfish boil

• Cowboy beans

• Duke’s Quebec-style poutine

• Flaming Hot Cheeto funnel cake

• Hawaiian luau ice cream

• Island noodles with teriyaki chicken

• Lobster rolls, both Maine and Connecticut style

• Peanut Butter Squealer

• Peanut butter and fluff cookie dough

• Rattlesnake sausage

• Tennessee Twinkies

• Wagyu beef hamburger

For a full list of this year’s new items, visit iowastatefair.org/food.

This year’s top three new fair foods will compete for the 2021 Iowa State Fair People’s Choice Best New Food award. Fairgoers can sample the top three finalists and cast their vote from Aug. 12 to Aug. 16 at midnight. This year’s top three finalists are:

• Chicken egg salad with Indian fry bread at the Cluckin' Coop by the Iowa Egg Council and Iowa Poultry Association. This dish offers a protein-packed salad complemented by a crispy fry bread wrap. A cool combination of crisp celery, cranberries, and toasted pecans is spiced up with cabbage slaw, bacon-tomato aioli, fresh cilantro and a hint of smoked paprika.

• Peanut butter and fluff cookie dough at Dipped in Chocolate by Oasis Concessions. This peanut butter cookie dough is taken to the next level with marshmallow fluff and cocoa krispies. Frozen on a stick and freshly dipped in chocolate when ordered, it’s a cold, sweet treat for a hot summer day.

• Island noodles with teriyaki chicken at Island Noodles by Brad Jensen. This dish made with soba noodles includes 21 fresh vegetables and a secret sauce topped with white meat teriyaki chicken bread.

The winner will be announced Aug. 18.

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