One would think that going to a fair where everything is fried, battered, baked or beer would be the last place a person with a gluten intolerance would want to go! However, I have been going to the Minnesota State Fair every year every since I was a little girl and is has been one of my favorite end of the year traditions so there was no way I was not going to go and enjoy myself! My gluten free lifestyle is fairly new so I really had to do my research before hitting up the fair this year to know what I could and could not eat and drink. Thankfully, so many more places are becoming aware of gluten intolerances and creating gluten free options for people!
I have already made two trips out to the Minnesota State Fair this year and thought I would throw together a list for those that are gluten free and are planning to head to the fair in the 7 days that they have remaining!
Let’s start first with my gluten free food finds….
Grilled Sota Sandwich
This AMAZING sandwich is not only gluten free but is also dairy free. The Grilled Sota Sandwich is made with cinnamon nut butter, homemade blueberry marmalade and served in between grilled soda bread. Who would have thought something so simple would be so delicious? It is also is all organic so it makes you feel a little less guilty for eating it! I mean, I felt so guiltless eating it, that I made sure I got it both times I visited the fair this year!
You can find the Grilled Sota Sandwich at food stand called BRIM in the new North End of the fair. It is right next to the Hanger so it should be hopefully easy to find. Everything that BRIM has to offer is gluten free and they have some beverages such as something called a Joey Mary and Blueberry Lemonade that also look super yummy and refreshing! This a place that you definitely need to check out if you are looking for gluten free options!
Strawberries N’ Creme
This one is pretty straight forward…fresh strawberries with whipped topping. The whipped topping is also non-dairy so if you are avoiding both dairy and gluten, this is a winner! The strawberries were perfectly sweet and whipped topping was light and fluffy. A great place to stop if you are not looking for something heavy and feeling like you need something “healthier”.
You can find this little treat at the Strawberries N’ Creme stand on the southwest corner of Randall Ave and Underwood Street.
Corn on the Cob
If you are new to the Minnesota State Fair you might be wondering why I am even talking about corn on the cob. If you are a fair veteran, you know that the corn on the cob is something that most people make sure they stop and get! They roast the corn here and I am not sure if that is why it is over the top amazing, but it is! Gluten free or not, make sure you stop and get yourself some corn on the cob!
You will find this delicious corn on the cob at the Corn Roast on the southwest corner of Dan Patch Ave and Nelson Street.
Big Bopper Bar
What a fun find this was! The Big Bopper bar is an orange creamsicle hand dipped in chocolate then rolled in coconut….simply amazing! I am not always a fan of orange and chocolate mixed together, but this combo really worked for me!
You can find this treat at the West End Creamery in the West End Market in the northwest section. I am pretty sure this a secret menu item since you won’t find this listed on any of their online menus of what they offer.
Fresh French Fries
Even before going gluten free, these bad boys were something that I needed to get every trip to the fair. There are many french fry offerings at the fair, but everyone knows the best fries will be found at Fresh French Fries. Do yourself a favor and make sure you get a cup of these!
Fresh French Fries are so popular they don’t just have one stand, they have two! You can find them on the East side of Liggett Street between West Dan Pat and Carnes Ave or on the North side of Judson Ave between Nelson and Underwood streets.
Thelma’s Handmade Snickerdoodle Ice Cream Sandwich
The kid in me has always loved a good cookie ice cream sandwich and once becoming gluten free, picking up a cookie ice cream sandwich wasn’t going to happen unless I made one myself and ain’t nobody got time for that! So I was beyond happy when I found that they were just out right selling a gluten free cookie ice cream sandwich at the fair! Thelma’s snickerdoodle recipe has been in their family for 108 years so you know it had to be good! For all you non-gluten free people, they had a variety of other flavors to chose from as well.
You can find Thelma’s Handmade Ice Cream sandwiches on the Southeast corner of Judson Ave and Underwood Street.
Irish Whiskey Boneless Wings
If you are like me, I thought they were was no way these breaded chicken breasts with a whiskey sauce was going to be gluten free. However, they were advertised as gluten friendly so I was excited to try them! The Irish Whiskey Boneless wings are all-natural white chicken chunks, breaded (would love to know what kind of gluten free breading they used), deep fried and then tossed in Irish Whiskey BBQ sauce and topped with chopped scallions. If I was going back for a third day, I would be getting these again….so good and hard to believe they are gluten free!
You can find these at O’Gara’s located in the Southwest corn of Dan Patch Ave and Cosgrove Street.
Now moving on to the adult beverages….
Lift Bridge Cherry Firework Hard Seltzer
Had a few sips of this one and shared it with the people I was with before I realized that I hadn’t taken a picture of it yet! So here, is my half drank Cherry Firework Hard Seltzer! It was refreshing, crisp and not overly sweet…exactly what I look for in a summer time drink! Everyone else in my group that tried also enjoyed it as well and agreed that it would be worth getting again.
You can find this drink in the Ball Park Cafe locate on the East side of Underwood street between Dan Patch and Carnes Ave.
Slushy LuLu Limoncello
Run, don’t walk to get yourself one of these…This might be a new favorite drink at the Minnesota State Fair! This slushy is an apple shandy that is combined lemon juice and then frozen into a limoncello style slushy. This was brewed by Sociable Cider Werks which is known for their gluten free drinks and is 6.6% ABV…so be careful it’s a strong one!
You can find this beverage at LuLu’s Public House which is located in the West End Market just South of the Schell’s Stage.
Blood Orange Freewheeler Cider
This another crisp and refreshing beverage! This cider drink is made with freshly pressed blood orange making it slightly tart but still very delicious. This one is also brewed at Sociable Cider Werks and has a 6% ABV so another stronger one!
You can also find this beverage at LuLu’s Public House located in the West End Market just South of the Schell’s Stage.
Strawberries and Mint Bubbly Mojito
This one comes in as a close second compared to the slushy limoncello. I am never one to turn down a good mojito and this one had a nice strawberry flavor (along with the classic mojito flavors, mint and lime) mixed with a sparkling Edelweiss wine by Cannon River Winery. They had a couple other flavored mojitos that I think would also be worth trying!
You can find this libation at the The Hideaway Speakeasy and is located in the Veranda, Grandstand upper level in the northwest section.
I am sure there are many other gluten free foods and beverages that one could get but these are the ones that I was able to try! Do you have diet restrictions and still go to the Minnesota State Fair? If so, let me know your favorite finds!