Eating at the Fair

Eating healthfully at the state fair sounds like an oxymoron, especially when you’re choosing amongst elephant ears, deep-fried candy bars, and humungous funnel cakes? Wouldn’t it be better just to eat your meal at home and then go to the fair, and watch scads of people holding plates of food that you would never eat - or would you? The purpose of a state fair is celebrating the harvest and bringing the town (or city) together. It marks a shift in the weather, and children going to school.  It’s also a time for the family to cut loose a bit, accentuated by the whirling rides, toss games, and the carnival atmosphere. But how about the food; isn’t it full of fattening calories that according to the latest health tabloid is verboten?

Ah, but there is a strategy that that I’d like you to try. Go to the fair aiming for one healthy food, and one treat food. That way, you get the best of both worlds, and participate in the fun on many levels.  No doubt finding the treat foods is easy, but what about the so-called healthful foods, where do you find those?

A healthful food is one that contains fiber, lean protein, with some carbohydrate.  Here are few examples: Asian stir fry, barbeque sandwich with a side of coleslaw, chili, baked potato, salmon burger with lettuce and onion, roasted chicken, corn, and/or baked beans.  You can wash it down with bottled water, or make the fresh-squeezed lemonade one of your treats. And if you haven’t had your fruit for the day, then a caramel-dipped apple can fill the spot.

The fair is a once a year opportunity to celebrate living in your community where food is part of the fun.  Oh, one last tip, enjoy your food after the whirly rides; you want your food to funnel down, not up.  

Check out this short video clip of some of the great Washington Food Products on display at our local fair.