Highlights Along the Way
Family Travel, Treats, Tips, & Traditions

10 photos of Fair Food that will make you forget your diet!

Disclosure: We attended media night, but this is not a sponsored post. We thank the San Diego County Fair for hosting us!

fair food that will make you forget your dietIt is Summer and you know what that means. Fair Season is here! Here is San Diego, Fair season starts early.  On June 2nd the San Diego County Fair officially opened.  We were there for the grand opening and we are thrilled to share some of the most indulgent fair food you can find.  Most of these awesome food vendors are traveling the country right now, so even if you are not in San Diego, you will likely find this treat at your County Fair.

Chicken Charlies is known for crazy combinations and they did not disappoint.  This sandwich is weird, but so is a lot of fair food!  I only had a bite. While I cannot imagine eating the whole thing, it was oddly tasty!  A fried chicken sandwich.  No buns, that is too basic. The buns have been replaced with glazed doughnuts.  Vanilla ice cream is added in to the mix.  They top the whole thing off with fruity pebbles and powdered sugar.

chicken charlies fruity pebbles sandwich

Totally Fried Peanut Butter Meatball.  I can’t make this stuff up you guys. It’s a meatball inside peanut butter flavored batter.  If that isn’t enough, they put a drizzle of chocolate sauce on top.  This fair food got a hard pass from me, but a bunch of folks thought it was amazing!

fried peanut butter meatball

Also from our friends at Chicken Charlies is this triple cheeseburger.  A triple cheese burger might be indulgent enough for some, but this is the fair you guys.  This triple cheeseburger does not use basic buns, but Krispy Kreme donuts…. because of course it does.  This fair food flavor combo is actually surprisingly delicious!

donut cheeseburger

I think there is un-written rule that a funnel cake must be consumed at the County Fair or it didn’t happen.  At the San Diego County Fair there are so many choices of flavors for Funnel Cakes.  I don’t think you can beat chocolate.

funnel cake

The Fresh Cream Puffs is one of our family’s favorites.  I remember grabbing a chocolate flavored cream puff made with real whipped cream just about every year growing up.

creme puffs

Deep fried Starbucks is one of my favorite fair food treats.  This debuted two years ago, but it still makes me happy and I had to share. This is essentially a doughnut with a little espresso inside.  Doughnuts and coffee all in one bite? Who turns that down?

deep fried starbucks

Grilled cheese sandwiches get me every time.  I just can’t get enough.  While I have denounced dairy in my regular day to day, that goes out the window when I go to the fair.  Grilled Cheese A-Fair has a strong game and I just can’t walk away.  This sample below is all I can think about.  Grilled Cheese would be too basic, this is a bacon wrapped jalapeño popper grilled cheese sandwich.  So good.

grilled cheese fair food

Who here is obsessed with Dole Whip at Disneyland? I know I am not alone. Well now you can enjoy delicious Dole whipped dessert at the Fair!  I enjoyed this delicious and kinda healthy treat that tastes just like the original!

dole whip fair food

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus is on our list to try this year.  I mean, asparagus is a vegetable so this is basically a salad right? Sort of? OK, probably not.

bacon wrapped asparagusPhoto Credit : San Diego County Fair

For those over 21, there are usually some fun themed drinks at the County Fair.  This year the San Diego County Fair is celebrating the Wild West.  Sarsaparilla anyone? Yum!

fair drinksPhoto Credit : San Diego County Fair

I love to sample crazy fair food, but honestly I am pretty healthy at my core.  This tasty treat from Roxy is my go to for lunch every year.  A yummy vegetarian sandwich that can even be made vegan friendly by omitting the cheese. Artichokes, tomatoes, olives, sprouts, and more all in a whole wheat bun.  If that wasn’t healthy enough, it comes with a side salad.  My husband thinks it is ridiculous that I always eat this at the fair for lunch, but I feel like it cancels out anything else I eat! Ha ha!

artichoke sandwich fair food

If you are not seeing anything that strikes your fancy, here are a few other things to look out for at the San Diego County Fair….

  • Bacon Wrapped Cactus or Brussel Sprout
  • Fried Pineapple Ice Cream
  • Beignets on a Stick
  • Maui Cowboy  Burger (it involves SPAM)
  • Smoked Brisket Nachos
  • Waffles on a stick
  • Deep fried Octopus

Seriously friends, it is fair season!  Whether you will be joining me at the San Diego County Fair or will be enjoying a fair elsewhere, wear your stretchy pants!

And one last thing that I have to mention!  There is a brand new addition to the San Diego County Fair this year.  If you are lucky, you might be invited to spend some time at the hidden speakeasy.  The speakeasy is called “The Jade Peacock”.  You will need to get an invitation from The Painted Pony, Spurs and Spirits, and Into the Sunset. Each bar can hand out a few cards, a daily password, and directions to your escort.  The Speakeasy  is only open from 7 – 10pm on Friday and Saturdays.

san diego fair speakeasy ticket

Thank you to the San Diego County Fair for inviting us out to share all about all these tasty treats! Don’t miss 10 ways to stretch your budget at the San Diego County Fair.

Want a little more information about the San Diego County Fair?  “Where the West is Fun” is the theme for the 2017 San Diego County Fair. Presented by Albertsons | Vons, remembering the rough and tumble Wild, Wild West and celebrating how the West is fun today. The 2017 Fair will feature a Wild West saloon, numerous Western-themed educational and historic exhibits and country music for everyone to enjoy. There is a new Sheriff in town and it is you! Pull on your boots, grab your cowboy hat, and ride on into Del Mar for some fun this summer. The Fair opens at 4 p.m. on Friday, June 2 and runs through Tuesday, July 4; it is closed the first four Mondays and the first three Tuesdays. The San Diego County Fair is the largest annual event in San Diego County and one of the top 10 Fairs in the United States and Canada, drawing more than 1.6 million visitors annually. For more information visit sdfair.com

Until Next Time ~ Kate
Categories:  Food, Recipes
  1. Carissa says:

    Ice cream donut chicken sandwich: Trying
    Bacon wrapped jalapeño popper grilled cheese: Trying
    Smoked brisket nachos: might be trying (or maybe I can talk my husband into trying so he he can share.)
    Also…I don’t think I’ve ever had a funnel cake at the fair. But maybe this is my year! Though, I do love my deep fried Oreos!

    • kate says:

      Remind me to buy you some TUMS! haha! Seriously though – so yummy! I cannot believe you haven’t had a funnel cake though – they have so many fun flavors!

  2. Mandee says:

    You had me at FAIR FOOD! haha! I’d totally kill my diet if I were to go to the fair right now! I can’t resist all of those delicious fried foods—oh, and the ice cream! Now I’m hungry! haha!

  3. There is no greater food in this world that fair food. I could eat fair food all day and all night. It’s soooooo good.

  4. Jeni says:

    Fair food is the best kind of food there is! Those bacon wrapped cactus sure sound interesting. And the doughnut burger, I’m still on the fence about how I feel about that. I think that a new rule should be instituted that calories don’t count at the fair.

  5. Dogvills says:

    Look at all the food! This is one reason why I love going to fairs even though it makes me forget about my diet.

  6. ricci says:

    I only go to fairs for the food so this post is right up my alley!! I can’t wait until fall and the return of the Arkansas State Fair!!

  7. I have never been a big fan of fair food or eating at any events. That burger may make me change my mind though because it looks really good.

  8. Mimi Green says:

    I have questions about the Fried Peanut Butter Meatball. I can’t even imagine how it tastes. I like the idea of the Krispy Kreme donut burger, I would so eat that. I love fair food, it allows you to try new things.

  9. TIm B says:

    Fair food is so bad for you but it is also sooo good to eat too! I always make a pig of myself when we go. I’d enjoy everything you highlighted!

  10. Jilly Spellman says:

    My favorite was actually the soft serve with the umbrella. It looks so cute! I love funnel cakes as well! Yum!

  11. Wendy Polisi says:

    Oh my lands, yep, I forgot my diet and now I have sugar cravings. lol! Gosh, I miss the fair and wish I could make it to one sometime soon.

  12. I think I gained 8 pounds just looking at these photos. I know it’s fatty and bad for you but you only live once!!

  13. uprunforlife says:

    I haven’t been to the fair in a very long time. They have some weird stuff these days. My parents always loved the root beer and lemonade when we went to the fair growing up.

  14. YUM!! I love fair food so much, it’s easily one of my favorites! Of course I’m dieting right now and can’t eat any of this amazing looking food (until Saturday = my cheat day!) And now I’m hungry….. haha!

    Jasmine

  15. Fair food is the best. We have a local restaurant that sells it year-round. However, the bacon wrapped asparagus falls easily in my low carb eating plan. – yolonda

  16. Karlyn Cruz says:

    These are truly fantastic. I bet these are tasty and those photos are tempting. Yummy!!

  17. Natalie z says:

    Foods like this make me happy and sad that I have to be gluten free. I have seen some of these things like the donut burger in the walmart freezer section but probably not as good as the fair!

  18. I love the bacon wrapped asparagus. I have done that before at home and my kids loved it!

  19. What diet? You right, everything here looks so good. I am already drooling! I have a sweet tooth so I would go straight for dessert first.

  20. Kiwi says:

    Fair food was the original street food. Wow deep fried Starbucks is a new one I would definitely try it!

  21. GiGi Eats says:

    The last time I went to a fair feels like 294892347 years ago!!! But I do remember that funnel cake!

  22. Allison says:

    These all seriously sound delicious. I forgot my diet just reading it. The deep fried starbucks sounds really good and unique. I’m also a sucker for grilled cheese. Basically everything sounds like something I would try at least once.

  23. Rust says:

    Ooh, what a bunch of great looking food! That bacon wrapped asparagus looks so yummy, and the funnel cakes drizzled with chocolate do too!

  24. […] Download Plan More @ highlightsalongtheway.com […]

Leave a Comment