Can You Identify These Fair Foods?

By: Ian Fortey
Estimated Completion Time
5 min
Can You Identify These Fair Foods?
Image: masahiro Makino / Moment / Getty Images

About This Quiz

The history of county and state fairs date back more than 200 years.  Agricultural societies sprang up to help promote local farmers and share ideas and methods for everyone's benefit.  Fairs became a celebration of the end of the season at which farmers could show off what they had produced and enter into friendly competitions.  In time, these evolved to include people from outside the agricultural community who had an interest in not just where their food came from, but the overall sense of fun and competition present.  And where crowds went, so too did food. 

In time, many fairs grew well past their agricultural roots, some barely even acknowledge it anymore, and they include things like rides and games to attract a family audience.  But a staple across the country includes the incredible selection of foods you won't find anywhere else. It has become an unofficial purpose of any fair to produce the most over-the-top and unusual fried foods imaginable that either wow the crowds with their deliciousness or their brazen weirdness. 

The best food items become staples at every fair while other unique offerings may only show up in one or two places thanks to their utter weirdness. If you're a true connoisseur of the fair food game, then why not see how many you can identify in our quiz?

7 pulled pork sandwich GettyImages-624674180
Lauri Patterson / E+ / Getty Images
This Southern staple can now be enjoyed all over the country. What is it called?
Deep-Fried Pork Chops
Pulled Pork
Reuben
Chitlins
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Pulled pork sandwiches can be found at county and state fairs all over the country and often BBQ pit masters will travel from fair to fair just to compete since BBQ and pulled pork competitions are big business.

Advertisement

11 Deep_Fried_Oreo
Wiki Commons by Cla1402group4
This fair food mixes a sweet American classic with a deep-fryer. What's its name?
Jalapeno Poppers
Deep-Fried Ham
Deep-Fried Butter
Deep-Fried Oreo
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Deep-fried Oreos have proven to be remarkably popular since they first hit the fair scene in 2002. Charlie Boghosian is credited with inventing them and several other foods. Each year, he attends various state fairs with new fried inventions.

Advertisement

6 french fries GettyImages-925578410
Jena Ardell / Moment / Getty Images
This simple item isn't just a fair food, it's a side dish in tens of thousands of restaurants around the world. Name it!
Home Fries
Waffle Fries
Tater Tots
French Fries
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

French fries are served in so many places, you could probably never list them all. As the most famous fried food in the world, they are, of course,​ available at pretty much every fair you'll ever come across. And why not? They've been around since the 1800s.

Advertisement

15 fire roasted corn GettyImages-155600169
swalls / E+ / Getty Images
This summertime favorite can be found all over farm country. Tell us what it's called.
Polenta
Churros
Tamales
Roasted Corn on the Cob
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Fairs don't always forget their agricultural roots, especially across states like Iowa, Nebraska, and Illinois where a lot of the nation's corn is grown. A cob of roasted corn is standard at those kinds of fairs and it would likely be considered pretty unusual to not find people walking around enjoying these.

Advertisement

10 snow cone GettyImages-629325228
John Seaton Callahan / Moment / Getty Images
This frosty treat dates back to the 1800s. Does it look familiar?
Snow Cone
Ice Cream
Slushie
Gelato
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Snow Cones are essentially just shaved ice with flavored syrup on top and when they were invented, they were pretty novel. Remember, ice wasn't always as readily available as it is today so when the technology was first made available, the snow cone was an incredible novelty.

Advertisement

12 Flint_coney_island
Wiki Commons by LG2
Do you know the name of this messy, delicious treat?
Corn Dog
Coney Island Chili Dog
Bratwurst
Chicago Dog
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Coney Island hot dog comes in many different varieties but any version with chili is destined to be extra messy when you eat it. They used to just call these "Coney Islands" and not hot dogs because they weren't allowed to use the term "hot dog" when they were created for fear people would think they had real dog meat ​in them.

Advertisement

17 candy apple GettyImages-113796534
Kimberly Whitaker / Moment / Getty Images
What's the name of this classic fair treat that takes a very healthy item and then makes it unhealthy?
Jalapeno Popper
Dippin' Dots
Candy Apple
Spiral Potato
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Candy apples and toffee apples have been around since the beginning of the 1900s. They've been attributed to a Newark candy-maker who made them on a whim and then sold them for 5 cents each.

Advertisement

14 koolickle
Shared Food
This simple Southern item combines two unusual favorites to make a colorful new thing. Do you know its name?
Dippin Dots
Koolickle
Poutine
Tamale
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Koolickle is what happens when dill pickles come together with Kool-Aid. The recipe for a Koolickle is pretty simple - you need a jar of dill pickles minus the pickles (so just the brine). Add a Kool-Aid pack and a cup of sugar, mix as you would normally, then put the pickles back in and wait about a week.

Advertisement

20 frozen cheesecake
Cake Quirk
You don't normally eat this food on a stick, but it's easier to do it that way. What's it called?
Corn Dog
Popsicle
Frozen Cheesecake on a Stick
Mashed Potatoes on a Stick
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Frozen cheesecake on a stick is the simple idea of putting an item that normally isn't handheld onto a stick so it becomes handheld. Freezing it makes it easier to handle and also allows for it to be dipped in chocolate or other coatings. There's nothing but upsides to cheesecake on a stick.

Advertisement

18 GettyImages-1032642090
Little Hand Images / Moment / Getty Images
When you need to look a little prehistoric as you get your meat fix, this is what you want. But what is it?
Duck Confit
Kentucky Fried Chicken
Duck Leg
Turkey Leg
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Smoked, barbecued or fried, turkey legs have become a fair staple because of both their size, which is like an over the top chicken drumstick, their portability and the fact they're not particularly messy for a handheld snack.

Advertisement

27 popcorn GettyImages-157313630
RichLegg / E+ / Getty Images
There's no doubt you recognize this snack which has been produced for literally thousands of years. Name it.
Popcorn
Dippin' Dots
Chips
Chicken Nuggets
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Corn has been cultivated by humans for thousands of years and popcorn was discovered in our distant past as well. It has persevered thanks to the fact it's simple, cheap and plentiful and we can spice it up many different ways to keep it interesting.

Advertisement

24 bacon-wrapped hot dog
Wiki Commons by Perlow at en.wikipedia
You get this item when you wrap one fair food favorite in another. What is it called?
Corn Dog
Bacon Dog
Tamale
Coney Island Chili Dog
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The hot dog has long been the base on which greater food is built and the bacon dog is one of the best examples of that. Like the corn dog, it just takes a plain hot dog and elevates it by wrapping it up in flavor, in this case, slices of crispy, fried bacon. It's simple, yet incredibly tasty at the same time.

Advertisement

22 frito pie GettyImages-125743203
David Hensley / Moment Open / Getty Images
What's the name of this fair food that often gets served in its own foil bag?
Fried Mac and Cheese
Tamales
Poutine
Frito Pie
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It may not look very pie-like, but Frito Pie can be found at many state fairs and are served right in the bag of Fritos itself. What exactly is a Frito pie? A bag of Fritos into which is poured hot chili and then cheese. Add a fork and go to town.

Advertisement

21 beer batter fried cheese GettyImages-956167026
LauriPatterson / E+ / Getty Images
What's the name of this gooey fair food staple?
Fried Cheese
Fried Dough
Fried Butter
Fried Kool-Aid
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Fried cheese could technically be made many ways, but if you want proper fair-style fried cheese, you need fresh cheese curds dipped in a beer batter and then fried. There are lots of other methods, but this way should make a soft, sticky, cheesy mess which is. of course, the best kind.

Advertisement

25 deep-fried pizza
HellthyJunkFood
Prepared normally, this is one of the most popular foods in America and the fair made it less healthy. Tell us what it is.
Deep-Fried Pizza
Deep-Fried Dough
Indian Taco
Frito Pie
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Deep-fried pizza is one of those items that someone was destined to invent after the deep-fried trend really took off. It's a simple slice of pizza that you batter dip and toss in the fryer to add an extra layer of crunch and a lot more calories.

Advertisement

2 funnel-cake-1220104_1920
huntlh / Pixabay
It's possible this dessert may be from one of the oldest recipes at any fair. Do you know it?
Funnel Cake
Elephant Ears
Fry Bread
Churros
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Thank the Pennsylvania Dutch for giving us the recipe for funnel cakes which have become an indispensable part of any state fair. Rumor has it that recipe is very close to one that has existed since medieval times, making this one heck of a historical dessert.

Advertisement

31 Chicken and Waffles GettyImages-155428946
LauriPatterson / E+ / Getty Images
Many fairs offer up this delicious soul food meal. Tell us what it's called.
Chitlins
English Breakfast
Chicken and Grits
Chicken and Waffles
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Chicken and waffles is a classic combo that has been a cornerstone of soul food menus for years. Because it's crunchy, sweet, salty and fried it also checks every box of fair food menus and can often be found alongside corn dogs and everything else.

Advertisement

32 Chocolate_covered_bacon
Wiki Commons by Drmies
Do you recognize this treat that's a perfect pairing of sweet and salty?
Chocolate-covered bacon
Chocolate-dipped churros
Chocolate-covered chicken fingers
Chocolate potato chips
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Chocolate-covered bacon has been making appearances at state fairs since the early 2000s when there was a curious obsession with all things bacon spreading across the country. At the Minnesota state fair, they sold it under the name "Pig Lickers."

Advertisement

9 Elephant Ears
Allrecipes.com
These are sometimes called fried bread or frying saucers. What are they?
Tamales
Churros
Funnel Cakes
Elephant Ears
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Elephant ears are named for their large, floppy appearance which, of course, is similar to the ear of a real elephant. They're basically just pieces of fried dough that are often dusted with cinnamon or sugar and prove that sometimes, simple is still great.

Advertisement

19 deep-fried cookie dough
Handle the Heat
Some people might suggest that this item starts out too unhealthy to eat and then just gets worse. Do you know what it is?
Deep-Fried Kool-Aid
Deep-Fried Cookie Dough
Deep-Fried Coca-Cola
Deep-Fried Twinkie
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Deep-fried cookie dough isn't a treat for everyone - a lot of food safety advocates suggest eating raw cookie dough can be extremely unhealthy if there are uncooked eggs in it, but that hasn't stopped cookie dough from being so popular we put it in ice cream or deep fry it at the fair.

Advertisement

36 onion rings GettyImages-619060716
LauriPatterson / E+ / Getty Images
This vegetable is a staple of countless recipes and can also be used raw to top other foods. What do you call the crunchy version that fairs often sell?
Fried Pickles
Blooming Onion
Fried Carrots
Onion Rings
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Next to F​rench fries, onion rings may be the most common fried junk food item in the world. They've been around since at least the 1930s when a recipe appeared in the New York Times magazine.

Advertisement

28 Fried Mashed Potatoes on a Stick
averagebetty
You normally enjoy this simple side dish with some butter or gravy. Now it's on a stick! What is it?
Cheesecake on a Stick
Corn Dog
Fried Mashed Potatoes on a Stick
Cake Pop
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Fried mashed potatoes on a stick is one of those items that sounds incomprehensible at first, but then makes total sense when you see the recipe. How do you get mashed potatoes on a stick? Easy, you form them into balls then freeze them solid. After that, you just batter dip and fry them.

Advertisement

38 cotton candy GettyImages-156534782
Martine Roch / Moment Open / Getty Images
This sugary treat is as light as air. Do you know what it is?
Sponge Toffee
Candy Apples
Candy Corn
Cotton Candy
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Cotton candy or spun sugar is one of the oldest fair foods out there and is a surprisingly simple thing to make since it's mostly just sugar with a bit of coloring in it. The first machines used to make it date back to the late 1800s.

Advertisement

29 Tamales GettyImages-485463351
Brian Yarvin / Photographer's Choice RF / Getty Images
What's the name of this traditional dish you can find in Mexico and Central America?
Navajo Tacos
Churros
Tamales
Frito Pie
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Tamales were first invented several thousands of years ago. Aztec and Olmec cultures made them and they likely worked as a simple road snack for when you went out traveling or hunting. They traveled well and are pretty tasty, which is why you can still pick them up everywhere today.

Advertisement

34 fried pickles GettyImages-926260526
Jeff R Clow / Moment / Getty Images
You can usually get these snacks in chip or spear form. What are they?
Fried Onions
Fried Pickles
Vegetable Tempura
Pakora
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Fried pickles are a popular bar and roadhouse food these days and you can find them at almost any state or country fair as well. The natural salty and briny flavor of a pickle holds up well to frying and when they're done right, the crispy coating plays off the juicy pickle.

Advertisement

30 Fried Mac and Cheese
Wiki Commons by Infrogmation of New Orleans
Do you recognize this comfort-food staple that got the fair food treatment?
Fried Mac and Cheese
Fried Stuffing
Fried Spaghetti
Fried Meatloaf
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Deep-fried macaroni and cheese is so popular now, you can find it as an appetizer at a number of restaurants. It takes a bit of effort to prep as you need to make a macaroni and cheese casserole then let it sit overnight in the refrigerator​ so it can be cut up, batter-dipped and then fried.

Advertisement

33 Dippin_Dots_Rainbow_Flavored_Ice
Wiki Commons by RadioActive
Flash-freezing is the technology behind this fun treat. What's it called?
Italian Ice
Frogurt
Cheesecake on a Stick
Dippin' Dots
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dippin' Dots were first created in the 1980s and have been a staple at fairs, stadiums and other locations ever since. It's always a novelty item since it needs to be stored at -40 degrees F, which is why you never see it in stores and can't really keep it at home.

Advertisement

26 chocolate pork rinds
funcookery.com
What's the name of this sweet take on a salty old-school snack?
Deep-fried Oreos
Chocolate-covered bacon
Chocolate-covered pork rinds
Snickerdoodles
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Chocolate-covered pork rinds are definitely an acquired taste since pork rinds themselves are definitely not everyone's favorite. A pork rind is, after all, simply a deep-fried, crunchy piece of pig skin.

Advertisement

1 corn dog GettyImages-183283382
EasyBuy4u / E+ / Getty Images
This tasty treat on a stick was patented in 1927. What name does it go by?
Coney Island Hot Dog
Corn Dog
Sausage on a Stick
Deep-Fried Cheese
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The corn dog is such a popular fair food item, it's one of the few that transcends fairs and exists out in the normal world. Back in the day, they were often called "Korn Dogs" but they have basically followed the same recipe for the better part of a century.

Advertisement

4 Deep-fried_twinkie
Wiki Commons by Liface at English Wikipedia
Name this item that's the merging of an already unhealthy snack with an unhealthy cooking method.
Deep-Fried Butter
Deep-Fried Twinkie
Jalapeno Popper
Fry Bread
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A deep-fried Twinkie is a food that doesn't need to exist because it's an unhealthy dessert already, but that doesn't mean it's not good. In fact, it's so popular, Walmart even sold frozen versions of it.

Advertisement

3 poutine GettyImages-127379504
Yvette Cardozo / Stockbyte / Getty Images
This deliciously unhealthy dish comes to us from Canada. What unusual name does it have?
Frito Pie
Tamales
Churros
Poutine
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Poutine is a staple of Canadian cuisine but has only really caught on in America in the last several years. There are literally hundreds of variations but at its core, poutine should be French fries covered in fresh cheese curds and then doused in brown gravy.

Advertisement

35 Jalapeno Poppers
TheWolfePit
If you're a spice fan, then you've probably already enjoyed these before. Tell us what they're called.
Chile Rellenos
Fried Peppers
Jalapeno Poppers
Navajo Tacos
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Jalapeno poppers have been around likely for years but the name itself was trademarked in the 1990s. It's worth noting that various versions go by other names, like "Jalapeno Bites," "Armadillo Eggs" and the incredibly appetizing "Atomic Buffalo Turds."

Advertisement

39 churros GettyImages-831371188
Jakraphan Inchukul / Moment / Getty Images
This fried dough treat is often on the menu at Mexican eateries. What's it called.
Churros
Funnel Cake
Cinna Twists
Fry Bread
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Churros are made from a choux paste dough that is piped like icing into a fryer. They seem to have come from Spain and Portugal originally although there's one theory that Portugal brought the recipe from China.

Advertisement

13 Deep-fried_butter_at_State_Fair_of_Texas_2009a
Wiki Commons by Collin Harvey from Grand Prairie, Texas, USA
This is usually just an ingredient used for cooking, except at the fair where it's deep fried. What is its name?
Deep-Fried Cookie Dough
Deep-Fried Coca-Cola
Deep-Fried Kool-Aid
Deep-Fried Butter
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Deep-fried butter is not a trick, it's legitimately made from frozen chunks of butter that are then rolled in batter and popped into a deep fryer. Cooking them melts the butter chunk and infuses the little doughball with an intense butter flavor.

Advertisement

8 Deep-fried_mars_bars
Wiki Commons by John Shultis
Do you know the name of this item which was one of the first unusual deep-fried treats to become famous?
Deep-Fried Mars Bar
Deep-Fried Butter
Tamales
Deep-Fried Cheesecake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The deep-fried Mars bar traces its roots back to the early '90s in Scotland of all places. It became famous when some locals called the newspaper in town to let them know a guy in a chip shop was deep-frying Mars bars. Slow news day or divine intervention?

Advertisement

23 deep-fried koolaid
FunFoods
Can you name this colorful childhood favorite that gets the deep-fry treatment at some fairs?
Deep-Fried Kool-Aid
Deep-Fried Snickers
Deep-Fried Apple Sauce
Deep-Fried Jelly Beans
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Deep-fried Kool-Aid is one of those dishes that sounds so weird people have to try it, which is how it caught on and became a perennial favorite. Essentially, it's the same as deep-fried Coca-Cola and requires the creation of a donut batter into which you mix Kool-Aid.

Advertisement

16 Indian_Taco_001
Wiki Commons by Leonard J. DeFrancisci
This delicious twist on a favorite food can be found from Mexico all the way to Canada. What is it?
Indian Taco
Tostada
Tamale
Churro
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Indian tacos, sometimes called Navajo Tacos, are staples at any fair where Native Americans have a presence, and also at events like Pow Wows. Essentially, it's all the toppings you'd find on a typical taco but instead of a tortilla its on a piece of fry bread.

Advertisement

40 Deep-Fried Slim Fast Bar
fuse
This may be the ultimate contrarian food in the world. What is it?
Deep-Fried Butter
Deep-Fried Bars Bar
Deep-Fred Snickers
Deep-Fried Slim Fast Bar
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Deep-fried Slim Fast bars showed up in 2015 at the San Diego State Fair. Obviously made as something of a joke, the weight loss bars and battered and fried to ensure you won't be losing any weight by eating one.

Advertisement

37 Tornado Fries GettyImages-1021382918
Elisete Shiraishi / Moment / Getty Images
This simple treat is tasty but it's also fun to watch it being prepared. Do you know what it is?
Waffle Fries
Tornado Fries
Curly Fries
Home Fries
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Tornado fries are sometimes called spiral fries and are an oddly simple item. It's just a potato that's been spiral cut on a stick and pulled out to an impressive length so it can be deep fried.

Advertisement

5 deep-fried coke
Cooking with Shotgun Red
From the outside, these look like donut holes. Inside they're not even a solid! What are they?
Fried Cheese
Dee-Fried Mars Bar
Deep-Fried Coca-Cola
Fried Ice Cream
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Deep-fried Coca Cola isn't as weird as it sounds once you know how it works. Basically, you just need to mix the Coke into the batter for what is essentially a donut and fry it up. It's often served with a Coca Cola syrup as well to enhance the flavor.

Advertisement

You Got:
/40
masahiro Makino / Moment / Getty Images