Iowa State Fair Top 3 New Foods Announced

DES MOINES, IA (07/15/2025) (readMedia)-- Just announced-our panel of expert judges has taken this year's lineup of over 60 new foods and narrowed it down to the top three finalists for 2025.

Fairgoer votes will be tallied from August 7th to the 13th and the winner of the coveted People's Choice Best New Food for 2025 will be announced on Friday, August 15.

Will your favorite top the list this time?

The TOP 3 Best New Foods, in no particular order:

• The Scotcheroo Shake, Over The Top: Meet your new Fair favorite – a rich, creamy shake made with our handmade scotcheroo ice cream – peanut butter and butterscotch ice cream swirled with gooey scotcheroo fudge and packed with chewy chunks of the classic Midwest treat. It's crowned with fluffy whipped cream, generous drizzles of chocolate and caramel and a full slice of scotcheroo on top. A nostalgic dessert reimagined as the ultimate Fair shake.
• Three Little Pigs: Whatcha Smokin? BBQ?: Oak-kissed smoked ham balls served as a trio flight of nostalgic flavors. First is a savory and sweet honey and mustard-glazed ham ball topped with cornbread crumbles, reminiscent of a tried and true corn dog. Next is a tangy cherry soda glaze with Maraschino cherries to give it the old-timey feel. The third ham ball has a buttery vanilla glaze dusted with powdered sugar, bringing a sweet contrast that plays on the classic Fair treat.
• Bacon Chicken Ranch Eggroll, Winn & Sara's Kitchen: Experience the savory delight of Winn and Sara's handmade Chicken Bacon Ranch Eggroll, made fresh just for the Iowa State Fair. Each eggroll is lovingly wrapped by hand, filled with tender chicken, crispy bacon and rich white cheddar cheese. A perfectly golden, crunchy exterior drizzled with Winn and Sara's famous homemade ranch dressing. Every bite is a delightful combination of cheesy, savory goodness wrapped in a crispy, flaky shell.

Plus, because the theme is Fair Sweet Fair, The Scotcheroo Shake from Over The Top has been named the Fair's Sweetest Food.

The eleven finalists and foods in the Best New Foods contest, in no particular order:

• Sweet Granny's Apple Delight Sundae, Applishus (West of the Anne and Bill Riley Stage, East canopy of the Varied Industries Building, South side of the Triangle, Main floor of the Agriculture Building)
• The Butter Cow Tornado, Dairy Zone (East of the Administration Building)
• Potato Half & Half Korean Corn Dog, GoldenKDog (North of the Varied Industries Building, near the west end)
• HoQ Lamb Wrap, HoQ (On the Triangle, east of the Administration Building)
• Hawaiian Hog, Iowa Pork Producers – Iowa Pork Tent (On the Grand Concourse, near the Susan Knapp Amphitheater stage)
• Chicken Pickle Ranch Rocket On A Stick, JR's SouthPork Ranch (East of the Livestock Pavilion)
• The Scotcheroo Shake, Over The Top (North of the Varied Industries Building, across from Barksdale's State Fair Cookies)
• Three Little Pigs, Whatcha Smokin? BBQ (South side of The Lawn, by the Jacobson Exhibition Center)
• Maple Bacon Bourbon Grilled Cheese, What's Your Cheez (West of the Anne and Bill Riley Stage)
• Bacon Chicken Ranch Eggroll, Winn & Sara's Kitchen (The Lawn, by the Jacobson Exhibition Center)
• Nashville Hot Chicken Mac N' Cheese Pizza Slice, Wiseguys Woodfired Pizza (Southwest of the Livestock Pavilion)

The Iowa State Fair boasts 200 food locations with traditional favorites and new zany, crazy creations. Some of the vendors participating in the new food contest are new vendors at the Iowa State Fair, while others have a long history of making amazing food creations for Iowa State Fairgoers.

For a list of all the new and traditional foods at the Fair, visit iowastatefair.org or download the official Iowa State Fair App.

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Frequently ranked as one of the top events in the country, the Iowa State Fair is the single largest event in the state of Iowa and one of the oldest and largest agricultural and industrial expositions in the country. Annually attracting more than a million people from all over the world, the Iowa State Fair located at East 30th and East University, just 10 minutes from downtown Des Moines, is Iowa's greatest celebration with a salute to the best in agriculture, industry, entertainment and achievement. Fair Sweet Fair, August 7-17, 2025. For more information, visit www.iowastatefair.org.