The South Carolina State Fair: Take home memories, not calories

By Micah Owen

Fall is here and the state fair is rolling into town. Beginning October 8^th through October 19, the space we know so well for tailgating will soon be covered with farm animals, games, rides, concerts and all the worst foods we could ever eat. The South Carolina state fair has become notorious for its food whether it be the traditional foot long hotdog or the latest trend in deep-fried anything. There are not many healthy food choices at the state fair, however there are a few. There are also several ways to enjoy the food without overdoing it.

Many people like to turn to the strategy of eating nothing all day and then bingeing at the fair. Whenever you don’t eat, you are actually slowing your metabolism and you won’t be burning food the way you should be. Your metabolism is the collective energy required to maintain all of your bodily functions. Essentially, it is the number of calories your body needs to keep your heart beating and all other bodily functions running smoothly. Your body is designed to survive no matter what so if you stop eating, your metabolism slows down to conserve energy. When someone practices fasting, your body sends out a message that food is scarce so it will hold onto whatever it still has instead of burning it off to make room for new nutrients. This being said, do not starve yourself all day with the intention of making up for your missed meals at the fair. There are other solutions, including the 5 easy tips below, that will benefit you much more.

1. Choose the better options. Out of all the food at the fair, about 50% of it is fried. Frying food in general is not terrible, like putting a little olive oil in a pan to cook dinner-not terrible. Unfortunately, most of the fried foods at the fair are trans-fat which is the fat you want to stay away from. Trans fat increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and can be very detrimental to your health if it is an abundant part of your diet. So why not just stay away from the fried foods altogether? Instead of the fried turkey leg on a stick, which WebMd cited to be a whopping 1100 calories, go for the grilled chicken wrap or roasted corn on the cob.
2. Split your food with a friend. A fair favorite is the foot long hot dog and bun. WebMd found it to be about 470 calories just for that one hot dog. This is close to how many calories most people would need per meal. Split it with a friend and try adding a side of slaw instead of fries.
3. Stay away from the crazy foods. If it is not sold in stores or you’re seeing it at the fair for the first time then you probably shouldn’t eat it. Some of the whacky food choices found at our state fair are the Krispy Kreme hamburgers, deep fried Kool-Aid balls and fried butter sticks. If you have that feeling that you probably shouldn’t eat it, then just don’t.
4. Healthier snacks. One way to avoid overdoing it at the fair is to eat a light meal beforehand but allow yourself a snack while at the fair. This way you are not overloading your calories toward the end of the day and feeling sluggish while walking around trying to enjoy all the different vendors. Some good options are roasted peanuts, soft pretzels (wipe off all the salt), slaw, lean bison burgers or the previously mentioned grilled chicken wraps.
5. Drink smart. There are countless unique and fun drinks to grab while at the fair. I promise you it is nothing you cannot live without. Keep it simple and refresh yourself with something you know. The state fair has bottled water, sports drinks and a delicious sugar-free lemonade that will sit much better with you than a Cheerwine float while you’re spinning round and round on the Tilt-A-Whirl.

Eating at the state fair can cause a lot of damage to your waist line but it doesn’t have to. These tips will allow you to enjoy the fair without bringing home all the extra calories with you.