6 DIY Swaps for Fair Food: Corn Dogs, Fudge & More

Aug 25 2017
It's nice to grab a treat when you go to the state or county fair, but if you eat EVERYTHING offered, you'll take in a ridiculous number of calories! We've got a bunch of great recipe swaps, so you can DIY at home (and not overeat before hitting the Tilt-A-Whirl)...



Instead of Corn Dogs... Corn Dog Muffins!

1/8th of recipe (1 muffin): 137 calories, 1g total fat (<0.5g sat. fat), 660mg sodium, 25.5g carbs, 1g fiber, 3g sugars, 9g protein

SmartPoints® value 4*

A battered 'n fried hot dog on a stick is pretty appealing, but the best part isn't the crunchy exterior or even the stick: It's the contrast between sweet batter and savory franks! These corn muffins are amazing and studded with chopped hot dogs. Kids and adults will flip over 'em!

Instead of a Giant Caramel Apple... Deconstructed Caramel Apple!

Entire recipe: 208 calories, 5.25g total fat (2g sat. fat), 90mg sodium, 43g carbs, 5g fiber, 30.5g sugars, 2g protein

SmartPoints® value 6*

Skip those massive caramel apples (and the inevitable trip to the dentist!), and dig into this bowl of deliciousness! It's a perfect snack or dessert, but we wouldn't hesitate to eat it first thing in the morning. Mmmm, maybe with a dollop of fat-free vanilla yogurt on top!

Instead of Fatty BBQ Sandwiches... 'Cue The Pulled Pork!

1/6th of recipe (about 2/3 cup): 220 calories, 6g total fat (1.5g sat. fat), 637mg sodium, 16g carbs, 1g fiber, 12g sugars, 24g protein

SmartPoints® value 5*

Saucy pork sandwiches are abundant at state fairs, but boy are those things loaded with calories! With this swap, it's all about combining two cuts of meat (one rich and one lean) and creating a quick BBQ sauce that's not loaded with sugar. Set up your slow cooker for a serious treat...

Instead of Old-Fashioned Fudge... Clean & Hungry Coconut Chocolate Fudge!

1/20th of recipe (1 piece): 51 calories, 1.5g total fat (1g sat. fat), 109mg sodium, 9.5g carbs, 2.5g fiber, 3g sugars, 2g protein

SmartPoints® value 2*

If you can't resist old-timey candy shops and freshly made fudge, you need this recipe in your repertoire. It has that homemade appeal, but it's made with clean ingredients. The candy-like texture comes courtesy of dates blended into the mix! Isn't it nice when your sweet indulgences are secretly healthy?

Instead of Deep-Fried Pickles... Faux-Fried Pickle Chips!

1/2 of recipe (12 pickle chips): 59 calories, 0.5g total fat (0g sat. fat), 634mg sodium, 11.5g carbs, 2g fiber, 1.5g sugars, 2.5g protein

SmartPoints® value 2*

Fried pickles are everywhere at state and county fairs -- some on sticks, some stuffed with cheese... They're completely over the top! We like to keep it a bit simpler, while still retaining that awesome fried-pickle taste. The key: panko breadcrumbs!

Instead of Standard Kettle Corn... Chocolate Strawberry Popcorn!

Entire recipe (about 5 cups): 207 calories, 4g total fat (3g sat. fat), 199mg sodium, 38.5g carbs, 5.5g fiber, 16g sugars, 3.5g protein

SmartPoints® value 9*

That sweet smell is everywhere... Darn you, kettle corn! And while popcorn itself isn't terrible for you, when you load it up with oil and sugar, it kinda loses its healthy-snack cred. Plus, the bags they're sold in are generally ginormous... No, thanks! We've got something even better: kettle-corn taste with a choco-berry twist!

Chew on this:

Happy National Banana Split Day, August 25th. Have breakfast that tastes like dessert... This Banana Split Oatmeal is healthy but yummy!

Click "Send to a Friend" to pass these recipes to your favorite fair-going companions!

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