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Good eats at the Indiana State Fair Dairy Bar

Good Eats at the Indiana State Fair Dairy Bar

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Since 1941, the American Dairy Association Indiana Dairy Bar has been a staple at the Indiana State Fair, and this year is no exception.

With the fair set to open Friday, Brooke Williams, the Indiana Dairy’s director of communications, stopped by WISH-TV on Thursday to chat with Daybreak’s Jeremy Jenkins about it.

Williams brought along some milkshakes, ice cream, and grilled cheese sandwiches in what she calls a “food drop”.

“Every year, it’s very exciting,” Williams said. “This is my first food drop, so I feel like the state fair is officially happening now that I’m coming to see you guys.”

This year, the Dairy Bar is featuring two new grilled cheese sandwiches: the Hot Honey Pepperoni Pull and the Melty Mess.

The Hot Honey Pepperoni Pull is made with sourdough bread, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, hot honey, and Italian seasoning. The Melty Mess, a three-cheese delight, features Havarti, cheddar and muenster on sourdough bread.

“We love when you get a grilled cheese fresh and hot and pull the cheese out wide,” Williams added.

In addition to the grilled cheese offerings, this year’s special treat is the Blue Ribbon Blueberry Milkshake.

I couldn’t contain my excitement and said, “I’m just going to have to save the diet for the New Year. All of this is good stuff, and it’s so good. I don’t even want to think about moderation!”

Returning to the Dairy Bar are the popular fried mozzarella sticks. Williams emphasized that indulging in these treats supports local dairy farmers.

“We work on behalf of our almost 700 dairy farm families in Indiana. Enjoying a milkshake means you’re getting delicious dairy with 8 grams of protein in one serving of milk. So, I say, go ahead, go for it.”

The Indiana Farmer Dairy Bar sells close to 70,000 milkshakes each year. Williams highlighted the community aspect of the Dairy Bar.

“People are lining up outside, not just for the delicious food, but for the dairy community. Farming is a big deal in Indiana. For every item you purchase, you’re supporting a local community.”

The Indiana State Fair runs from Aug. 2 to Aug. 18. For more information, click here.

2024 Indiana Farmers Dairy Bar offerings. (Provided Photo/Indiana Dairy)