9 progressive menus for any craving at the Minnesota State Fair

One of the best things about the Great Minnesota Get-Together is that there are so many ways to eat your way through it. So, go more than once. Start one day bright and early before the rooster crows for cozy cups of coffee and iconic pancakes. Or take advantage of all the budget-friendly bites and fill up for the day for less than $20. Whether you're looking to taste the goods grown close to home or want to plan a romantic date night, we have a delicious progressive meal all laid out for you, from appetizer and entree to drinks and dessert. Here are nine tasty ways to enjoy the fair.

The names of each vendor are in bold. For locations, search the fair's handy food finder at mnstatefair.org/fair-finder/food.

There is so much rich farmland in Minnesota and the fair is a chance to celebrate local farmers and producers. Wander through the Agriculture and Horticulture Building (which turns 75 this year), chat with soil experts while kids wander through the Little Farm Hands exhibit or stop by the CFANS desk — that's the U's College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences — to learn about new techniques. Then feast on real farm-to-stick food.

Start the day at the Minnesota Farmers Union Coffee Shop for a maple syrup-sweetened cold press coffee. The aroma of roasted corn is hard to beat — stop by the Corn Roast for a bite of buttery gold. Then head over to an equally smoky spot: the Turkey to Go stand run by Minnesota's turkey producers, who grow the most birds in the entire country. Sit down with a sandwich or grab a turkey leg to go. But farmers aren't the only hard workers producing good eats: Check out the buzz at the Minnesota Honey Producers Association and indulge in a cup of ice cream sweetened with local honey.

You know what they say: When the moon hits your eye like a big prizewinning pie, the State Fair is amore. Epitomized in scores of movies, carnivals like the Mighty Midway can be a place where crushes become more while splitting a cotton candy on a Ferris wheel ride for two. But if a multicourse tasting menu is your idea of a romantic night out, the fair has plenty to offer there, too. Start with an aphrodisiacal appetizer of oysters; they come fried at the Fish & Chips Seafood Shoppe. Next, have your "Lady and the Tramp" moment by sharing a spaghetti and meatball dinner (and perhaps a kiss) — but State Fair-style on a stick at Oodles of Noodles. For dessert, delight in some cream puffs at Cream Puffs with your cream puff. And, of course, a couple glasses of local wine from the Minnesota Wine Country booth is a perfect evening nightcap. A ride on Ye Old Mill — Minnesota's version of the Tunnel of Love — is optional.

Walking into the Food Building is itself an experience and can be a little overwhelming. There's a lot of good food here, but these are our can't-miss stands that make it worth braving the slow-moving river of people. First: cheese curds. There are other vendors scattered throughout the grounds, but the Mouth Trap is the main stop for crispy, gooey bites. (It's also a model of efficiency in a place filled with long lines.) Stop by Manny's Tortas for fantastic Mexican treats and a giant piña colada served in a pineapple — owner Manny Gonzalez is often the one handing out the portable bevvies filled with joy. Next up: Walleye is the official state fish, and no summer is complete without a taste. Stop by the booth for a deep-fried shore lunch basket. End your tour on a sweet note with Sara's Tipsy Pies, which serves a variety of fruity alcohol-infused pies (don't worry, it bakes off) as well as gluten-friendly tarts.

One unexpected, and dare we say delicious, trend has been the ascent of the pickle in fair food. Sure, jars of blue-ribbon pickles have always been on display in the Creative Activities Building; alas, those of us on the other side of the glass will never get to taste them. But there's plenty of briny goodness available throughout the fairgrounds. Start with the deep-fried slices from the Perfect Pickle. Then, head to new vendor Rick's Pizza for pickle pizza topped with dill ranch sauce, mozzarella and, you guessed it, crunchy dill pickles. Wash it down with one of the fair's most controversial sips, the Dill Pickle Ale from Duluth's Blacklist Brewing Co. at Giggles' Campfire Grill. Unfortunately (or fortunately?), we haven't found a pickle dessert — yet. But we know it's not beyond the realm of possibility. Until then, pucker up with another kind of sour — lingonberries stuffed in the Norwegian mainstay at Lynn's Lefse.

Among this year's new official fair foods, a clear trend has emerged: There are now more foods than ever that eschew animal products. For plant-based goodness, start with meatless meatballs and marinara from French Meadow Bakery and Cafe; then try the Poultrygeist, which is new vendor Herbivorous Butcher's take on gravy-smothered fried chicken made with the Minneapolis shop's ersatz chicken. Baba's added a dessert hummus bowl called Coco-Nuts that happens to be vegan; it's built with a base of chocolate hazelnut hummus and served with powdered sugar pita puffs. And new vendor Union Hmong Kitchen is joining the party with dej qab zib, a sweet and creamy coconut lychee colada.

The fair has come so far in gluten-free options. At one point apples and French fries were among the only options; now there are entire stands. To start off, hit up Jammy Sammies by Brim's grilled cinnamon bread sandwich: Gooey homemade nut butter and fresh jam hits all the PB&J notes. The crusty, gluten-free version of the bread is particularly satisfying. Next, wander down the hill to the inviting Produce Exchange. The globe-sized peaches are worth waiting for on their own, but when grilled, a wonderful honey-floral sweetness is brought out. Next, it's time for some salty/savory and Pickle Dog is a classic. Salty, spiced pastrami is wrapped around a pickle spear and a swipe of cream cheese. Spice it up by adding jalapeños. When it's time for a break and a beverage, head over to the Ball Park Cafe, where the shoestring fries are tossed with chopped garlic and the cider tap lines are all gluten-free — and kept separate from the beer taps for safety. Lastly, the cinnamon-dusted almonds from Cindy's Cinnamon Roasted Nuts are irresistible. You'll smell them before you see them.

Leading up to Labor Day, the fair doesn't always promise hot days. But when the mercury rises, a day out in the sun and the crowds can be brutal. Make a meal of these foods that promise to keep you cool. Frozen grapes from Bayou Bob's are one of the fair's most underrated finds. Pop in a few of those and you'll be chilling in no time. The blisteringly hot chiles that marinate the shrimp from Tejas Express are actually a neat trick: As the tongue-numbing dish of shrimp over esquites starts to make you sweat, your body naturally cools itself down. Summer Lakes Beverage has a similar idea with its cold Fresh Press Jalapeño Margarita mocktail. For one last icy bite, no vendor can beat Nitro Ice Cream, which freezes its super-smooth ice cream in 1 second flat using liquid nitrogen.

Morning is a fantastic time to hit the fair. Earlier in the day the crowds are lighter and there are more hours to walk and see all the exhibits. Kick off the day at 7 a.m., when the Salem Lutheran Church Dining Hall opens. Let the giant coffeepot be your beacon. The egg coffee is a church basement tradition; eggs are mixed into the grounds and act as nature's filter. It's a bargain and served piping hot. Next, amble down to the Hamline Church Dining Hall for a seat and an order of Al's Breakfast's famous pancakes. Then it's time to see the sights and pick up something savory along the way. Down by the animal barns, the Scotch Eggs booth churns out the highly portable goods: sage-seasoned pork sausage wrapped around a hard-boiled egg and deep fried — on a stick, naturally. After taking a peek at the pigs and chickens, it's time for a pick-me-up and maybe a sweet treat. Get the best of both worlds with a Vietnamese iced coffee at Que Viet, where strong coffee is mixed with sweetened condensed milk for a cold treat.

Anyone who loves the fair knows that it can be an expensive endeavor, but the good news is not every bite is built to break the bank. Start the day off at the All You Can Drink Milk Stand down by the dairy barn (right by the source!) for just a couple of dollars. The Moo Booth often hands out dairy-based freebies, and everyone who walks through the Little Farm Hands experience gets a free Kemps treat. Grab a free Peace Coffee sample inside the Eco Experience, or spring for the $2 cup of joe at the Salem Lutheran Church Dining Hall. For a salty snack, Danielson & Daughter's have served their thin and crispy onion rings since 1956 at throwback prices. The charitable Midway Men's Club burger, which raises funds for those in need, is still less than $5 for a little cheeseburger. And for a refreshing treat, pick up a frozen cider pop from Minnesota Apples at the Ag Hort Building.