Think you can stretch $10 for fair food?

Sep 13, 2007 — As I walked around the 100-plus acres of the York Fair looking for the cheapest foods, I felt discouraged.

I saw dozens of stands repeated and all were offering steak sandwiches for $5 to $6, fries for $2.50, drinks for $2 and desserts for $3 to $4. With a $10 bill in my pocket, I wanted to spend it all, but get the most for my money. I wanted to look at everything before I made my first purchase, but I got tired of walking and smelling the food made my hunger unbearable.

I consumed more than my share of calories for one day, but I had already thrown away my rules about healthy eating.

My first stop was at Here's the Beef near the fair's main office. The stand is run by Don and Carolyn Smith of Glen Rock and the prices were definitely

some of the cheapest I had seen. I purchased a hot dog with sauerkraut for $1.50. I added onions and ketchup and sat down at the provided counter space. Not all vendors offer a place to sit, but there are pavilions and designated dining areas.

With $8.50 in my pocket, I spotted a 20-ounce sweet tea for 75 cents a few stands up. It beat a $2 soda.

Now that my hunger sub´ sided, I had some time to look around without diving on the first morsel I saw. I passed $2 pizza, $4 roast beef sandwich, $5 steak sandwich, $4 pumpkin funnel cake, $5 fried dill pickles (my favorite) and $8.50 chicken dinners. I made my way to Memorial Hall East and spotted Becky's Homemade Fudge for 50 cents a piece. The chocolate over peanut butter was a sweet treat.

I couldn't leave the fair without Bricker's fresh cut french fries, so I stopped at the stand in Memorial Hall for a $2.50 small with vinegar and ketchup. With $5.50 left, I decided it was time for dessert. I've tasted the fried ice cream and the fried Milky Way. I've had funnel cake and Kohr's ice cream. I couldn't decide between a $3 peanut butter milkshake near where I got the hot dog or a $3 waffle and ice cream sandwich from Lolas Hot Waffles and Ice Cream a few stands down. Since I already had peanut butter fudge, I got the chocolate ice cream waffle sandwich. The waffles made me thirsty, so I stopped at another 75 cent iced- tea stand near the entrance to the Grandstand.

I had $1 left when I remembered Gruver's Bakery under the Grandstand. They sold large slices of cake and whoopie pies for $1.25 each. I asked for a giant chocolate chip cookie for $1.

"Would you like it in a bag?" she asked.

I said yes and told her that I had already eaten too much food and was having a hard time breathing.

"I bet you have it finished before you leave the gate," she said.

But I didn't. I shared it with my co-workers, swearing never to eat that much again. Well, until I visit the fair.

Cheap Eats is a biweekly column on local restaurants meals under $10. Suggestions are welcome. Reach Nicki Lefever at 771-2101 or nlefever@ydr.com.

If you go

LOCATION: York Fairgrounds, 334 Carlisle Ave., West Manchester Township

CUISINE: Fair food

NICKI'S PICK: Hot dog and sauerkraut from Here's the Beef ($1.50), two sweet iced teas from Fresh Brewed Iced Tea stand (75 cents each), one piece of chocolate over peanut butter fudge from Becky's Homemade fudge (50 cents), small fries from Bricker's ($2.50), chocolate ice cream and waffle sandwich from Lola's Hot Waffles and Ice Cream ($3), and giant chocolate chip cookie from Gruver's Bakery ($1)

COST: Admission to the fair is $5 for adults and $2 for children ages 6 to 11. Parking is $6.

HOURS: Fair opens at noon today and 10 a.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

ACCEPTS: Cash

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Talk about it

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