Get Movin' Monday: State Fair Food Calorie Counts

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Most in Minnesota are excited for the State Fair, and all the fun and food that go along with it.

Everyone indulges a little at fair; some indulge a little more. But knowledge is power, so we turned to experts with the YMCA to find out what's in some of your favorite fair foods, and what you would have to do to work it off.

A deep-fried Snickers bar will take you 9,000 steps or a walk of 4 and a half miles to burn off the 450 calories it contains.

Those beloved cheese curds are 650 calories, which would take 6 and a half miles of walking to burn off.

Both of those are kids' stuff, though, compared to the giant turkey leg. If you were to eat the whole thing, you would consume a whopping 1,140 calories. That means you'd have to walk about 11 and a half miles to burn it off, or roughly 23,000 steps.

To put those numbers in perspective, and average person walks 5,000 to 7,000 steps per day. The health community typically urges people to take at least 10,000 steps a day to maintain good health, which is equal to about five miles of walking.

There is also the option of trying out some of the healthier food options at the State Fair, if you're so inclined.

Simply Nuts and More offers all sorts of natural nuts that have plenty of protein and good fats. And Simply Nuts tries to keep the sodium content low.

The simple pickle on a stick from Pickle Dog is also a healthy option — not the deep fried kind, of course.

Veggie Pie and Bayou Bob's also offers frozen fruits.

And you can't forget the Produce Exchange, which offers pears, plums, peaches and other fresh fruits.