Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Faves from the Fest- Gluten Free and Allergy-Friendly Finds at the GFFA Fest

Once again the Gluten Free Food Allergy Fest, hosted by Gluten Free and More, proved to be an amazing event that provided connections, information and so much food!  I look forward to this event every year as it provides an opportunity for the gluten-free and food allergy community to come together and enjoy two days filled with support and ideas for thriving on with food restrictions.  Companies from far and wide who get life with food restrictions share their products and knowledge, speakers provide informative sessions and the cooking demos detail great recipes you can recreate for delicious and safe foods at home.



One of my favorite parts of the GFFA Fest is finding new products and resources that I can eat with my family and share with my clients.  Here is my round up of some of my favorite finds at the Columbus GFFA Fest this year.

When you have food allergies finding a safe ice cream can be challenging.  From allergen containing pints to the risk of cross contact, some folks choose to forego ice cream altogether.  At the GFFA Fest I met the men behind Fronana, the “Ice Cream for Everyone”.  It is made from bananas and free from the top 8 plus coconut, sesame and corn.  I sampled the Rich Dark Chocolate- it was so refreshing and tasty- hello safe ice cream!



I bake a lot from scratch because often times pre-packaged mixes are not safe.  One of my favorite finds at the Fest was Colette and Frank’s mixes.  Free of gluten, dairy, nut, soy and egg their variety of mixes including pancake and bread offer a great solution.  They also offered recipes to make with each mix- my fave was the banana bread made from the pancake mix- so moist and delicious!  While some of the mixes do require egg you can easily use an egg substitution to enjoy these delicious free-from mixes.



I read about Delighted By prior to the GFFA Fest and couldn’t wait to try this gluten free and vegan twist on hummus.  A young entrepreneur with a commitment to offering a healthy dessert option is using chickpeas in delightful way.  She has created dessert hummus in a variety of flavors- brownie batter, snickerdoodle, orange-ginger and chocolate chip.  My favorite was the chocolate chip and hope this brand, which is primarily available in the Northeast, finds its way to the Mid-West market soon.



My family has eaten I.M. Healthy SoyNut Butter for years now, but at the Fest I learned that that offer single serve cups that you can purchase online.  You can get both the original creamy and the chocolate soynut butter in the individual cups- perfect for on the go snacks, travel and stocking your car with safe snacks for those just-in-case moments.



Speaking of travel, I had the privilege of presenting at the GFFA Fest on traveling with food allergies and Celiac disease.  It was so wonderful to connect with and talk to so many great people during my presentation.  And, I learned some new things from participants as well!  Love when we all come together to share and Thrive On!

Hope to see you at the next GFFA Fest!



Product Disclaimer:
Thrive On Consulting does not sponsor or endorse the products listed.  Nor has Thrive On Consulting been paid to include these products.  Products mentioned here are provided as ideas and suggestions to help you Thrive On with food allergies.

If you find this post helpful learn more about Tami and her company, Thrive On Consulting, which helps families and individuals managing food allergies, and follow her on Facebook and Twitter



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