I look forward every year to the GF&AF Expo in Worcester and love being part of the Media Blogger team. This expo brings together consumers, brands, authors, and speakers for a fun filled weekend to learn about food allergies, celiac disease, and auto immune diseases.
I dedicated myself to find healthy dairy free and vegan products for you! Let’s face it, just because a product is food allergy friendly and/or dairy free, that doesn’t mean it’s healthy. I consider a dairy free food healthy when it is made from organic and non-GMO ingredients, contains little or no added sugar, is low in sodium and preservative and additive free.
Here are my top healthy, dairy free and vegan finds that I hope you look for in your local grocery store. If you can’t find these products, talk to your store manager and request the grocer start stocking them. Most products are also available online through the Brand.
BEST SNACKS- Rhythm Superfoods, Super Seedz
Rhythm Superfoods has found a way to make beets into a healthy snack! The beets are gently dehydrated, never fried and come in three varieties. My faves are the Naked and Sea Salt. The beets are great as stand alone snack or as toppings on soups and salads. Your veggies have never tasted so good!
Super Seedz are flavored pumpkin seeds that are allergen friendly and oh so delicious. Perfect to keep in your car or gym bag for a quick energy boost, and great as a topping on salads and soups too. Try them all -I dare you to pick just one favorite flavor!
Best for Energy and Athletes- 88 Acres, Go Macro
88 Acresmakes healthy energy products, free of the most common food allergens, and are crafted with simple ingredients and designed for everyone to enjoy! As a runner with a milk allergy I need fuel for runs and races. The bars from 88 Acres are perfect for all athletes and anyone wanting a healthy snack. With its twist on granola, 88 Acres also offers Seednola in the same flavors as its bars. The bite size bits are great for topping off smoothie bowls, salads, soups, or munching right out of the bag. Handcrafted with love in Boston in a dedicated facility free of peanuts, tree nuts, gluten, dairy, eggs and soy. 88 Acres is a top find!
Go Macro bars are terrific for long sustained energy and perfect on long runs or an afternoon snack. All Go Macro bars are vegan, gluten free, raw, NonGMO and made with simple, healthy ingredients in a variety of flavors!
Best Nut/Seed Butter – 88 Acres
88 Acres also makes delicious seed butters and by far my most favorite find is the Pumpkin seed Butter made from pumpkin seeds. If you like pumpkin and pumpkin seeds I guarantee you won’t be disappointed. Use it as a spread on bread or mix it into smoothies and oatmeal, add to soup for extra creaminess and even in baking. The pumpkin butter is rich and creamy and oh so delicious!
Best Condiment – True Made Foods
True Made Foodsdefinitely tops my list of best finds. The sauces from True Made Foods are made from vegetables so they’re healthy and not full of sugar, corn syrup and preservatives. The ketchup tastes clean and real and the BBQ sauce does not have a sick, sweet after taste. True Made’s version of Sriracha , called Veracha, is awesome on tofu scrambles, in chili and anything that you want to kick up a notch. You’ll feel good eating these vegan sauces and knowing you are getting veggies and not empty calories.
Best Milk – Good Karma
Good Karma non-dairy milk is made from flax, is super delicious, and holds as much calcium and vitamin D as dairy milk. It comes in unsweetened and sweetened varieties and Good Karma also carries a delicious line of flax yogurt.
Best Drink –Health-Ade Kombucha
Kombucha is fermented tea naturally rich in probiotics and healthy acids. Health-Ade’s is the only commercial kombucha fermented in glass to prevent plastic and metal leaching. It’s flavored with the highest quality ingredients and tastes great and is super refreshing
Best UnFry- Veggie Fries
A fry that is baked, made from veggies, beans and potatoes certainly makes my list! Veggie Fries are very crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside with non-GMO ingredients, gluten free, nut and soy free and vegan! New to the Veggie Fries lineup are it’s hard to pick a favorite flavor so just try them all –you won’t be disappointed.
Best Dough –BFree Breads, The Greater Need
BFree Breads boast a lineup of bread, rolls, bagels and wraps that are all dairy free, gluten free, wheat, egg, nut and soy free; free from all major allergens and suitable for vegans! I especially love the Quinoa and Seed Wraps and the rolls. The bread is incredibly delicious , light and fluffy while packing a nutritional punch. And new this year Sweet Potato Wraps perfect for filling with veggies, hummus, tofu, tacos – or eating alone as is!
The Greater Knead Bagels are authentic NY Style bagel that’s free of the top 8 food allergens-These bagels toast up nicely and are incredibly delicious. Try the Sundried Tomato , Cinnamon Raisin, or Blueberry – all my faves and know why I love bagels from this woman owned business. And new this year check out the Bagel Chips coming in easy carry sizes and perfect for Back to School.
Most Unique -Simply Beyond Spray on Herbs
Simply Beyond Spray on Herbs and Vinegar Sprays are herbs and
oil in an innovative non –aerosol spray that’s shelf stable and contains no chemicals or preservative. With Simply Beyond you can have an herb garden in your kitchen all year long! The freshness of these herb sprays is absolutely amazing – use for cooking, salads, soups, even popcorn – anywhere you use fresh herbs! And the fruited vinegar are made the same way and just as divine. These herb infused oils and fruit infused vinegars will add a new level and texture to your cooking.
Which of these finds would you like to try? Have you found a unique dairy free, vegan product this summer? Tell us in the Comments Section.
