This was my very first year ever attending a gluten free expo, let alone the largest in the United States! For a first-timer, the GFAF Expo did NOT disappoint. After all, I was expecting to eat all the things, and as a blogger, I had a valid excuse for doing so!
There were over 100 vendors, so it was really difficult to pick my top 6 foods; however, since I am also lactose intolerant, this narrowed down the list significantly. One of my favorite things about the GFAF Expo was that each food had a sign of allergens clearly posted, and booths were color coded: red for nut-free and blue for those products containing nuts! All of the products there were, of course, gluten free.
The day started off with me wandering all the way around the expo hall, meandering into a CrossFit bodybuilder competition and realizing I was in the wrong place (I was looking for carbs, and no carbs were to be found), and finally finding the front door that I parked across the street from. *facepalm*
As a blogger, we were treated to a breakfast sponsored by BFree, which is a relatively new brand that has a line of gluten free bagels, pizza crusts, tortillas, pita bread, and more! The bagel was soft, spongy and tasty. Yum!
Then we were released into the wild. There were probably more people there than in my hometown growing up!
If you haven’t been to the GFAF Expo yet, I encourage you to go next year! It was an amazing weekend!
Top 6 Best Gluten Free & Dairy Free Snacks from the GFAF Expo in Dallas
6. Yamachan Ramen-Ramen Z Miso Flavor – Made of Konnyaku and soy milk, this GLUTEN FREE ramen was so flavorful and delicious, I couldn’t believe it was gluten free! Seriously, do you know how long it’s been since I’ve had ramen? About 7 years. It comes in large bags of soup (yes, the bag has broth in it already), so it just needs to be heated. Find out more here.
5. Mozaics Organic Popped Veggie & Potato Chips – Bursting with flavor and loaded with veggies (40%!), this is a healthier version of those other pop chips on the market. It’s also a great way to sneak veggies into your kid’s diet without them knowing. Sneaky mama, I see you! They’re really delicious with hummus. They have MANY flavors to try. Get some here.
4. Meli’s Monster Cookies – High in protein AND flavor, Meli’s Monster Cookies are a deliciously natural dessert, and guess what, unlike most gluten free desserts, the #1 ingredient is NOT sugar! Meli’s has boxed mixes and pre-made cookies for your pleasure. The boxed mix below is called Cashewlicious, and it contains certified gluten free rolled oats, natural dark chocolate chips, and dried cherries! This is a winning combination in my book! BONUS: The boxed mix does not contain eggs, so you can use an egg substitute that is safe for your littles! Since my youngest is allergic to eggs, this was an added bonus for us. Get some here!
3. Partake Foods Mini Cookies (Carrot Oat) – From monster cookie to mini, this startup is going to take the world by storm! Their mini cookies are vegan, gluten free, and top 8 allergen free. The carrot oat flavor tastes JUST like an oatmeal cookie, only better, because they don’t have eggs or gluten! They also have several other flavors, like sprouted grain chocolate chip, and sweet potato millet! You can order them here.
2. Feast Mode Spices – Since learning that the largest spice manufacturer’s products are only gluten free when they are labeled as such, I’ve been looking for a new spice company. Guess what? I FOUND ONE! Originally part of the CrossFit competition (as they target bodybuilders), Feast Mode was discovered by the GFAF Expo director and directed to set up shop at the GFAF Expo for day 2. I’m so happy they did, because they really blew me away with unique and original low sodium flavor! Say what? Doesn’t flavor have to have sodium? Nope. With flavors like Mexican Fusion, Vodka Lemon Pepper, Tequila Lime, and Mojito Rum (my favorite), you can jazz up any dish, even guacamole. Check them out here!
1. Enjoy Life – Are you surprised? Without a doubt, my absolute gluten free and dairy free favorite of the expo was the Enjoy Life Caramel Apple bars. Packed with rich apple flavor and dairy-free caramel, they reminded me of the delicious caramel apples I used to lust after as a child, but they are way healthier. Find out more here.
Disclosure: I received free products in exchange for my honest opinion, but all opinions are my own.
