Friends! I’m back from a CRAZY busy, but ridiculously fun weekend in Baltimore with my friend and fellow blogger, Gretchen. we went to a natural foods expo called Expo East, and we seriously had the best time.
Expo East is a three-day mecca for foodies, and I am so happy I went this year. It was held in Baltimore, MD, which is about a 4 hour drive from Pittsburgh, and Gretchen and I had an absolute blast.
Each vendor at Expo East has a little (or in some cases, huge) booth where they showcase and sample their products. I was full by 10am. But wow. I tried so many amazing products, and I just couldn’t wait to share them with you! And be sure to scroll down below the list to find a video of my Expo East Haul. :)
ps. None of this is sponsored! These are just a few really awesome products I was excited to share with the Fooduzzi Fam :)
Here Are My 7 Favorite Products from Expo East 2017:
1. Loving Earth Organic Dark Mint Chocolate.
Okay. I have a serious obsession with all-things mint-chocolate, so I was super excited to find Loving Earth, a vegan chocolate brand that makes a mint chocolate bar (it’s as amazing as it sounds). The ingredients list is really clean (cacao butter, cacao powder, raw cacao nibs, raw agave nectar, and peppermint essential oil), and the taste is out of this world. The bar has a really clean mint flavor while really bringing a rich, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate experience to the party. Seriously loved this stuff. Plus, I was lucky enough to be able to bring a full bar home, and I can almost guarantee that I’ll be finished with it by the end of this sentence.
Buy it on Amazon or on lovingearth.com
2. Elmhurst Milked Walnuts and Milked Hazelnuts.
Almond milk is typically my go-to, but I was so SO excited to be able to try Elmhurst at Expo East. We went to the Expo East breakfast before the expo actually opened for the day, and they were serving Elmhurst milks with cold brew. I was blown away at how creamy, nutty, and rich walnut milk was, and the ingredient list was pretty solid: nuts, water, salt, a bit of sugar, and natural flavors. Elmhurst also makes unsweetened milks, peanut milk (!!!!!), and whole grain milks (think rice, oats, etc.). I cannot wait until stores in Pittsburgh start carrying this stuff!
Buy it on elmhurst1925.com
3. Anita’s Coconut Milk Yogurt.
Fun fact: after I tried some of this yogurt, I actually gave an Anita’s employee a high-five. THAT’S how good this stuff is. It’s super rich and creamy, and it’s full-fat so you know it’ll be filling. It tastes just like coconut milk (because that’s what it is!), with a bit of a zing thanks to the probiotics. The ingredient list is really simple coconut milk (coconut, water), organic coconut water, L. acidophilus, S. thermophilus, & other live cultures), and it is by far the best dairy-free yogurt I’ve ever had. SO excited about this stuff!
Buy it at Whole Foods or at one of these locations
4. Julie’s Real Cinnamon Vanilla Bean Cashew Butter.
I love nut butters. This is no surprise. And while I really like cashew butter, I typically stick with my peanut and almond butters. But Julie’s Real is too good to pass up. I cannot believe how good this stuff is, and it has a fabulous ingredient list (dry roasted cashews, virgin coconut oil, organic honey, cinnamon, ground vanilla beans, and sea salt). This cashew butter seriously tastes like Christmas.
Buy it on Amazon or on juliesreal.com
5. Luna and Larry’s Coconut Bliss Mint Galactica.
Yep. More mint-chocolate goodness. If there was a booth at Expo East with a mint-chocolate flavor, I was there trying it. I love Coconut Bliss Vanilla Island, but their Mint Galactica was seriously one of my favorite ice cream flavors ever. Their ice cream is super creamy, really flavorful, and made with a dairy-free coconut base! Instead of chocolate chips, this ice cream has thin shards of dark chocolate. Perfection in a carton.
Buy it at one of these locations
6. Spindrift Cucumber Sparkling Water.
Seltzer water is so popular these days, and I’ve officially found my favorite flavor: Spindrift Cucumber. I’m a huge cucumber fan and I really love cucumber water, so I knew this flavor and I were meant to be. I love Spindrift because it’s flavored with actual fruit juice (rather than the vague “natural flavors” that other seltzer waters are flavored with), and that’s about it. It also isn’t overly fizzy (something my stomach really appreciates), and it’s perfectly refreshing on a hot day. Apparently it’s good spiked with a bit of gin as well ;)
Buy it on Amazon or on spindriftfresh.com
7. Randy’s Pickles Sideburns Grilled Pickles.
The surprise of the day! And actually, Randy’s Pickles was the first booth we stopped at while we were at Expo East. Randy’s Pickles is based out of Cleveland, OH, which is just a hop-skip-and-a-jump away from Pittsburgh, and I cannot believe how insanely delicious their pickles are. There were a ton of pickle brands at Expo East, but the Sideburns Grilled Pickles were really on a level of their own. They were smoky and savory and slightly caramelized thanks to the grilling. I could imagine piling these high on a veggie burger, but they really were great for snacking.
Buy on randyspickles.com or at one of these locations
And to see some of the other goodies I brought home from Expo East, you can check out this haul video on YouTube! Oh, and you totally could subscribe to my YouTube channel once you’re there. Just a thought ;)
I also loved Loving Earth and Elmhurst–probably two of my favorite products. Oh! And Anita’s. Ps you can buy Elmhurst at Target! I know the one in East Liberty carries it, so I imagine others do too :)