Gluten Free Food Allergy Fest Finds! Part 2

In my last post, I mentioned that life and celiac disease involves a lot of firsts. My most recent - and, according to my stomach, most important - first was my first gluten free expo. Mom and I walked into the Gluten Free Food Allergy Fest last Sunday expecting a belly (and bag) full of gluten free goodies. We weren't wrong! 

I already wrote about my top 5 favorite finds for meal replacements/additives. Now, we'll focus on another important food group: the snacks! 

First, my absolute, top, I-could-live-off-this favorite: DNA Life Bars. I didn't go into this expo searching for a new bar to snack on. I'm already married to Larabars and flirt with Think Thin every once in a while. As soon as I tried the tiny sample of their Chocolate with Roasted Quinoa bar, I was head over heels.

My new favorite protein bar!

My main complaint with other gluten free protein bars is their dryness. Even my beloved Lara Alt Bars (the ones with higher protein) and Think Thin tread the fine line. So I was absolutely flummoxed by the moist, cake-like texture of DNA Life Bars. No joke - I could have sworn I was having dessert! And although these bars still need to be eaten in moderation, with 14 grams of protein and no refined sugar, these stand apart from the cookies and brownies filling my belly. As for their other two flavors - Green Apple Cinnamon and Chocolate Coconut Fudge - I can vouch that they are equally delicious! And I might have snatched a handful more samples of each flavor on our way out...

My favorite flavor - chocolate and roasted quinoa!

As much as I love sweet, I don't mind a salty treat every once in a while. So when I saw representatives from Simply Sprouted Way Better Snack handing out cups with tortilla chip samples, I dragged Mom in that direction! We were lucky enough to sample five different flavors and receive a bag of our favorite! Honestly, I devoured them all with equal enthusiasm (egged on by my hungry stomach's angry growling). Ironically enough, though, the Unbeatable Blues (with its broccoli and daikon radish seeds) won out because of its dense texture, awesome crunch, and uniquely nutty spice blend. 

Our first find - best chips EVER!

Chia Co's Chia pod also formed a close friendship with our tummies. I'd read about the product online - and I'm a big fan of chia seeds, especially on my rice cakes or in my banana ice cream - but this was my first time trying it. Needless to say, it was the perfect palate cleanser after drowning (wonderfully) in gluten free cupcakes and cookies.

Chia pod! Yum!

I tried the blueberry flavor while my mom picked banana. Although I thought the blueberry was a little mild for my taste, I loved the banana! I also enjoyed their use of coconut milk, which added to the Chia Pods' creaminess and sweet flavor. Although they are a little expensive, I definitely wouldn't mind a few Chia Pods (especially in dark cacao, strawberry, banana or vanilla bean) to cool off with this summer!

Chia seeds + blueberry = yum!

If you're the kind of person who is constantly searching for the next best snack - or gluten free food overall - I even have the snack for you! Or, to be more precise, the snack box. In a program called the Gluten Free Box of the Month, Taste Guru delivers a box full of delicious gluten free goodies every month. They displayed an example of this month's box on the table, and it had me drooling! Nature Valley Nut Crunch bars, Bella GF All-Purpose Baking Mix, and Fiona's Natural Foods Trail Mix? Yum!

Gluten free magic box!!

So that's a wrap, folks! Some of the top goodies that will be filling my meal card for many days this summer! Of course, there were dozens more amazing products that I didn't mention. Booths by Glutino, Rudi's, Udi's, and King Arthur Flour filled the convention center as well, and the countless cookies, brownies, cupcakes and donuts that I sampled rocketed me into my steepest sugar-high in years! So next time a Gluten Free Expo is in the neighborhood - or you see one of the products I've reviewed - check them out!

Even if it's not a first in your life, your stomach (and soul) will thank you!

What are your new favorite food products? Have you ever been to a Gluten Free Expo? Comment below!