A few weeks ago, I went to the 2016 Summer Fancy Food Show at the Javits Center NYC. As a post 50 foodie, I gravitate toward wellness trends. In my mind that includes dark chocolate (which BTW is supposedly filled with healthful benefits) and frozen treats (Okay some were low fat ice pops. However, I couldn’t resist the full fat ice cream too. Boomer girls gotta live a little.)
“Judi The Foodie” shares food trends
After sipping and nibbling my way through 363,000 square feet filled with 2670 exhibiting companies (I clocked 6+ miles in my comfy Breezy shoes provided by SAS Shoemakers), I’m pleased to share some of the food trends and favorites from the show. You may find these products in your local supermarket or on Amazon.
I walked 6+ miles around the 2016 Summer Fancy Food Show. Glad I wore my comfy SAS Shoemaker Breezy shoes. I could have eaten this entire barrel of Romano cheese.
BEVERAGES:
Tons of teas
According to The Tea Association of the U.S.A., tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world next to water. No wonder there were many cold-brewed and hot varieties. I drank:
* Thea’s English Standard Tea, the proper iced tea, sugar-free, sweetener-free, and calorie-free — the Wonderberry flavor is decaf.
* ASI Tea, brewed from Wild Picked American Yaupon Leaves, the only significant native source of caffeine in North America. (I try to stay caffeine-free, but there are many high caffeine products out there.)
* SenCha Green Tea + C, sugar-free with natural vitamin C. They offer Green Tea mints and Matcha Powder. Numi organic Tumeric teas were available. Turmeric is a BIG trend in wellness.
*CHAM cold-brewed wellness teas, which claim to calm, revitalize and provide defense.
* Tea Forte TEA OVER ICE Steeping Tea Pitcher — a neat idea that looked pretty.
Tea is trending with hot and cold brewed varieties.
Drinks to pick you up and put you to sleep:
I am interested in any product that can possibly help with my postmenopausal insomnia, middle-aged middle, and memory loss. I downed:
* Cheribundi Tart Cherry Relax made with 40 cherries per bottle that is supposed to help me sleep.
* IQ Juice made with cold-pressed apple cider and other fruits and veggies in varieties including Fat Burner, Immunity, Memory, Rise Up, Detox, Cleanse, Probiotic, Radiant, and Relaxation.
* Natalie’s Orange Beet Juice and LoveBeets.com Juice allows you to drink your beets. Benefits claimed to improve stamina, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and even increase sex drive. (These tasted just like my mother’s borscht without the sour cream. The millennial from Natalie’s who was sampling the juice didn’t know what borscht was!)
* Mansi Calamansi Juice Beverage from Philippine lemons and limes that are high in vitamin C and have other health benefits.
Juices will health benefits were flowing with beets and cherries.
A waterfall of water
I passed on coconut waters and instead tried:
* Happytree Maple Water, which contains metabolism friendly B-vitamins and more manganese than a serving of kale. (Not sure if most people really need an overload of manganese in their diet. Based on what I’ve read it’s not a nutrient that is lacking.)
* Blossom Water, pure water infused with natural fruit & flower essences, no health benefits per the owner, but the prettiest packaging of the show.
Blossom Water and Maple Water were two flavors of waters at the show.
PROBIOTICS:
I was amazed at all the products that have probiotics. I take a probiotic supplement every morning to help my IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and they are very expensive. If I can consume more probiotics in my food and beverages in addition to my daily yogurt, it would be great. I tried:
* Living Intentions Superfood Popcorn made with live probiotics in flavors like Cinnamon Twist, Tandoori Tumeric, and Salsa Verde. (Available August 2016.)
* Probiotic MELT Organic Buttery Spread, a dairy-free, trans-fat free, soy-free & gluten-free spread made with Probiotic Ganeden BC30. (It’s not free, you do have to pay for it.)
*Five Acre Farms Kefir in regular, maple and honey.
Probiotics are now being added to foods.
HIGH PROTEIN & SUPERFOODS:
My boyfriend L will be happy to know that there are more high-protein snacks to choose from at the grocer. And nutrient-dense superfoods are popular too. I tasted:
* Iconic Protein drinks with 20 grams of protein per bottle.
* R.e.d.d. energy bars packed with 9+ grams protein, 11 superfood, 23 vitamins + minerals, 35+ mg natural caffeine, and are gluten-free. (These were developed by a hungry millennial who like his/her exercise and other lifestyle routines, wants to get everything at once in a short amount of time.)
* Supereats Chips and Puffs with 10 grams of protein and gluten-free.
* RXBAR packed with 12 grams of egg white protein and antioxidants.
* Navitas Naturals Superfood + Chia Rosemary Pumpkin Seeds and Superfood + Tumeric Tamari Almonds.
* Chosen Food Chia Bites with 6 grams of protein, 284 mg omega-3 , and 5 grams dietary fiber per packet.
* RayZyn Co. Cabernayzyn Dried Cabernet Wine Grapes which have significantly more antioxidants content than red wine. I am curious to learn more about their current study with postmenopausal women and the benefits of these dried grapes.
* K’UL Superfood 70% Dark Chocolate Bar offers K’UL (pronounced cool) bean-to-bar artisan dark chocolate & energy bars that are functional foods. Anyone who wants to convince me that chocolate is not candy, chocolate is food, and encourages me to eat more choc-full of health benefits K’UL chocolate bars is cool in my world.
Get your protein in different ways.
Superfoods were packed with grains, seeds, and veggies like chia, quinoa, and beets.
Eating your dark chocolate just got a whole lot more functional with K’UL bars.
Now I can eat dried wine grapes instead of drinking wine. RayZyn is doing a study with postmenopausal women.
ICE CREAM AND FROZEN TREATS:
I didn’t pass up any offer for ice cream or frozen treats, including:
* Mochi hand-held bites enrobed in Japanese rice cake from Mochidoki, Bubbies, and MrMochi. While mochi is definitely trending, I’m not a fan of the texture.
* Graeter’s Handcrafted French Pot Ice Cream was OMG YUMMY! Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip was OMG YUMMY! Go order online now!
* CoolHaus Gourmet Ice Cream in Bananas Foster and Chocolate Molten Cake were two favorites.
* LaLoo’s Reduced Fat Goat Milk Ice Cream was pretty good.
* Joel’s Outrageous Ice Cream Sliders – one bite was likely 100 calories, but who is counting.
* EatPops with health benefits like Activate with Beet, Carrot & Apple and Restore with Banana, Pineapple & Pear.
* GoodPop in Chocolate Milk, Watermelon Agave, and other flavors.
* Brewla Bars new cold brewed coffee flavor ice pop for coffee lovers.
Indulgent ice creams were everywhere and I ate them all. Have you tried mochi?
MORE FAVORITE FOODS:
Here’s the grand finale, with more pictures below. From Melanie’s Medleys breakfast bowls made with quinoa (a popular gluten-free grain) to Hudson Henry Granola (delicious but not gluten-free) with Pecans & Chocolate, from Jicachips to Beet chips (beets again) with Cinnamon & Coconut Sugar, from Sir Kensington’s Fabanaise Vegan Mayo (they make good ketchup too) to Victoria’s Marinara soon made with Avocado Oil (the best sauce when I don’t make homemade), from PB Crave peanut butter with a twist to bNutty beyond peanut butter (so glad I don’t have any allergies to peanuts), and finally to Hannahmax Baking, who makes the best gluten-free bagels in everything, plain and cinnamon raisin I have ever tasted (I haven’t had a bagel in two years since I went mostly gluten-free) – it was a fantastic foodie day.
Victoria’s Marinara now is available made with avocado oil.
I ate brownies, more dark chocolate and lots of peanut butter treats.
The best-ever gluten-free bagels.
To top it off I met Emmy-awarding winning chef Lidia Bastanich, who was touting her new organic pasta sauces and pasta. Having just visited Italy, I was so excited to meet Lidia. She has a fabulous journal if you are interested in learning more about Italian cooking.
I met Emmy-awarding winning chef Lidia Bastianich.
Are you a foodie? What’s your favorite specialty food product? Share a comment so others can try it.
Are you hungry? As they say in Italian — mangia tutti.
Judi
P.S. – Speaking of Italy, stay tuned. Coming soon I’ll be sharing blog posts about my travels to Rome, Florence and Positano — with sites to see and delicious places to dine. Here’s a picture to tantalize your tastebuds. Can’t wait to share more.
Doesn’t this pizza make you want to get on a plane to Italy right now?
P.S.S. – For those of you who missed it, I was pleased to be featured on BBC.com about “Yes, You Can Retire at 50 – Here’s How.” Check it out while you go mangia tutti!
Great posts. I’m with you on a positive approach to the boomer life. The foods are an excellent overview of things good for our health,and food for pleasure. Everything in balance, and fun while we are creating our future.
Graham, glad you enjoyed all the foods.
Yoo hoo from California! This was fun to read. I have gone to the SF version for the last 2 years and probably logged in as many miles! I like the way you focused on particular types of food and drinks. I was a little less focused, and instead had a lot of fun talking to the folks who \”had a dream\” and pursued it–whether it was tea, or cookies, or whatever. Thanks for posting–and I\’ll be sure to read your Italy posts too!
Thanks Risa. I’ve never been to the SF Show.
Wonderful post! I am totally with the positive view on aging. I will be 60 this October. You have a lovely blog. Warm greetings from Montreal, Canada. 🙂
Linda, thanks for visiting my blog and for your compliments. Please come again or subscribe for weekly posts. And happy 60th birthday – a little early.