Expo West 2017 Recap

I gave a little Expo West sneak peek a few days weeks ago (sorry!) but this post is the real deal. Here is the Expo West 2017 Recap.

It’s hard to imagine just how big this expo is unless you were there. It would take me more than one post to capture the magnitude! Here are some snapshots from my trip to LA and Expo West, including some of my favorite new finds.

Expo West Stats 

Just a little background… the show started in 1981 with 3,000 attendees, and has been growing ever since. This year, there were:

• 80,000+ attendees
• Over 1 million square feet of exhibit space (WHHHHAATT?!)
• 3,000+ vendors

My Favorite Expo West Finds

You already know I loved finding the Nutiva Organic MCT Oil, the Kohana Organic Cold Brew Coffee Concentrate (did you see my post about the coffee cacao bites?), MALK Nut Milk, and the Bonafide Provisions Drinkable Veggies at the show. Here are the rest of my faves! 

Primal Kitchen Bars

I really like the coconut cashew and the dark chocolate almond. They’re a little chewy but made with great ingredients.

Vital Proteins Organic Bone Broth 

Vital Proteins released several new products at the show but I loved their new organic bone broth. It’s not available yet but should be soon!

Goodseed Burgers

These super seed burgers are delicious! Not at all like the old dry black bean burgers you’re used to. 

The Natural Citizen Dietary Supplements

I’m always on the hunt for good, clean protein powders. These from The Natural Citizen are plant based and taste really good! They have a powder for protein, a powder for added greens, a powder for digestion (yes, please!), and a powder for energy.

Siete Grain-free Tortillas

I don’t have a corn allergy but sometimes you just want a grain-free tortilla. These from Siete are legit. 

Paleo Prime Cookies

Looking for a great Paleo cookie? These from Paleo Prime do not disappoint. They are so soft and have just the right amount of chewiness. 

Pop & Bottle Almond Milk 

I first heard of Pop & Bottle over a year ago and it was my first time trying it! Great clean almond milk; I love their cacao and cold brew flavors!

Banza Pasta

Pasta made from chickpeas?! Sweet. This pasta from Banza is gluten-free but you’d never know.

Three Trees Almond Milk  

This almond milk wasn’t a new find for me but I loved meeting the Three Trees team! 

RXBar 

RXBar released three new flavors at the Expo and they are so good. I mean, what’s not to love about Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter Chocolate, and Mixed Berry?

Fourth and Heart Ghee

Fourth and Heart released some new ghee spray and some travel packets. I love this company and their products. 

Made in Nature Figgy Pops

People love Made in Nature’s dried fruit and I fell in love with their new Figgy Pops. 

Simple Mills Cookies and Crackers

I love all of Simple Mills products but I especially loved trying their new sprouted crackers and cookies at the show! All of their products are grain-free, which I love. 

A Word about Privilege 

If you’ve made it this far, congrats! But on a more serious note, a few other bloggers have been talking about the idea of “privilege” in the food community recently. I realize this trip to LA was a privilege for me. Being able to see and taste all the new food items was a treat, both literally and figuratively. And, I am really grateful I had the opportunity to go to LA and to Expo West. 

And even more importantly, I am grateful I have the resources to buy the food I love. I’m also grateful I get to sample all kinds of new products when I go to the grocery store. I know several of you don’t have the same selection I do and it’s something I’m trying to keep in mind. I’ve been thinking about this a lot these last few weeks since it’s so relevant to Expo West and what I experienced while I was there. 

In case you’d like to read a few other perspectives, you can read about the show here, here, here, and here as well!