My first experience with the Healthy Family Expo is also a special one – I’m expanding my family come June, so it seemed so relevant to attend this event. I have to say I was not disappointed – actually, quite impressed with the quality of exhibitors and vendors at this expo. I’m very lucky to get to check out many food themed expos and I would have to say this is probably the best one I’ve been to in a long time.
There are two large areas dedicated to Whole Foods and London Drugs – two sponsors of the expo, but within these areas are brands they carry in-store sampling their products. When I arrived to the Expo, I kind of wish I didn’t have breakfast because I could’ve easily ate there and be so full!
On top of these two areas, you’ll find many other exhibitors like West Coast Kids, along with artisan creators, health advocates and other products geared towards healthy choices for the family.
On either side of the expo are huge Kid Zones – including trampolines, a rock climbing wall, bouncy castles and a lot more – including live entertainment on stage.
There were many items at the expo that I picked up (usually cheaper than buying at your Whole Foods or London Drugs). I didn’t realize that there were so many items geared towards kids and promoting a healthy lifestyle for them. This kind of information is so important to me, so I may make more conscious decisions on what to give my little one when they arrive.
Some of the highlights for me this year:
Big Mountain Foods – I got to try their mushroom bites and they were so delicious! It’s a perfect alternative to meatballs in your spaghetti.
COCO5 – A great alternative to other hydrating sports drinks – it’s tasty and at least half the sugar of many of the sports drinks out there.
Fiasco Gelato – if there’s anything worth throwing my pregnancy diet for at the Healthy Family Expo, it would be Fiasco gelato. I got to try their Dark Chocolate Caramel Sea Salt and it was fantastic – indulgent, well balanced in flavour and the perfect pick me up. Some other flavours that caught my eye: White Peach Iced Tea, Mango Pineapple (both dairy-free) and Carrot Cake and Cream Cheese.
FreeYumm – I’ve been pretty conscious about certain diet restrictions since many of my friends have intolerances or are raising kids with them. In my bag, I had FreeYumm’s Double Chocolate Cookies made (like all their products) free of the most common allergens including milk,eggs, peanuts, wheat, soy and a couple more.
HalyKoo – When it comes to travelling, no one has it worst than my poor mother. She gets pretty sick if she’s in the car, bus, train or plane for too long. And while these are geared towards kids, I think the fact that it’s fairly healthy, its something I can offer my mom (or sometimes even myself) in confidence. I was given their Happy Travel Lollipops to test out and I can’t wait to try them!
Baby Mum-Mums – I don’t know if you have this growing up but the fact they have so many new flavours is fantastic. Some new flavours include Sweet Potato & Carrot and Blueberry & Goji. On top of that, they have the classics plus some cute flavours including Strawberry!
NextJen Gluten-Free – What caught my eye at the expo was this gluten-free vanilla bean cake mix. My bestie was looking for cake alternatives for her son and I wish I had known about this sooner!
Tommee Tippee – As an expectant mom, getting one of my first bottles is an exciting thing! This came in my media bag and it’s interesting to learn the science that goes into creating a great bottle – not only is it BPA-free, but it’s designed to mimic a more natural experience. On top of that, they offer anti-colic bottles which reduces the amount of air so the baby isn’t fussy.
For more information on the Healthy Family Expo, be sure to visit their site here: http://healthyfamilyexpo.com/
