I haven’t been posting as many full blog posts lately because I’ve been focusing on boosting my social media game. If you aren’t following me on Instagram and Twitter you might want to, because I have some exciting news to share.
This year, I will be returning to the Gluten Free and Allergen Friendly Expo as a blogger for the fourth time! I am so grateful to staff at the Gluten Free Media Group for offering me this opportunity again.
If you haven’t read my story, 13 years ago I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease.
In 2014, my grandparents visited Gloriously Gluten Free in Stirling, NJ and they had a sign advertising the GFAFExpo. I was excited to hear there was an Expo where I could eat everything! Since then I have been 4 times in two different cities and on October 14 & 15. I will be returning for my 5th time! Needless to say, I can’t wait. What’s the GFAF Expo all about you ask?
It is a two day event located in Secaucus, NJ and their mission is the following:
“The Gluten Free & Allergen Friendly Expo is dedicated to meeting the needs of the celiac community, those with gluten and food sensitivities, auto-immune/inflammatory diseases, and autism. The public is helped through vendor expositions, educational sessions, and online resources.”
AKA they’re taking over a convention center for two days and filling it with amazing gluten free and allergen friendly vendors. I talk a lot about gluten free because I’m gluten free but it’s important to note that this is allergen friendly as well. I’ve gone twice with friends who have other allergies i.e. dairy, nuts, corn, etc. and they have enjoyed it just as much as I have.
Since, I am returning this year as a blogger, as part of my blogger duties I have to write a pre-expo post. After 5 times, you would think I would run out of stuff to talk about. But I haven’t….
Here are the top 5 reasons why I am excited for the 2017 GFAF Expo:
1. Anne Lee is presenting!
When I was first diagnosed with Celiac Disease my doctor knew NOTHING. He told my mom, “When you come back, you will know more about Celiac than I do.” He also told me to start a gluten free diet before I had an endoscopy confirm the diagnosis. If you’ve been tested for Celiac Disease before, you know that you can’t go on a gluten free diet or the tests will be inconclusive. My mom scrambled to find someone who understood my new diet and ended up seeing Anne Lee, a nutritionist at the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University. Thank goodness for Anne because she told my mom that I can’t be on a gluten free diet before the endoscopy or they can’t confirm my results. If it wasn’t for Anne, it would have taken a lot longer to figure out what was making me so sick. 13 years later I am seeing Anne again and she is helping me get my weight back to normal. (I’ve lost a lot of weight lately, not due to being sick, but due to lack of calories.)
Anne doesn’t have a “normal” nutritionist mentality. She doesn’t want to make drastic changes to your diet. She finds realistic solutions to make your diet more well rounded and healthy. So go see Anne 🙂
2. SO MANY SNACKS!
Anne suggested I snack more in order to get my weight back up. If you know me, you know that I’m always hungry so I snack a lot. I am now making healthier choices with my snacks and snacking between meals to help increase my calorie count. The GFAF Expo allows you to try snacks from new vendors, your favorite vendors and provides you with coupons for a TON of savings. The rest of my top 5 are vendors that I want to see… sorry 🙂
3. Biena Snacks
One of the snacks Anne suggested I add to my diet are chickpeas. I was never a huge fan of chickpeas until I tried Biena. I can’t wait to meet them at the expo to try the rest of their products. They have some new products coming out and I hope I can try them there.
4. Rule Breaker
I’m not a huge fan of beans, however one of the other suggestions Anne had for me, was to bake beans into my brownies. I’m a baker and I LOVE to bake, however lately I haven’t had as much time. I can’t wait to try Rule Breaker’s brownies because maybe I won’t have to bake my own bean brownies.
5. Hummus is Life
#HummusIsLife. I love hummus and they have one with pickles and olives. If you’ve spoken to me in person you know that I have a pickles and olives problem. I’m addicted. And mixing it with hummus has made a dangerous but incredible combination!
So…. How do you get tickets for this years event?
From now until 9/13 you can save 30% off w/ code EARLYBIRD
and from 9/14- 10/13 you can save 20% off w/ code ADVANCE.
Don’t miss out! I will be there and live posting so stay tuned
P.S. If this post wasn’t convincing enough, check out my recaps from the past GFAFExpos and maybe that will help.
Mel's Gluten Free Adventures 