Notes from the 2017 New York Fancy Food Show

by Arlene Mathes-Scharf; editor Kashrut.com

Copyright © 2017 Arlene Mathes-Scharf -- All rights reserved

Some of the buzzwords thrown around at the 2017 Summer Fancy Food Show were Super Food , non-GMO , sustainably sourced , locally sourced , natural , gluten-free , organic , small batch , and contains vegetables .

People selling cookies, cakes, and chips mentioned these words to imply that their products were “healthy” to eat. I remember when the Fancy Food Show was full of products that were “gourmet”, tasted good, and came in beautiful packaging. Many still do, but others feel like the need to add all these buzzwords to give consumer “permission” to buy their product. In fact, studies have determined that consumers consider “organic”, natural, and non-GMO products to be healthy, no matter what the actual nutritional content of the food ( https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/04/130401121506.htm and http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Manufacturers/87-of-consumers-globally-think-non-GMO-is-healthier ).

One of the things that I look for, when I travel to trade shows, is products that can be eaten as part of a meal while traveling. I saw a number of products that fulfilled this need:

• Saunders Marinated buffalo eggs were very tasty, as protein that does not need cooking but does need refrigeration.
• Season showed flavored sardines.
• Explore Gourmet, which makes high-protein gluten-free pastas, showed soup cups made with those pastas. These soups require only hot water to prepare, and make for a high-protein, high-fiber meal.

Another exciting category that is expanding is healthy pareve creamers, milks, and ice creams. Many of these products are kosher-certified, so they can be eaten with a meat meal, as well as by people who are “Cholov Yisroel” (use only “Jewish milk”).

Visiting this show has shown me that if you can cut through the buzzwords, it is possible to eat kosher, nutritious, and tasty,