I started my New Year traveling to San Diego, California, to attend the Winter Fancy Faire show. As the name implies, this was a food event that had a focus on fancy food. From food to drink, this show was an event where folks got together to learn about the newest trends in the food business.
This is an event for people who work in the food industry or have some connection to the food market. From manufacturers to buyers to distributors to even media folks like myself, there were so many people coming together to connect about food that was fancy. This was an event that was not open to the public, and I was able to attend since I write about food.
A Coastal Train Ride To Learn About New Healthy Food Products
My trip began with an overnight train ride from Albuquerque to Fullerton. From there, I hopped on a 3-hour train to San Diego. I was excited for my second train as this train goes along the coastline of California with incredible views of beaches. The train ride was amazing! My view of the ocean from my train window did not disappoint.
I admit, the coastal train ride was one of my reasons for attending this event. I do love the ocean and beaches.
Since I was heading to San Diego, I arrived a couple of days before the show, so I could go on a whale watching cruise and visit a beach. After a day in the sun, I headed over to the San Diego Convention Center for the event. I was on a mission to sample new products and connect with brands.
My Favorite Finds from the Winter Fancy Faire Show
While attending the show, I was excited to try some new products. Since I have multiple food allergies, I was only able to sample foods that did not have any of my food allergens. My food allergies are wheat, dairy, soy protein, and mushrooms.
One would think that there would not be many food products that I could try, but even with my food allergies, there was plenty of food for me to try. I was able to discover plenty of products that are gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and even mushroom-free.
Below is a list of some of the food items that I loved from the show
1. Cookies from Flax4Life Bakery
One of my favorite sweet products at the show was Flax4Life chocolate chip cookies. I love that they are not only delicious but also allergy-friendly.
Flax4Life produces the best-tasting, nutritious, and flax-based bakery products on the market. Their allergy-friendly bakery is Certified Gluten-Free, Nut-Free (except coconut), Dairy-Free, and Kosher. They create delicious Brownies, Muffins, Granola, Cookies, and a no-sugar-added line that tastes delicious and is good for you as well.
2. Pink Pineapple from Melissa's Produce
I have seen the Melissa Pink pinapple on social media and was so excited that they were sampling the pinapple at the show. This pineapple was so good.
Pinkglow® pineapple features a whimsical, candy-sweet pink-hued flesh and is grown in Costa Rica. This pineapple has a uniquely low-acid flavor profile, candy pineapple aromatics, and unique pink flesh. Pinkglow® contains lycopene, a natural pigment that gives some produce (like tomatoes) its red color, which makes this pineapple pink! Melissa's carries many other delicious produce and other products that are sold in stores, to restaurants, and online.
3. Plant-Based Almond Sauces Bitchin' Sauce
I was happy to see my favorite plant-based sauce company at the show and had to taste the almond sauces. Bitchin' has some new products that will be available soon online. From delicious chips to salsas to even a cookbook, they had plenty of new products. Bitchin' even sent me a copy of their new cookbook, which features recipes with their delicious sauces.
Bitchin' was born from a mom's heart and perfected at San Diego farmers' markets. Bitchin' Sauce is more than a dip - it's a revolution in snacking. Made with simple, high-quality ingredients, their clean, healthy sauces have a flavor for every taste bud.
4. Homemade Cracker Mix from Top Seedz
If you have always wanted to make your own crackers but felt overwhelmed at doing so, this homemade gluten-free cracker mix is perfect for you. It's like a cake mix, but for making crackers. To make the crackers, just add water and oil. Then roll and bake.
The result is perfectly crunchy, clean, and crave-worthy seed crackers. All of Top Seedz products are gluten-free, vegan, Kosher, nut-free, and made with Certified USDA Organic ingredients. This Bake-At-Home Cracker Mix won the SoFi Awards Product of the Year.
5. Smoked Sea Scallops from Seabear Smokehouse
These Wild Alaskan Smoked Weathervane Sea Scallops were so delicious. I had no idea that smoked sea scallops were a thing. These scallops have a soft texture and rich flavor that is similar to smoked salmon. I admit that I ate at least 10 of these.
The Weathervane Smoked Scallops were a finalist for the 2026 Sofi Awards under the Seafood Category. While they did not take home an award, they are my new favorite way to enjoy scallops.
6. Date Chocolates from Date Better
These chocolates are Medjool dates stuffed with fresh-ground nut butter and drenched in rich 85% organic chocolate. The result is a healthy sweet treat that tastes like a piece of chocolate. Trust me, I was not able to even taste the date.
These
Date Better chocolates come in a wide variety of flavors like Cashew Lime Crisp, Peanut Butter Crunch, Almond Java Crunch, and limited edition Hazelnut Praline. They are plant-based, soy-free, and gluten-free.7. Allergy-Friendly Cake Mix from Starry Lane Bakery
I was drawn to this product as it was 100% free from the Top 10 Food Allergens and plant-based. This product has samples of cupcakes made from their allergy-friendly cake mix, as well as an allergy-friendly frosting. I usually don't sample prepared food, but the person working the booth, who also has food allergies, assured me that they were safe to eat. She even showed me the ingredient list of what the cupcakes were made with.
I was glad that I tried one of the cupcakes, as they were so good! I love the brand's motto ~ "Where every treat is safe to share—and no one feels left out."
All of Starry Lane Bakery's mixes are 100% free from the Top 10 Food Allergens and plant-based. The mixes are easy to prepare. This brand even has a bakery in San Diego that only sells items that are free of the top 10 allergies and plant-based. Their bakery is so strict on making the place safe for those with food allergies that they won't allow people to bring food into the bakery/
8. Drink Mixers from Alpenglow
I first discovered these drink mixes in the media room, and the flavors sounded so good. So I had to try them at their booth. I was glad that I did. These drink mixers were so delicious, and I loved that they were made with clean ingredients with no artificial colors. My favorite flavors were the Blackberry Mojito and Prickly Pear Margarita.
Alpenglow Cocktail Company is a female-founded brand based in Issaquah, Washington, crafting bartender-quality cocktail mixers made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Designed to elevate both home and professional bars, Alpenglow’s mixers balance bold flavor, clean ingredients, and thoughtful craftsmanship—bringing Pacific Northwest freshness to every pour.
9. Spicy Peppers from Mama Lil's
These peppers had good flavor with a kick of heat. This brand had several levels of heat, but my favorite were the Mildly Spicy Peppers. These peppers are great on pizza, eggs, sandwiches, and more.
Mama Lil's Mildly Spicy Pickled Peppers in Oil are the perfect balance of rich, ripe pepper flavor and a kick of heat! Our original Mildly Spicy Peppers in oil are pickled Hungarian "Goathorn" wax peppers packed in a savory herb oil blend with a touch of garlic. Describing natural pepper heat is subjective, but our Mildly Spicy peppers tend to be about as hot as medium salsa.
10. Oat Milk Slices from Milkadamia
Milkadamia has finally launched their Oat Milk Slices, and I got to try them. Last year at Expo West, they teased me with this product, and I was so excited that they had samples to try. I even received a package to take home.
Oat Milk Slices from Milkadamia are the best thing since sliced milk. Just blend slices in water for easily proportionable and always available plant-based milk. The precycled product utilizes 85% less packaging, and has a shipping weight 86% less than traditional plant milk.
Which product are you excited to try?
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