The Food Show Auckland 2017

There is a change in the way we eat, and it shows with the change of type of products on offer at The Food Show. If you're heading there this weekend, check out what I found at this year's show...

Healthy foods are definitely on the up, with more people wanting to improve the quality of what we eat. Huge stalls from healthy food companies like Ceres Organics and Chantal Organics, as well as a big farmers' market style section from Countdown. And... coconut, coconut, coconut products everywhere!

And when you're all done and you are too tired to walk back to your car, The Food Show shuttle will save your weary feet.

Highlights

Along with the cooking theatre, which has cooking demos throughout the day, this year I went to a couple of fun hands-on sessions: the Nespresso Discovery Session and the Barilla Cooking Class.

Just turn up to the Nespresso stand a few minutes before their scheduled discovery sessions to nab yourself a spot to have a go at a Nespresso machine and try some of their coffees. A fun and informative session. You'll be caffeinated up for the rest of the day!

The Barilla cooking class requires a spot booked when tickets were purchased but you can always turn up at the start of a session and see if there's any space spaces. Chef Andrea and his side-kick Pete walk you through the easy and d'lish dish of penne with italian sausage, procini and button mushrooms. You get to make it yourself and naturally, eat it too. With an awesome goodie bag at the end of the session, it's a fun diversion from the busy crowds of the show.

New products

With so many new products (or just new to me), it's impossible for me to try them all. There really is something there for everyone – my leanings is more towards natural products (with the exception of the doughnuts!) with minimal additives. Here's a few of my favs:

• I love Baking's cookies with all normal ingredients, just like you would make at home
• Tambura's coconut chips
• Good Buzz's new kombucha flavour: raspberry and lemon
• Simon Gault's tomato sauce sweetened with veggies (!!)
• Gathered Game's venison salami from Wanaka
• Loving Earth's chocolate bars: my new refined sugar-free, chocolaty treat
• Aunt Jean's Dairy: milk like it used to be. In glass jars, permeate free and from A2 cows
• Pie Piper / Doornuts pies and doughnuts: just try and keep me away!
• Living Goodness sauerkraut

Do tell me, did you go to the show? How did you find it? Which were your favourite finds?

The Food Show
27-30 July 2017
ASB Showgrounds