30 Brands You NEED To Know About | Virtual EXPO WEST 2020
No Expo West this year but that hasn't stopped me from my annual "Favorites from Expo West" blog. This has been a tough blog to write for a few reasons. With the coronavirus craziness, stay home orders, no Expo West, no Disneyland and a new routine… it’s been pretty difficult. I also appreciate your patience as I have waited for brands to ship products to include in this blog post, as well. Many brands had some delays due to COVID-19 and I really wanted to accommodate all that I possibly could.
You see, Expo West is my second favorite time of the year (behind Christmas), and it’s so sad that it had to be canceled for 2020. I love finding new products, new brands and seeing my industry family… who have actually become my in-real-life friends. I cried a lot about the fact that we all don’t get to be together for this incredible event. but I wanted to do what I can to celebrate new brands, new product innovation and new flavors and share it with you online.
This year I am so honored to be one of the Top 100 Responsible Health & Wellness Influencers of 2020 as well as one of the Influencers to Know At Expo West. I did a VIRTUAL EXPO WEST that’s featured on my Instagram highlights, and below you will see some incredible brands and products that I truly hope you celebrate, support, follow these brands on social media and please show them some love if you can.
IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER:
Spindrift Paleo, whole30, gluten free, dairy free, no added sugar This amazing brand launched a brand new flavor, and it’s epic! Pineapple Spindrift is my most favorite flavor now (next to Half Tea Half Lemon), and it’s even more delicious than you could ever imagine! Their sparkling waters are made with just sparkling water and real squeezed fruit… and that’s it!
nutpods creamers Paleo, whole30, gluten free, dairy free, no added sugar I use these tasty creamers every single day in my morning lattes. They froth beautifully, taste great and are a wonderful option for coffee creamers. You can also bake with them and use them for smoothies or other recipes, too. They have many many flavors to choose from and even have seasonal options, too. Discount: use code KrystensKitchen at nutpods or click here.
Olipop
Paleo, gluten free, dairy free, cane sugar free
Oh, goodness, we love these tasty sparkling tonics which contain prebiotics, botanicals and plant fibers. They have a new flavor in the gamily, and it’s Classic Root Beer. It’s soooo good! This is by far my favorite Root Beer soda over every brand. I love that it has added plant fibers and benefits, too. I fell in love with these drinks the second I tasted them and I can't wait to see what flavors they continue to create. Big fan of Olipop!
Sol-ti Paleo, gluten free, dairy free, vegan I found this brand a few years back, and their new flavors continue to impress me. My most favorite is the Peach Lemon Hemp+Tea, but they have so many flavors to choose from across their SuperAde, HEMP+ Tea, Nourishment Cleanse, SuperShot, and HEMP+ SuperShot Lines. Everything is made fresh in San Diego and bottled in glass. I love their ingredients, that they use maple syrup to sweeten instead of sugar and have loved everything I've tasted from their line. Stay tuned for their new launch of Blue Spirulina SuperAde and Blue Mystic SuperShot. YUM!
organic vegan, gluten free, kosher
This kombucha is brand new to us! We tasted the Strawberry Lemonade flavor and it was delicious. I love that they use real fruit juice in their flavors and I love that they are in a can -- perfect to take anywhere on the go, especially when you can't bring (or don't want to bring) glass. Perfect to bring to theme parks, parks, school, etc. They have a great selection of flavors including Raspberry Dragonfruit, Strawberry Lemonade, Mango, Blueberry Ginger and Lemon Lime.
I've purchased this water before, and we keep a few cases of it at my mom's office. It tastes great and is 9.5+pH alkaline water with electrolytes. It's less acidic that most bottled water and goes through a 9-stage filtration process. It's a great company.
Fitjoy Grain Free Pretzels (and PB Nuggets) Grain free, gluten free, dairy free, corn free We already already love FitJoy's pretzels so much. I love being able to eat pretzels again, HOORAY! And their new Nuggets are incredible. I haven’t had Peanut Butter-filled Pretzels in years! This is definitely one of my absolute favorite finds so far. We could eat the whole bag, and they taste just like I remember them from when I was a kid. Hint: Try coating them in chocolate for a sweet & savory snack. The Pretzel Peanut Butter Nuggets (not pictured) will launch end of the year. LEARN MORE
Union Snacks Gluten free, Keto, paleo Crunchy charcuterie chips — whoah baby! I was stoked to get these in the mail. I am not even a pepperoni fan, but dang these are delish! You can eat them right out of the bag or put them on a pizza, too. Really sweet company, and I love their snacks, too. I highly recommend you check out Union Snacks and these crisps -- there's nothing like them!
Mikey's Paleo, gluten free, dairy free, grain free We have been a fan for awhile, and when they launched their PIZZA POCKETS we were hooked and drove 40 min out of the way to buy some. Well, they launched some new flavors including a Broccoli Cheese, which is delicious. It’s just like eating a “HOT POCKET” except it’s paleo and made with awesome ingredients. Love this brand! LEARN MORE
Safe Harvest
Paleo, whole30, gluten free, dairy free, soy free, no added sugar
I’ve only tried the Clam Chowder, but WOW! I am a big fan! I haven’t had clam chowder in years, and now I get to enjoy it again. They have other flavors, too, and all of their seafood is sustainably sourced. I am so grateful to have found this incredible brand. Their soups are made with great, clean, tasty ingredients that you can be 100% confident about. Highly recommend.
Pederson’s Farms Whole30, paleo, gluten free, organic Pederson’s Farms is famous for their no sugar bacon and it’s 100% delicious. Their meats are high quality and they work with self-sustaining family farms and there are no growth hormones or antibiotics. They also make an incredible already cooked snack bacon … you know — BYOB, “BRING YOUR OWN BACON” and it’s fantastic. LEARN MORE
Karma Nuts Paleo, whole30 (options), nonGMO, vegan dairy free Oh wow! I have to admit that I have never liked eating cashews much. I love cashew milk, cashew butter and cashew based things, but eating cashew nuts aren’t my jam… until now. I really love Karma Nuts and their Whole30 flavors. I have been loving the Sea Salt, Lime Twist and Golden Turmeric. Loved all three flavors! LEARN MORE
Do Anything Foods Organic, paleo, nonGMO, gluten free, whole30, vegan Love the idea of this so much. You literally can do ANYTHING with them — use it as sauce, soup, base, dip, dressing… you name it! They are such a great option to have in your kitchen to use when you need to spruce up your meal, add to leftovers in the fridge or enjoy as a quick soup or maybe use as a dip for company. They really do taste great, and you can DO ANYTHING with them! LEARN MORE
Hilary's Eat Well Organic, gluten free, nonGMO, top allergen friendly, vegan, plant based I’ve been a fan of Hilary’s products for a long time. They make the absolute greatest veggie burgers ever. I love the taste, ingredients and high quality products that they make. Their breakfast sausages (all vegan) are perfect with any meal, and the people at the company are just lovely. So grateful that they are free of the top 14 common food allergens, making them a safe option for many people. They really make the world’s greatest veggie burger!
Mary's Gone Crackers Organic, vegan, plant based, nonGMO, gluten free
We've loved this brand for a long, long time. Mary's Gone Crackers makes delicious crackers in many different flavors and with great ingredients. They are wonderful snacks or to use with a dip or spread. We love them on a charcuterie board, too. The Garlic Rosemary Thins are our favorite. The texture is great, flavor is out of this world and we can devour a box in no time.
VeggieCraft Farms Pasta made with Cauliflower Gluten free, vegan, high protein I love that cauliflower can be used in so many different products including PASTA! This pasta is made with only 3 ingredients including Lentil flour, Pea flour and Cauliflower flour. They have many other variations of pastas including pasta made with sweet potato, zucchini and and a few different pasta shapes, too. I love that it's another safe option for people who can't eat traditional pasta. LEARN MORE
ZEGO Peace Love Crispies Cereal
organic, gluten free, Top 12 Allergen Friendly, vegan, soy free, cane sugar free
ZEGO makes allergen friendly fruit and seed bars, muesli, oats, protein powder, and now they are rolling out this new cereal, which happens to be the cleanest cereal on the market. It’s like your traditional “crispy cereal” only it's organic, gluten free, vegan and has a whole bunch of other certifications, too. Something that you need to know for transparency which they are open and honest about: their cereal is made in a facility that also processes wheat, however, not on the same day and sometimes not even in the same week. The founder, Colleen, has celiac and she has been eating this cereal every single day for months and hasn’t had a problem. They are testing each batch which has a 5ppm (which is very low). I have to say that it’s delicious! But I also love that it’s the purest possibly cereal you could eat. Love this brand so much! (This product won a NEXTY AWARD!)
Justin’s Dark Chocolate Crispy Quinoa Peanut Butter Cups
Organic, dairy free, gluten free, nonGMO
Justin’s already has a killer product line, and their brand spankin’ new Crispy PB Cups might be my favorite thing they make now. It’s has crunchy crispy quinoa in it mixed with the yummy chocolate and peanut butter, and it’s the most perfect, beautiful combination you can imagine.
Jojo’s Chocolate Gluten free, vegan, Keto friendly, soy free, cane sugar free, paleo I didn’t know how much I would love these until I took my very first bite. These delicious dark chocolate bars have a little hemp protein and are topped with raspberries, almonds, and pistachios (Raspberry Dream flavor). Wow - what a treat! Sweetened with stevia and low in sugar and carbs, too. Love this company! They also launched a new Peanut Butter flavor, as well, which I can’t wait to try!
Three Wishes Cereal Gluten free, grain free, wheat free, corn free, rice free, dairy free, oat free, peanut free, vegan, soy free, kosher (basically it’s magic) I have seen quite a few low sugar, protein cereals, and I’m pretty sure most of them have dairy in them. The few that I’ve tasted really aren’t that great (in my opinion). I think Three Wishes Cereal surpasses them all! It’s so dang tasty that I just want to eat the whole box. There are 3 flavors: Honey, Unsweetened & Cinnamon. All have 8 grams of protein and 3 grams of sugar - except the unsweetened which as zero. Honestly this will be the cereal I would serve my kids one day. Love this brand and I can’t wait to see what other flavors they launch in the future.
You can use THIS LINK to save 10% off your order using code KRYSTENSKITCHEN. Check out this amazing, easy recipe I made using their cereal. 3 INGREDIENT CEREAL BARS!!! It only requires a few ingredients (cereal + 2 ingredients … with an option to add chocolate - YUM!) LEARN MORE
SunButter New ON THE GO Pouch Organic, keto, vegan, nut free, gluten free, free from top 8 allergens, nonGMO
SunButter is a wonderful alternative to traditional nut butter as it's a safe, allergen friendly, nut free option. It's so tasty and made from sunflower seeds. I love this brand new ON THE GO Pouch so we can take SunButter "on the go" or just have it portioned out. It comes in three different versions - 1) No Sugar Added 2) Organic and 3) Natural. You can order it from their website.
Lil Bucks
Gluten Free, vegan, paleo
WOW! Sprouted Buckwheat Crunch from Lil Bucks is a hit! Very minimal superfood ingredients and sweetened with maple, you could eat this as a cereal, sprinkle it on smoothies, ice cream or even yogurt. They are so versatile and really a great treat without being overly sweet. I am blown away — Lil Bucks may be small in size, but they are HUGE on my list of favorites this year. They have Original, Cacao and Matcha, as well as Clusters in Turmeric Lemon Myrtle (can’t wait to try this flavor) and Chocolate Reishi! BIG fan of Lil Bucks!
Nud Fud organic, raw, vegan, paleo, tree nut-free, gluten-free, grain-free, non-GMO, free from sugar Nud Fud (pronounced nude food) has a variety of snacks that are all made with high quality, clean ingredients. They have crackers, banana crisps, and even chewy banana bites, too. I really love this company and their line of products. So far everything tastes delicious, and I would eat them all over and over again. Minimal ingredients, lots of flavor and very yummy.
Beyond Good Chocolate Bars Organic, vegan, kosher, gluten free This chocolate is a great option for anyone who can have cane sugar, as they do contain cane sugar. These chocolate bars are organic, vegan and come in a variety of flavors including Toasted Coconut, Salted Almond, Sea Salt & Nibs and a variety of Dark Chocolate bars with different Cocoa percentages. They built a factory in Madagascar near their cocoa farmers so they can make chocolate right where it’s grown. Just 1 day after it’s farmed, it’s in the factory being made into delicious chocolate bars. LEARN MORE
Sweet Logic Cakes Keto, gluten free The first Keto Friendly mug cake mixes are now here from Sweet Logic! They have quite a few flavors in cake mixes including Classic Yellow, Ultimate Carrot, Lemon Poppyseed, Triple Chocolate and Morning Orange Almond. All are low in carb, and contain less than 2 grams of sugar. I can’t wait to try these cake mixes! They all look so delicious. LEARN MORE
Wedderspoon Immunity Gummies Wedderspoon has done it again! Their newest product is here! Manuka Honey Immunity Gummies - made from whole fruits, whole food vitamin C and Wedderspoon Manuka Honey. They are free from cane sugar, corn syrup and artificial sweeteners and are made with natural colors. The Immunity Gummies "support healthy immune and digestive function with 5B CFU’s of DE111® Bacillus Subtilis Probiotic. Combined with Manuka Honey, elderberry juice, and whole-food vitamin C to provide a daily wellness boost with 100% RDI of vitamin C." They’ll be in Whole Foods and CVS in the Fall and are available on their website, now.
Elaine Wellness Collagen Sticks
nonGMO, Kosher, no sugar, paleo, whole30
A great option to have collagen on-the-go. Pour it in your coffee, smoothies, tea or even bake with it. It’s unflavored so it won’t change the flavor or texture of anything you choose to add it to. Elaine Wellness is a woman-owned business, and they have created a community of women who embrace aging as a privilege.
Reserveage Nutrition Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Paleo, Keto This brand makes COLLAGEN CANDY in Sour Apple and Cucumber Watermelon. Both are to be eaten like a powdered candy stick, contain Hyaluronic Acid and Vitamin C. You don’t need to mix with water at all, just eat it as you would candy and pour in your mouth. I only tried the cucumber watermelon, and it was very tasty! LEARN MORE
RSP Nutrition AvoCollagen Keto, Paleo I have never seen a collagen protein that contains avocado oil powder. This is a Vanilla Bean flavored powder that you can add to smoothies or coffee or even baked goods . It’s made without any sugar and sweetened with stevia. It’s great for bone and joint support and is heart healthy. Looking forward to trying this very soon. Love the idea of avocado oil powder!
TwinLab Na-PCA Natural Moisturizing Spray nonGMO, paraben free, vegan, non comedogenic, hypo allergenic, cruelty free, non oily This moisturizing spray is wonderful! It comes in a regular version and one with aloe. It’s a spray you can use on your face and body to keep you skin moisturized. It won’t clog your pores, and you can use it in the morning and night under makeup or moisturizer/cream. I have been using it morning and night and even throughout the day. I highly recommend this spray! (I am obsessed)
