This year the Allergy Show didn’t disappoint. But I’m not your average coeliac or freefrom shopper. I struggle with a lot of freefrom food and try to eat as little processed food as I can. This goes for a lot of the mass produced freefrom food out there. I just find it causes me skin problems and exacerbates my eczema and nodular prurigo. I’m also allergic to all nuts, dairy, wheat and soya so many things are just not suitable. Add an intolerance to tomato and celery and you become quite restricted. However, even with these strict limitations I did not return home empty handed. These were my top finds…
- Nutribrex (formerly Nutribix)
These have been around for a while and I first came across them during judging for the FreeFrom Food Awards, however not being a ‘breakfast’ judge I had still not tried them. Now I’ve never been a fan of Weetabix, even before my wheat allergy was diagosed. They really do just look like cardboard or straw. Urgh! But I faced my prejedice and tried the new Coconut flavour with banana and KoKo coconut milk. I was really impressed. A brilliant addition to your freefrom breakfast larder staples. My goodie back contained a pack of the original flavour so that was this morning’s breakfast sorted. Perfect!
- BFree Sweet Potato wraps
Thank you again to the lovely ladies at BFree. For the delicious humous wrap and for the amazing sweet potato wraps. I came home with some of my much coveted BFree Pittas, which I love, love, love AND some of their new wraps. Look out for the Sweet Potato Wraps in shops soon. I had one for lunch today; held together very well and tasted really good. They’ve cracked it AND these are totally freefrom the Top 14 allergens. Thank you BFree 🙂
- The FreeFrom Skin Care Awards announced
One of my favourite times of year are the awards for the FreeFrom SkinCare Awards.
Being a judge for the problem skin category, I’m passionate about good quality, healthy and natural skincare products for those with sensitive skin.
Check out the winners on the FreeFrom SkinCare Awards Website.
They say you are what you eat. So don’t forget the food you give your skin. Nourish your skin people!
You can also follow the conversation on twitter #ffsa16
- Natural Vitality’s Organic Smoked Humous
I wish I had bought more tubs of this now because there is now a sizeable dent in humous already. Today’s lunch was a BFree sweet potato wrap with chicken, courgette strips and a generous dollop of this amazing humous. They smoke the chick peas before making the humous and it tastes divine. They also do an amazing turmeric flavour one and many others. Really love this humous. Thanks to Sue Cane, gluten free beer expert, for telling me about this stuff.
- Fentimans Sparkling Lime and Jasmine
I love Fentimans drinks. Their Dandelion and Burdock just takes me right back to supper at Nanas as a little girl.
It’s the best brand on the market for me.
They have just launched a new flavour which just tastes so like a gin a tonic but is totally alcohol free. The delicious lime and jasmine drink was so refreshing and light and not too sweet.
I will definitely be buying this. But instead of a picture of the drink, I give you the funniest moment from the show. This beer mat had me and Sue in stitches. Take a quick look at the picture at the top of all the goodies I lugged home. In the middle you’ll see the beer mat, minus finger. There is a hole where the backside should be. This really tickled my sense of humour so I hope I leave you laughing also.
There was so much to see at the show. I bought some of my favourite Heck sausages – providers of my breakfast when I arrived. Thank you Heck :). I also found some lovely onion bhaji spice packs so am looking forward to making those soon. I also bought some really delicious and totally freefrom biscuits, flapjacks and gingerbread men from Polly’s Pantry. Really very good baking, biscuits and no allergens in sight. Very clean ingredients too and all home made. Top marks ladies. A very welcome addition to my morning Coffee.
The lovely gluten free beer companies were also there in force. My favourite is Green’s naturally gluten free Indian Pale Ale. I also liked Hepworths and Westerham Brewery – real ale is my preferred drink but there were plenty of lagers on offer too from Celia, Daura Damm etc.
Do check out the many speakers at the show too. There is almost too much to choose from but once you get used to the programme, keep on flicking through to find all the many rooms available with sessions throughout the day, there is something for everyone.
There was live music near the end of the day which I thought was a lovely touch and I spent a happy ten minutes resting my stretching arms before I headed home.
Some other Allergy Show blogs…
I have been struggling with my itchy, lumpy skin for many $$$$!. Allergy testing showed dramatic reaction to linalool, limonene & therefore all the products that contain them which includes all citrus & some strange foods or skin care products that make life very difficult.
I also have sun allergy.
My GP & new dermatologist have done biopsies, the last one testing positive for Jessners Disease.
I would love some help on how to care for my demented skin as there seems no way to stop the lumps coming
Please help!!!
Hi Teri, I feel your pain. I am not an expert, just a person with eczema, nodular prurigo and allergies. What I’ve found helps is to avoid triggers, obviously, but also, it’s massively improved if i cut out processed foods. Search this blog top right for links and advice on how i do this. Eat natural, cook from scratch, avoid processed foods and that helped me, but it might not help you at all. YOu should also check out the FreeFRom skincare awards products, see link above in the blog, for skincare products that will be kind to your skin.
Thanks Ruth, I’m in New Zealand so don’t have access to the foods mentioned . It’s good to know there’s another person to talk to. The expensive dermatologists were happy to do the skin tests, all 115 from some standard chart but are certain food would not affect my skin!!! I’m interested in this ‘new’ branch of psychology – derma psychology is it?
Well foods affect my skin… why wouldn’t they? Especially if you get eczema and broken skin. Thanks for the comment and sorry you can’t buy this stuff! Come and visit 🙂