6 Best Bites at the Canadian Health Food Association Trade Show
Photo illustration by Aimee Nishitoba.
The Canadian Health Food Association’s annual trade show—held last weekend at Exhibition Place—is a two-day marathon for businesses selling everything from supplements to coffee to soup mixes.
While the show isn’t open to the public, I’ve had the opportunity to visit for a couple of years now; both times, the experience has been enlightening (the latest trends in health products are on full display here), sometimes overwhelming (there’s over 1,200 exhibitors), and perhaps the best way to single out the brands actually delivering on better-for-you foods that also taste good. After a full day of tasting supplemented chocolate bars, chia seed jams, collagen waters and more, I brought home a suitcase’s worth of samples I still hadn’t tried. While I’m still making my way through them, a few items stood out—ones I think you’ll love, too. Here’s a few favourites:
Kaiser Frozen Oat Dessert
A spoon of the salted caramel oat-based ice cream from this Quebec-founded brand might be the single best thing I tasted in my hours of walking up and down the aisles at the CHFA. I’m used to dairy-free ice cream either tasting a little watery from the lack of fat, or too much like cashew milk. Kaiser’s options, on the other hand, are truly dreamy and don’t feel like an alternative to dairy. While these oat-based chocolate, mint chocolate chip and vanilla bean pints are currently only available across Quebec, that may soon change.
Terra Granola, $9
A granola that gets its crunch from toasted oats and nuts instead of how dense the clusters are —honestly, that kind hurts your teeth!—is a winner in my books. This cranberry-coconut version from B.C.-based Terra Breads is so delicious, and sold in large-format bags so you can actually go a week without running out of it. Also available at Sobey’s, Fortinos, and Summerhill Market locations.
Cooler Co. Raspberry Rose Kombucha, $45 for a 12-can pack
Floral, tart, lightly sweet: this fizzy fermented tea sipper is currently available in B.C. only, but hopefully distribution expands over the next little while. For all the ginger- and berry-flavoured kombuchas there are on the market, this rose-scented one is truly special.
Gummy Gainz Green Apple Protein Gummies, $30 for a 6-bag box
In all honesty, I don’t love the idea of adding protein to food products that aren’t already considered some kind of protein source; often, it means pumping it full of whey protein isolate and results in chalky flavour and texture. These gummies are different. They’re sweetened with sugar, so they actually taste like candy, and while they’re a little softer than, say, your traditional gummy bear texture, they’re delicious. Also available directly from their website.
Collective Arts Botany Sparkling Peach Water, $10 for 4-can pack
Chatelaine is a big fan of Collective Arts in general–their zero-proof cocktails and craft brews are all hits—and their recent relaunch of their flavoured sparkling water lineup is no exception. While there are a few supplements such as Magnesium and Vitamin C mixed in, we’re drinking this for the taste only: the peach flavour is strong but not sweet, with just enough cardamom to give it an interesting second note.
Gingerbug Cranberry Ginger Ale (prices vary)
As a fan of Vernor's original-recipe ginger ale—which used to have way more kick that it does these days—I love Gingerbug's spicy and lightly ginger ale. This holiday season, they're releasing a cranberry version that should be hitting shelves in the next two weeks. It's delicious, and well worth looking out for.
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Chantal Braganza is a writer and editor living in Toronto. She is deputy editor, food at Chatelaine, a cookbook nerd, lover of vintage dish ware, and currently training for yoga teacher certification. Her first book, Story of Your Mother, is out with Strange Light Press.
