Kate Farrell, here with your review of FNCE (The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ 2016 Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo). This year’s conference was recently held in Boston, and I got the opportunity to attend.
When I attended the expo, I was shocked to see that it had more than 350 exhibitors. I seriously underestimated the size of the conference and expo (there were ten thousand attendees) and didn’t give myself enough time to really visit all of the booths- I’d say I made it to about 65% of them, if you can believe it- and this still took me hours. I’ve outlined some of my highlights and thoughts from the event below:
5 Key Takeaways from the Conference
So who was there, anyway? The conference and expo presented “latest technologies, new and innovative products and services, and emerging trends”. This was in addition to all the awesome food items the conference had to flaunt.
The expo was broken up into six themed pavilions:
- Fresh Zone
- Food Safety & Agriculture
- Natural & Organic
- Wellness & Prevention
- Healthy Gut
- Technology for Practice
1. Technology:
The new technologies featured at the conferenced were pretty balanced throughout, with an emphasis on classically understood “good for you” items– you know, the ones whose importance never goes out of style (cue Taylor Swift here).
For example, my favorite new technology was a portable massager. It was so strangely relaxing to feel my muscles jumping around!
1. The Food:
There were booths for lentils and pulses, tomatoes, walnuts, whole grains, and pecans, all of which were great. There were also a whole lot of new and trendy specialty food items. What a cool balance of the classic good foods for the old, and then the new!
Some of the favorite products that I sampled or directly after at the event included:
- Zevia’s stevia-sweetened sparkling water in blackberry
- Froozer’s fruit and vegetable pops (perfect for post-workout in the summer- YUM)
- EatEnlightened’s new cinnamon and cocoa roasted broad beans (#ThoseMacrosTho)- such handy snacks, and each satisfies and tastes amazing.
3. It’s All About Wellness:
There was even a section of the expo hall set aside for those who wanted to take a break and do yoga (without any new, fancy twists).
Further proof that nutrition and health is about wayyyy more than just the food you’re eating each day.
4. The Community:
I really enjoyed talking to people who had come from all over the country to share their businesses, services, and products with others who are passionate about healthy living and balance! Yes, I was so lucky to attend the event and try some amazing things, but connecting with people was what gave me energy after this event! I loved meeting the faces behind the brands that I see or buy regularly! Hearing some of the stories behind the creation of these products was really touching!
5. What I Learned:
The information that was available at the expo portion of the event (including the new nutritional guidelines) was very handy to have and to look through! My two favorite pages from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ handout are below!
As a nutrition nerd, I really loved poring over samples and information in light of some of the discussions I had at this conference! Glad to be a part of the #FitU community and to connect with so many people who really emphasize balance. Thanks for having me, FNCE!
Check out these articles too:
- What an Honest Fitstagram Actually Looks Like
- What You Need to Know About the New FDA Nutrition Labels
- Students Host First “Winning At Health” Symposium
- This Student is Biking 4,000 Miles for Young Adults with Cancer