Year by year we’ve been seeing major trends in the food industry. From eating organic, the Paleo diet, gluten free, grass fed and locally sourced products eating according to popular media is getting harder and harder. Furthermore, it seems impossible for any one brand to keep up with every trend. Fortunately, the next big food movement is going to make eating right a lot simpler.
I had the opportunity to attend the FounderMade food summit in LA which featured speakers such as Dave Asprey of Bulletproof and Elizabeth Stein of Purely Elizabeth. While each speaker has a different theory on what type of diet is best for our health, they all emphasized the same thing: transparency in food is the next big movement. Consumers want products that have few ingredients, all of which they can pronounce. Luckily for us this means we’re going to be wasting less time reading the ingredients labels and have trust that when we walk into a supermarket we are going to be receiving quality products. While I was at FounderMade I got a sneak peek at some of the amazing new brands you will be seeing more of soon, each of them are making eating (real food) a whole lot easier.
KNOW Foods
The name of this brand pretty much says it all: KNOW what is in your food. What makes KNOW special? They have simplified some of our favorite products; from waffles to bread to donuts, KNOW has some of the tastiest and cleanest products available. Nearly every product is made with a base of coconut, almonds, egg whites, chia seeds and flax seeds, with just a few different ingredients added to each other product. Another great feature? KNOW foods still follows many of the trends we have seen emerging over the past few years. Their products are always GMO free, grain free, and free of added sugars. Don’t give up your favorite foods, just make sure you know what’s in them.
Naughty Noah’s
As college students, we are expected to essentially live off ramen. Unfortunately, for those of us who care about what we put in our bodies, chicken flavored Cup Noodles isn’t exactly the most appealing choice. Still, it’s sometimes necessary to have a quick lunch or snack on the go. And sometimes, only noodles can fill that craving. That is where Naughty Noah’s steps in. CIA graduate and restaurateur Jimmy Trinh is looking to disrupt the quick noodle market with Naughty Noah’s vegan pho. Everything comes in a reusable and recyclable container: rice noodles, spices, avocado or coconut oil. All you need to do is add hot water and you have delicious and authentic tasting pho that you will feel great about even after you eat it. In case you aren’t convinced yet, Naughty Noah’s won best vegan product of the year at Expo West as well as the pitch competition at FounderMade. If you head to their website now you can receive your first order of pho for free as soon as they launch. Ready to try it out? Go get Naughty with Noah’s and get a free sample at www.naughtynoahs.com
Nomva
The biggest difficulty (regarding food) in freshman year of college? Getting fresh produce. The main street of nearly every college campus is lined with pizzerias, Taco Bell and other fast food chains, but none of it is fresh. Nomva is redefining what fast food is. They sell pouched vegetable and fruit smoothies to grab on the go. What makes NomVa better than the competition? Then they add probiotics to their smoothies to support digestion and your immune system (#monofree).
The Yes Bar
YES, there are hundreds of different bars on the market, but none of them quite stand up to The YES Bar. It is tiring reading all of the ingredients on the back of bar labels, but with YES you don’t have to worry about that. All of the bars are free of refined sugars, are made with crunchy nuts and seeds and add-ins such as dark chocolate or dried apricots. The YES Bar is seriously one of the best I’ve tried, and that is saying a lot as I consider myself a bar connoisseur. They currently have four flavors, and while all of them are amazing, my favorite might just be their savory “black sesame sea salt” flavor. Even Oprah likes The YES Bar- they were invited to participate in her OWN Health and Wellness Festival.
Siren
Sometimes you just want to eat brownies. Or cookies. Or cake. Unfortunately, those often aren’t the healthiest options. Don’t fret; Siren snacks is coming soon to fix that. Their protein bites come in all of those flavors, without any of the bad stuff. Every flavor is completely free of the common allergens and is boosted up with pea protein, one of the best sources of plant-based protein. Don’t worry though, they definitely do not taste like peas, just your favorite desserts.
Tio Gazpacho
What if I told you you could have gourmet soup available in your kitchen every day of the week? Sounds expensive, right? Not with Tio Gazpacho. Started by Austin Allan and backed by michelin-star chef Jose Andres Tio Gazpacho soups are sure to be delicious, easy and inexpensive. Each soup is made with only the freshest ingredients so every flavor can shine through. Tio comes in six original flavors but they have recently release a new line with chef Andres to be sold at Beefsteak in LA as well as two new flavors: Maiz & Fresa. You’ll be transported to a michelin star restaurant in Spain with Tio Gazpacho, all without breaking your bank.
Love the Wild
Love The Wild could not make cooking dinner any easier. In fact, there are so few steps, I’m not sure it’s considered cooking. Love The Wild produces oven ready fish filets with pre-made sauces that you just wrap up in the pre-cut parchment paper and stick in the oven. Have no fear about where your fish is being sourced from; Love The Wild works with the purpose of transforming aquaculture into a sustainable industry all about integrity. Their fish may be farmed, but they are transparent about the farms they are sourcing from and are sure that the fish contains none of the chemicals or hormones that have become synonymous with farmed fish.
Be ahead of the trend. Transparency with food is in and you know the brands that are starting it off.