Back in 2013, I attended the first GFAFExpo (Gluten Free Allergen Free Expo) in Secaucus, New Jersey as an official blogger. That two day event was such a big eye opener. Not only did I feel that I am not alone in this gluten free, food allergy journey, it also made me realize that there are indeed brands that cater to our community’s special needs and actually care.
Since then my family and I have been consistently attending every year. In fact, last year, my daughters started to volunteer. Even my little (not so little anymore) boys always look forward to be at the expo every Fall.
Now, you might ask why am I still excited to go after all these years. Well, I can go on and on about my reasons.
If you haven’t been in one, then let me sum it up to these 5 reasons.
Never Ending Samples
When I started in our food allergy journey, I’ve spent so much money on food alternatives. I’m not just referring to the price of gluten free and allergy friendly items. What I’m talking about is the amount of food I have to throw out because my children refused to eat it after one bite.
Every year, more and more vendors attend the GFAFExpo. While there are exhibitors that have been there from very the start, there are also new brands or products that show up. There were even times when businesses use the expo to launch their new products.
It’s really cool to try items before they even became available in our favorite stores.
Discounts and Coupons
Reality is gluten free and allergy friendly products are more expensive than most grocery store items. It is also rare to find coupons for these “prime” commodities. Almost all the brands in the expo give out coupons or even special discounts to the attendees.
There are even booths that also sell their products at a big discount during the event.
Even though, I am a blogger and gets coupons, discount codes or even freebies in the mail, I still stock up on our favorite items and the expo is the best place to find those sales.
Here’s a quick tip. Make sure to bring cash since many still don’t accept credit cards.
Classes
While the exhibit hall is fantastic, I recommend that you also check out the free classes they offer. Some of the speakers are doctors, dietitian and even fellow gluten free bloggers.
Each session is an hour long and there are Q and A at the end. It is really your chance to hear what experts say. If you’re lucky enough, you might have a new gluten free friend.
The People
In our experience (both mine and the kids), everybody from the staff, exhibitors and attendees are very nice, accommodating and helpful. I love that everyone looks out for each other especially during the sampling.
In a world filled with side comments or eye rolls, the GFAFExpo is our safe place. No judgments. Just pure concern.
The Amazing Goody Bag
Each ticket comes with a recyclable bag filled with coupons, informational flyers and yes, product samples. That bag’s value alone is worth more than regular adult pass of $15.
Speaking of entrance passes, the GFAFExpo in Secaucus, New Jersey this year will be on October 13 & 14 from 10 am to 3 pm.
The prices are:
- Adult One Day Pass – $15 + $1.82 (fee) = $16.82
- Adult Weekend Pass – $25 + $2.37 (fee) = $27.37
- Kids One Day Pass (3-12 yrs) – $5 + $1.27 (fee) = $6.27
- Kids Weekend Pass – $7 + $1.38 (fee) = $8.38
- Sunday Family Pass (2 adults + 6 kids) – $35 + $2.92 (fee) = $37.92
Since I know you like to save some money, if you buy the tickets now, get 20% OFF when you use the promo code ADVANCE at checkout. This discount is only available until Oct. 12, 2018. So don’t wait until the last minute.
So, are you excited to attend this year’s GFAFExpo in New Jersey too?
Then please follow me on Instagram and Twitter as I’ll be doing live posts during the event. It will great to see you there as well.
(Note: This post contains affiliate links. While no extra costs to you, I’ll receive a small commission on any purchase made thru the links. Please see my full disclosure here.)
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An expo sounds like a brilliant way to network. Thanks for sharing such great tips.