(By: Sandy Eller) Once again, Kosherfest made its way to the Meadowlands, showcasing the best in kosher and ancillary products in what is always an exciting event. From exhibitors who have been part of the expo for years, to newcomers hoping to make their way into the rapidly-growing market, Kosherfest brings the Jewish world together in a trade show that speaks our universal language – food. More than just a networking event where you can also eat your way up and down the aisles while picking up swag, Kosherfest is all about the business of food. Still, it’s hard not to enjoy the expo and Yeshiva World News is proud to present its own Kosherfest Hall of Fame, highlighting some of the most intriguing components of this year’s show. In the interests of full disclosure, I should mention that I skipped all of the meat and wine booths at the show, so the fact that none of those products are mentioned here isn’t a reflection on their quality, it just means I didn’t want to be fleishic and wanted to be able to drive home. Best Bites – Green Valley Oreo-Coated Hazelnuts and Lotus-Coated Cashews I don’t think too many people besides me even noticed these delicious goodies, sitting in a small tray off to the side of the Green Valley display that included assorted nuts, spreads and oils. But having fallen in love with Oreo-coated nuts at the Machane Yehuda shuk last month, I was thrilled to see them at Kosherfest and they were every bit as good as I remembered. Sadly, they aren’t available yet in the United States, but hopefully they will make it here soon. Best Adult Snack – Wild Country Vegetarian Tapas Imported from the Philippines, these thin, seasoned strips were set out at the show to look like jerky and would look fabulous on a meat board, but – surprise, surprise – they are actually made out of coconut, with nary a trace of cow to be found anywhere. These organic snacks aren’t just gluten-free, they are also guilt-free and taste-full. Best Dairy Product – Norman’s Farmstand Fruit N’ Yogurt Smoothy How many times do you find yourself running out to the house, wishing you could just grab something quick that you could eat on the run? Looking very much like an overgrown leben pouch, Norman’s new cholov yisroel Smoothy fills that niche and is about to hit store shelves in the coming weeks. These shakes pack a nice amount of calcium and protein while still coming in at less than 200 calories and should make it through airport TSA checkpoints if you freeze them, making them a great choice for flyers of all ages. Best Treat – Mr. Joy! Cool Cups Italian ices are always a crowd pleaser but I have always found myself wishing that someone made them in a smaller size for kids, who inevitably leave half their ices over. Available in a cherry, lemon-lime, berry and strawberry 8-pack, these 1.34 ounce mini Cool Cups are on the soft side when frozen, a great texture that makes these easy to squeeze and eat. Best packaging – La Carreta Pura Pina Pineapple Juice You can’t go wrong with sweet baby pineapple juice from Guatemala, but the packaging here was a real gamechanger. […]
The post The Best of the Best – YWN Kosherfest Hall of Fame [PHOTOS & VIDEO] appeared first on The Yeshiva World.