Going out to eat can be a bummer sometimes when you’re trying to follow a clean eating plan/Paleo diet. I have to be super paranoid when I order anything in a restaurant and ask a lot of questions just to make sure I don’t get sick from something on my plate. And as for fairs and festivals? Forget it. I can pretty much count myself out when it comes to eating anything at a public event like that. So when I came across the announcement for the Taste of Paleo right here in southern California, I was so excited.
What is the Taste of Paleo?
Taste of Paleo is an annual paleolithic food festival that features vendors, products, sample tastings, food, drink, and speakers, all related to the Paleo lifestyle. I was a little nervous because it was about 90 degrees that day, and I thought we’d be outside baking in the sun (I don’t do well in high heat these days). But when Jeremy and I arrived, we were pleasantly surprised to find that it was a (mostly) indoor event complete with air conditioning! The eating area was on an outside patio, but there was ample shade and a nice breeze (along with live music), so it couldn’t have been a more perfect setting for this primal celebration.
It was so nice to feel relatively comfortable eating the food. I still asked plenty of questions about ingredients and how everything was prepared, but I felt very comfortable doing so in a setting like this. We tasted various dishes which were all delicious and healthy. Jeremy enjoyed some sangria, as they also offered cocktails (yes, even Paleo has cheat days), and there were several Paleo treat options for those who wanted to indulge a little. I even splurged on a grain-free brownie for dessert (while Jeremy had the dairy-free coconut ice cream), and why not? It was a special occasion, after all.
Vendors and Products at the Taste of Paleo
Between a few items I purchased and the fun stuff we received in our Taste of Paleo goodie bags, we were left with lots of great items to try out. I was excited to finally pick up a bottle of this Paleo-approved mayo from Primal Kitchen (I have yet to actually try it though), and I’m already addicted to this grain-free granola from PaleoKrunch (I was never a big granola person, but I add a little coconut milk to it, and it’s pretty darn good). Other goodies included organic chicken bone broth from The Brothery, chocolate cake mix from Cake Therapy (yes, another splurge), and complimentary copies of Paleo Magazine (one of the sponsors and one of my favorite publications).
I was happy to discover new vendors and products, and appreciated the very welcoming, community vibe. Although I’m stocked up on my primal goodies for now, I’m already looking forward to next year’s event.
To stay up to date about Taste of Paleo events, be sure to follow their social media pages. You can find those links here.
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