This weekend brings one of the largest Free From events of the year, the Allergy & Free From Show taking place in Olympia, London from the 4th to the 6th July. Over 200 exhibitors will be filling the aisles with allergy friendly food and drink, cosmetics, hayfever and lifestyle products.
If you would like to register for free tickets to this event, please click here (if you go to the main page you will have to pay the standard rate of £7.50).
I will be at this event, helping out Isabel’s Free From on stand A177. Isabel is the woman behind the amazing gluten-free pizza base mixes (among her other incredible products) so do come and say hi to us. I promise not to be as freaked out as I was last year by random people telling me they follow me on Twitter. This year the secret code is “Hi Sam! I love your blog, and you are awesome!”
Isabel at her stand last year
It’s truly a great event to visit if you’re near London, especially as you can get to try so many amazing brands that are only sold online. I wrote about my experiences there last year: Allergy & Free From Show 2013: some thoughts
It’s a big event, so here are my top tips for success at this year’s allergy show:
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- Bring an empty wheely trolley or suitcase. You will find so many amazing products you want to try – and buy – and carrying plastic bags around is no fun whatsoever.
- Avoid Saturday lunchtime. Saturday lunchtime was by far the busiest time last year. The photo below does not do it justice!
Crowds at the Allergy Show
- If you or your children have allergies, check before you put ANYTHING in your mouths. The show has a diverse range of producers, and along with the Allergy show there are 3 others exhibiting in the same place: V Delicious (veggie & vegan), Love Natural Love Organic and the Back Pain Show. Please don’t assume anything is gluten-free unless you’ve checked.
- This is definitely a pet peeve of mine, but if you have kids, please keep an eye on where they put their hands. Last year I saw so many children touching the samples. If they are touching many different products with many different allergens, they could potentially make people very sick. To be fair, this goes for adults too! Only touch what you are going to eat!
- Be mindful of those around you. I know you are all lovely people, but be careful as you’re picking your way through the crowds. Last year I saw several vulnerable people being shoved and jostled, and even people in wheelchairs being trapped in the aisles as no one would let them through.
- But to end on a positive note: don’t eat before you go! Not only are there samples galore, but there are plenty of things to buy to eat there and then – gluten-free pizzas, paninis, soups, you name it!
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Have a great time!
I will be there and will come and say hi!