Eating the NACUFS show floor: 30 items for on-trend college dining

For the National Association of College & University Foodservices, summer 2022 marked the return of an in-person conference and the opportunity to touch, taste and smell new food products at the trade show. We tried everything on this list, from plant-based fried chicken (seen everywhere!) to plant-based salmon sushi to meatless meatballs and boneless bone broth to real-meat “charcuterie cocktails” to cauliflower-crusted pizza to a pizza-making robot to luxe pasta to feeling the heat with iconic green chiles and hot sauce-spiked lemonade (surprisingly tasty!) to upcoming global sleeper hits like customizable boba and dippable cannoli.

The theme of NACUFS’ conference this year was “Find Your Reason,” and conference organizers planned to help attendees—college foodservice pros and the manufacturers who serv them—refuel their passion, ready their team and celebrate their resiliency.

“It has been two years since we have been able to connect in person and experience one of the top benefits of a NACUFS membership,” conference chair and foodservice leader Zia Ahmed said in a letter to membership.