Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo 2026: Everything US Attendees Need to Know

If you work with food and nutrition the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo is a deal in 2026. You really need to be if you are a dietitian someone who studies nutrition or if you work with food. This is where everyone in the nutrition business in the United States gets together.

This guide has all the details, about when it happens, where it’s what you can do there. You can find out about the talks and how to meet new people. It also tells you what to expect when you walk around the expo floor.

What Is the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo (FNCE)?

The Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo, which is also known as the FNCE is a big deal for people who work with food and nutrition. This is the meeting of its kind in the world. The FNCE happens every fall in places across the United States. It is an event for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

The Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo draws a crowd of more, than 10,000 people. These people include registered dietitian nutritionists and nutrition and dietetic technicians also known as NDTRs. The Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo also has healthcare providers and policymakers and researchers and industry leaders who attend it.

It’s the Super Bowl of nutrition science. This is where new nutrition trends are discussed, cutting edge research is presented, professional certifications are earned and careers are built. If you want to stay relevant in the field of nutrition and dietetics in the US, attending the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo is not just helpful, it is pretty much a necessity.

FNCE 2026: Date, Venue and Details

Here’s the quick facts version every US attendee needs to know.

• Event Name: Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo 2026 (FNCE® 2026) 
• Dates: 24–27 October, 2026
• Location: San Antonio, Texas
• Organizer: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) 
• Attendance—10,000+ Professionals Expected 
• Who Should Attend RDNs, NDTRs, nutrition researchers, clinical dietitians, foodservice managers, public health professional, wellness coach, nutrition students

San Antonio is a wonderful host city, full of culture, walkable and has world-class dining options that complement a conference about food and health.” Book your hotel early, rooms around the convention center fill up fast once registration opens!

Why US Nutrition Professionals Should Join FNCE 2026

Every year the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo deals with the problems that affect what people eat in America. You can look at the talks and discussions that will happen in 2026 about things, like:

1. New Developments in Medical Nutrition Therapy

FNCE sessions feature robust clinically actionable content, from managing chronic illness such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity to the latest evidence in gut health and microbiome. It is not just talk on the surface. These are credentialed, peer-reviewed, for working professionals.”

2. Food Technology & Health Innovation

Food science and technology convergence is changing rapidly. Sessions on precision nutrition, AI-driven diet analysis tools, personalized nutrition plans and plant-based food innovation – all transforming how dietitians counsel patients in the US – will be on offer.

3. Public Health Policy and Nutrition

For years, FNCE has been a forum where nutrition science and policy advocacy come together. Sessions on food equity, results from the SNAP program, school nutrition standards and community nutrition programs highlight the real difference US dietitians are making outside of the clinic walls.

4. Mental health and food

The gut-brain axis remains one of the most exciting frontiers in nutritional science. Look for heavy sessions on the link between diet, mental health outcomes and behavioral nutrition — an ever-expanding area of practice for US dietitians.

5. Sports Nutrition and Athletic Performance

When you work with athletes or people who exercise on weekends, FNCE always gives the sports nutrition. FNCE also provides hydration science. FNCE offers really good performance diet advice. FNCE is the place to go for sports nutrition hydration science and performance diet advice from FNCE.

6. CEU’s (Continuing Education Units)

There are a slew of practical reasons for US dietitians to attend Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo each year, not least of which is the opportunity to earn a goodly number of Continuing Professional Education Units (CPEus). FNCE is one of the most efficient ways to complete your RDN recertification requirements in one event.

What to Expect in the Exhibit Hall at FNCE 

Here’s what to look for on the exhibit floor:

• Food and Beverage Brands Introduce New Products with Better-for-You Formulations
• Medical Nutrition Companies enteral and parenteral nutrition products
• Health Tech Startups Offering Telehealth Platforms and AI Nutrition Apps
• Education Providers & Continuing Education Publishers Public Health Nutrition Programs Non-Profit & Government Organizations

Pro tip: be ready. The expo floor is huge and can be slightly overwhelming. Download the FNCE app before you arrive, map out the booths you can’t miss and leave room for serendipitous discoveries — some of the best conversations at FNCE happen spontaneously.

How to Make the Most of Networking at FNCE 2026

If you’ve been attending the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo for many years, you’ll know this is true: the hallway conversations are just as valuable as the sessions. “FNCE is an environment where a newly licensed RDN might find themselves in a deep conversation with a policymaker at the USDA or a researcher whose paper they assigned to students last semester.

Networking tips for FNCE 2026:  

Take part in member-only events. The Academy has affiliate meetups, specialty group meetups and poster sessions—these are great ways to meet people in your niche.

Use the conference app to your advantage. Many conference apps now provide a way to see who else is coming and even to set up one-on-one meetings ahead of time.

Be deliberate on LinkedIn. Meet speakers and new contacts right away — there’s no waiting until you get home.

Do volunteer—FNCE is always in need of volunteers for its sessions. “It’s a great way to get free access to the sessions and meet the professionals inside the room,” he said.

Be present at the opening ceremony. It sets the tone for the whole event and often has very powerful keynote messages that create great conversation throughout the conference.

Tips for First-Time US Attendees

If this is your first time at the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo — welcome! You’re in for a treat. Here are some things you can do to get started on the right foot:

Sign up early. Save hundreds with early-bird registration rates. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics usually opens registration a few months prior to the event — watch for updates on the official FNCE website (eatrightpro.org).

Reserve Your Hotel Today. The Academy works with hotels near the venue to block rooms, and they sell out fast. Being close to the convention center saves a ton of time and energy over the course of 4 days.

Reserve your session ahead of time. FNCE has a lot of sessions going on at the time every day. Take a look at the sessions that’re available before you go so you can make a plan for what you want to do. FNCE has many sessions you will not be able to do everything. You will have to pick the sessions that’re important, to you based on what you are doing now with FNCE and what you want to do with FNCE in the future with your career.

Shoes that are comfortable. For real.  You’ll walk miles in convention halls, expo floors and hotel corridors. Your feet will thank you.

Bring plenty of business cards. Or at least have a QR code to your LinkedIn profile handy on your phone. Networking is a big part of FNCE and you want to make it easy for people to reconnect.

Who Should Attend the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo

The people who go to FNCE are one of the things about it. The Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo is something that a lot of professionals are interested, in. Some of the people who attend FNCE include:

• People who are registered dietitian nutritionists work in lots of places. They work in schools and private practices. Some of them even work in hospitals and corporate wellness programs.
• Registered Dietitian. People who are NDTRs work, in universities. They also work for the government in agencies. Some of these people do research in nutrition science.
• Clinical Nutrition Managers responsible for foodservice management in healthcare settings
• Public health nutritionists in community and government programs Foodservice directors, operating nutrition programs at scale
• Dietetics Interns and Nutrition Students’ First Exposure in the Field Industry Leaders Food, Pharma, Health Tech & Wellness

That diversity makes the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo special. It is valuable. No matter what part of the nutrition world you are, in there is a community waiting for you at the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo.

FNCE 2026 – Save the Date: Highlights

The Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo is more than a conference for professionals. It is the heartbeat of the U.S. Nutrition and dietetics community. You will find that four days in San Antonio in October 2026 can really change how you think about your practice. It will connect you with collaborators and mentors that you won’t find else. The Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo will also give you access to the science that will shape how Americans eat and heal for years to come with the help of nutrition and dietetics. The conference is really, about food & nutrition. It will make a big difference.

Whether you’re there to earn CPEUs, walk the expo floor, present research, or connect with your professional community – FNCE 2026 has something meaningful for every career stage. Register early, book your hotel and get ready for the most valuable four days of your professional year. Don’t wait to plan your trip!

Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo 2026 is the beginning of the future of American nutrition. Are you gonna go to it?

Frequently Asked Questions