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Christmas

If you live abroad, which foods from the UK do you miss?

32 replies

BikeRunSki · 24/11/2012 16:53

My sister and her family live in France and I am planing on sending them a "British" christmas food hamper (shoe box probably!).

On the list so far:

Cadbury's chocolate
Walker's crisps
Crumpets
Bread sauce mix

What else? - I wasn't planning anything fancy, just ordinary food that is difficult to get abroad.

OP posts:
TheSandstoneCat · 24/11/2012 16:55

Marmite, tea (nothing special - Red Label is good),

LIZS · 24/11/2012 16:57

Decent tea bags
Mcvities biscuits
Packet mixes like custard powder
Fruit cake/xmas pud

EnglishGirlApproximately · 24/11/2012 16:58

When I lived in France I could have killed for a decent cuppa so tea should go on the list. I also found it hard to get any good ethnic food so if they like Indian, Chinese, Thais etc. you could get some spices, pastes etc. (it was rural where I lived so if they're in Paris this might not be a problem!)

C0smos · 24/11/2012 17:00

Maltesers
Cream eggs
Heinz spaghetti hoops
Heinz Tom sauce
Walkers crisps
Muller yogurt - probably don't want to post that though!

GingerPCatt · 24/11/2012 17:03

Not me, but we always take winegums and Jaffa cakes and skips to the States for dh's family.

Nicknamegrief · 24/11/2012 17:05

Bread sauce is far better and very easy to make yourself. Send her the recipe if she uses a mix.

Food I struggle to get include

Lemon curd, marmalade, hot chocolate, marmite, crackers (like carrs), salt and vinegar crisps, malt loaf, Branston pickle, squash (although not really postable).

Things like wine gums and liquorice allsorts are also not readily available.

The problem you may find is that French food can be a lot nicer than English food.

A lovely idea though.

Sagelynodding · 24/11/2012 17:08

Are you my sister?
Dairy milk
Crisps (salt n vinegar)
Proper bacon
Proper black pudding
Mince pies
Fondant fancies
Crumpets
Hot cross buns
Twiglets
Marmite
Jelly

I hope you are my sister!

racingheart · 24/11/2012 17:35

When I lived in France I used to dream of proper teabags, marmite, decent wholemeal sliced bread for toasting, Dorset muesli.

BikeRunSki · 24/11/2012 17:36

Sagelynodding - judging by your wish list, i might be your sister.
My sister (whoever she may be) has lived in France for 18 years, and acknowleges that French food is indeed truly superior, but, in her words "the Brist are so much better at everyday rubbish".

She has tried making her ow bread sauce but is not much of a cook and prefers the packet mix. Probably because our mum is not much of a cook, so that's what we Chritmased on as children.

OP posts:
Sagelynodding · 24/11/2012 17:38

It's not you, dammit :)

Nicknamegrief · 24/11/2012 17:40

Then paxo may go down well too as well as Bisto.

Worcester sauce.

You may need a bigger box :)

BigBirdisSaved · 24/11/2012 17:41

Thornton's viennese truffles!
Maltesers
Ribena
Skips and Monster munch
Branston

ilovemydogandMrObama · 24/11/2012 17:44

coleman's mustard
horseradish
piccalilly
HP

happymummy2010 · 24/11/2012 17:44

If you live in NZ, do you miss similar foods to those listed above ? My dad and family live there and I am looking for ideas as to what to include in their food parcel...

SlightlySuperiorPeasant · 24/11/2012 17:45

Jelly cubes
Coleman's mustard

SlightlySuperiorPeasant · 24/11/2012 17:45

Oh, and spice mix packets for things like jerk chicken.

queenofthepirates · 24/11/2012 18:00

Decent cheese but then I lived in Japan where it was hard to come by. France has its fair share of good fromage.
Anything by Mr Kipling

gregssausageroll · 24/11/2012 18:14

Chocolate. Australian chocolate is grim.

mrsnec · 24/11/2012 18:19

Yes to packet stuff. We cope with what we can get here but DPILs always get stuff sent over like Shreddies Daddies sauce and instant Birds Custard. I miss Spanish food more than English though (Can't find Saffron or Smoked Paprika here) and I miss some fruit and veg too. Parsnips, Rhubarb, Blackberries and Asparagus in particular.

solittletime · 24/11/2012 18:19

Horseradish, but maybe you can get that in France.
Jaffa cakes

BikeRunSki · 24/11/2012 18:38

Sagely, I'll send you a food parcel too!

They live near Nice so ethnic foods are not a problem.

OP posts:
mrsnec · 24/11/2012 19:01

This may sound a bit silly but do they have pets? E.g We have a cat who is very much loved but the Whiskas range is limited here so DM always shoves a couple of packs of Beef Temptations into our food parcels!

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AFingerofFudge · 24/11/2012 19:06

When I lived in France I travelled back to England for the day once (lived in northern France!) just to buy Christmas pudding, gravy, stuffing, and proper tea.
Nowadays I hanker after all the things I can't get here but could get in France (mostly thinking of cote d'or milk chocolate which I would kill for!)

kensingtonkat · 24/11/2012 19:11

Yorkshire Gold tea. When I was working in India I used to find even the most expensive Assam and Darjeeling undrinkable. Turns out they export the best tea leaves to the UK.

Jammie Dodgers, Jaffa Cakes and Mr Kipling pies.

English chocolate and chocolate biscuits.

English crisps - Hula Hoops, Skips, Monster Munch, Chipsticks.

Colman's Mustard.

Rosa · 24/11/2012 19:11

In my British Corner Shop Basket I have at the moment ...
Weetabix ( varied),
HEinz, Ketchup and HP sauce
Mnce Pies, Stuffing , Cake and pudding ( small)
Baking powder
REd piping icing
Various flaours of crisps
Heinz Baked beans
Christmas chocs
Galaxy present things
Tubes of malteesers and jelly tots
Various biscuits ( sweet and savoury)
silverskin onions
Branston and Bacon
Salad cream

I still have about 50% off the box to fill and have every intention of doing it. I do an order once a year twice if its Xmas abroad .....

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