What can you get in the UK but not USA

[GreatestShowWoman]

Friend moving and wanting to put together a wee survival pack, what needs to go in?

Real cheese and bread that doesn’t have corn syrup in.

Seagulldown I accept your gracious apology.

I think that some in the US never learned how easy it is to bake from scratch and think a mix will guarantee success with little effort. It's all the bloody advertising.

We now have the Great American Bake Off show, modeled after yours.

MissConductUS, thank you. That will give me a new topic of conversation with my US relatives!

They love to cook, and cook very well from scratch, but the baking has always been from mixes. Maybe they are not natural bakers.

Another Brit in the US here. I'm in a mid size Midwest city and it's probably quite different to being in one of the big cities - no Trader Joes, World Market, Fresh Market or Whole Foods - there are a lot of things we wouldn't be able to find here. I know it isn't exciting but I would definitely appreciate a gift card from the British Corner Shop over actual food because a) as PPs have said, being laden down with last minute gifts is a nightmare when you are emigrating and b) I know what I can and can't get locally. www.britishcornershop.co.uk/british-corner-shop-gift-vouchers

I'm in Maine and I can get a lot mentioned here without even going anywhere other than a regular supermarket, and almost everything else very easily.

A British Corner Shop gift card is a really nice idea.

A friend who lived in Philly used to ask for Fairy Liquid and Topic bars!

What do they drink instead of squash?

Water, juice, dilute juice, fresh lemonade, lemonade made from powder, iced tea, fizzy water, milk.

I find it really weird now that people drink squash - it seems such an odd thing to do.

Another Brit in the US here, it’s a lovely thought but the last thing I’d want is any stuff when I’m about to emigrate. Not wanting to sound ungrateful but the care package would have either be eaten before I left or chucked in the bin as there would not have been space in my luggage. My advice it don’t do it. The vouchers suggested by PPs are a much better idea although if I’m completely honest there’s nothing I want that I can’t buy in my local grocery store(s). I’m in a big city though so plenty of food shopping options, that might be different if they’re moving somewhere more rural.

Elderflower cordial?

Could you not get a readily subscription?

That was for the poster missing grazia magazine

Crumpets !

You can get pretty much everything here, but it is sooo expensive and there are no amazing supermarkets (Waitrose... sigh) so you really have to shop around, it is wearing. I miss British shops.

And to all this suggesting the “British” food in Trader Joe’s (crumpets, shepherds pie, English blend tea etc. It’s utter shit, we all know this 😢)

Class
No trump
Royal weddings
Good education

“Good education” Mrs Snooty?

That’s patently untrue.

Subscription to Private Eye
and I agree with Copperbonnet's remark about education

Obesession with Class

Fixed that for you.

You can get a Private Eye subscription in the states Aviator DH has one.

A set of metric cups.

I find mot US recipes are measured in cups so metric cups will still work because the ratio is the same but it's easier to convert recipes if you have cups with ml measurement.

Ikea do them in plastic - they may be available in the USA.

If your friend cooks then a conversion chart or a cook book with a chart in might be useful.

I have an asian cookbook that list ingredients with their US and Australian names and substitutions.

The Private Eye subscription - although it's possible to set up your own subscription for that, or any other Brit mag., I mentioned this as something I do for my US family. My on-going Christmas present.

How about giving her a list of common words that are different in the US.

I can still remember my week long quest for a torch - until i realised I should be asking for a flashlight

I can start you off

Torch - flashlight
Earbud - Q tip
Rockett - Arugula
Double cream - Heavy cream
Duvet - Comforter
Trousers - Pants
Knickers - Panties
Vest - Undershirt
Waistcoat - Vest

Anyone else?

rubber - eraser?

Car boot- Trunk.
Car bonnet- Hood.
Petrol- Gas.
Motorway- Highway.

Chemist - Pharmacy
Courgette - Zucchini
Aubergine - eggplant
Fanny - Bum
Garden - Yard