If you are self-catering abroad, what do you pack by way of food?

[Lovemenorca]

Single parent two children

Usually we do all inclusive or half board. This year our big hol is in Feb so I’ve booked a simple air bnb for a week in Spain. There’s a full kitchen. I’m looking to only eat out for dinners. So planning to “cook” for breakfast and lunch.

Lovely town. No big supermarket close by. A large corner shop that does phenomenal fresh fruit salad and veg. But limited in terms of dried goods.

We are no foodies. And I’m not interested in cooking elaborate dishes or sourcing local specialties. We are very active and eat to fuel and it’s a lot of veg, fruit, salad, avocados, salmon, chicken, Greek yoghurt etc and i will get these locally.

However, I’d like to take the kefir yoghurts that I love that I know won’t be available and also some cream cheese. Can I pack these items in a cooling lunch box with an ice pack in it - and do you think ok for a total of 7/8 hours door to door (transfers flight etc)?

Planning on bringing some packets of microwaveable rice, tins of Wild salmon and also tins of tuna - so then I can mix eg rice, tin of tuna, tinned sweet corn and a splash of soy sauce (my children LOVE this!). Also I’ll bring some tortillas and then I’ll fill with cream cheese and ham that I’ll buy out there and they can have but the pool. I’ll get a load of salad from the shop and have with the tinned tuna I’ve brought from home.

Breakfast - I’ll bring porridge sachets (so then I just need to buy milk) , dried apricots and dates for topping. And we will also have lots of fruit and maybe some toast.

I drink almond milk - I’ll pack the long life version as wont be able to get there

So my question is re whether possible to bring a small amount of refrigerated food if backed in hold luggage in a cooking bag with cooking packs inside?

And then curious about what you bring by way of dried food for self catering abroad holidays?

Purely on personal experience I take to Spain:

Teabags
Porridge oats
Decent Salad dressings - yes I know they're easy to make but I'd rather not have to
Halloumi
Marmite
Stock cubes

I've struggled to find some Indian spices/curry powder and giant flat mushrooms so I'm thinking of including those next time.

Coming back I bring:

Their enormous red peppers
Pickles from the market, eg garlic
pimenton

You can transport most things if you bubble wrap it and pack in cardboard to prevent crushing.

This thread is just an advert for kefir yoghurt !

Or is it just me who has never heard of it ...but will now have to look for it and buy it 😁😁😁

Tom was making Kefir on the Archers recently so it's quite well known! He stopped because no one liked it

I bring herb tea bags, decaf coffee and a portable coffee cone and filters. As long as I get my coffee fix in the morning and a cup or two of camomile at night I am happy for the rest of my food to be an adventure and see what the local shops and restaurants have to offer.

Currently self catering in spain...tbis is what I took with me:
Dried pasta
Tin of tuna
Cheddar cheese
Bags of Peanuts
Concentrated squash
Tea bags and sweetners
Mixed herbs/spices
Packets of biscuits
Pringles
Cereal bars
Sweets
Peanut butter
Mayonnaise
Washing sachets
Bin bags

Mad I know but the supermarket here is so inflated.... Like £5+ for a packet of simple cereal or £3 for a tin of beans.

We only took one hold 23kg bag for the 3 of us and have plenty of clothes in their too.

By next summer if the UK has left the EU you will be very unlikely to be allowed to bring food stuffs, particularly dairy into the EU.

By next summer if the UK has left the EU you will be very unlikely to be allowed to bring food stuffs, particularly dairy into the EU

We went to Norway recently via the EU. We were allowed to bring in a lot of food, although there was some restrictions on meat and potatoes. But hey, they have a decent friendly arrangement with the EU.

Well op you seem to have asked a very offensive question somehow?

Some people are so full of bile it’s a wonder they haven’t digested themselves.

If I were taking yoghurt on a flight I’d put it in a Tupperware box with frozen blocks in the hold luggage.
Ime tinned Tina is available throughout Spain.

Have a lovely holiday.

Norway is in the single market and subject to EU regulation on food

Norway is in the single market and subject to EU regulation on food

I know. Here's to hoping that we do some kind of deal so people who go abroad with cars, caravans etc don't face searches at customs for 'illicit food'...and of course, the Irish Border (off topic but interesting)

I know. Here's to hoping that we do some kind of deal so people who go abroad with cars, caravans etc don't face searches at customs for 'illicit food'...and of course, the Irish Border (off topic but interesting)

We used to do camping holidays by car all over continental Europe and Ireland before the UK joined the Common Market. I don't remember ever being searched for illicit food, or anything else.

I remember being stopped and our bags checked by customs all the time going between Greece, our home, and the UK for holiday. In both directions.