French supermarket must buys!

[STST]

Just that really; looking for some great suggestions of things to bring back from a french trip. Ideally non refrigerated things, there is only so much we can eat of fresh stuff before it all goes off.

So far I’ve got confit tins, chestnut puree, tins of french beans, fleur du sel….

Wanted also to bring some fresh fruit/veggies back, what is in season at the moment? Heard about Bertranne apples. Going to try to fit in a market as well.

Cashmere and stationery suggested by a Friend In The Know.

Any cookware/tableware things to look out for?

Also - does anyone know the ‘rankings’ of french supermarkets, quality/price wise? Is Auchan better than E.leclerc for example? Or Carrefour….

Tinned petit pois. Dried mushroom mixes. Tipiak tendres perles couscous. Whole black peppercorns. Dried bananas.

And my favourite, quatre-quarts.

(and other things already suggested)

Take a lot of money, everything seems very expensive to me in France, except wine (fortunately)

I can't believe no one has said orangina Haribo. And fizzy smurf Haribo.

Mustard crisps,
galette biscuits,
flavoured badoit (mint and lime both lovely), jockey fromage blanc,
Marseille soap,
nuit de calme night time tea,
fresh watercress, gésiers (confit in tins or vacuum packed in fridge),
Mustard in glasses
Cornichons
Potato sarladaise in freezer (potato slices in dick far with garlic and herbs)
Any neroli or verbena shower gel
Coffee puddings with whipped cream
Sugar cane yogurts
Ready made Herta croque monsieur

Well jel!

PS I know some of the above can be got from Ocado but really random what they have in stock

@turnthebiglightoff - is aligot tinned/fresh/frozen?

@LefttoherownDevizes

dick far

being france, assuming it is duck fat. But potatoes in dick sounds like a novel variation…..great list, thank you so much!

I'm in France and get ridiculously excited about visiting UK supermarkets!

Some random things I have to take back for DD, anchovies packed in salt (under 2€ here, £6 in her local shop), Poulain chocolate spread, jars of chestnuts from Lidl, rouille and lumpfish roe.

Bonne maman raspberry sables

Big fat juicy prunes! Perfect to end a meal with a cup of coffee and a square of good chocolate.

Oh the almond (amande) shower creme is fantastic. Dop is the best!

@GrimDamnFanjo

There's a supermarket shower gel brand which is great. Petit something? Homeoplasmine is my go to skin stuff. Lovely soaps. Rillete

Do you mean Le Petit Marseillais? They have an amazing range but not a supermarket brand.

I’m just heading out to do my supermarché shop and this has made me laugh. We’ve just come back from the UK with our suitcases rammed and everything rationed until Christmas.

Cashmere jumpers are probably from Monoprix rather than Carrefour

Uhm will there be customs issues because of Brexit?

Only if you have more than 350 euros worth of stuff.

Garbit Taboulé, the mint one. I’d buy dozens of boxes, bloody love it.

Kiri cheese, although I can find it locally in the U.K., especially in Polish shops.

Pastis, multiple bottles. It’s stupidly expensive in the U.K. I’m already planning a big trolley shop en route back from a school trip. 😳

Chocolate granules to make hot chocolate or milkshake. Lots of brands but nicer than powder.

Knorr carton soup. Chicken noodle is particularly good.

I know you said nothing chilled but pork rillettes on some baguette from the bakery is the stuff of dreams. Nothing over here compares to it 😞

@STST it's fresh - microwaveable I think! Like instant mash but oh sweet lord so much better!!

My local Super U has packets of Aligot that you make up a bit like Smash. Never tried it as the fresh stuff is amazing but I'd give it a whirl.

Local Intermarché has packets of truffle risotto that you cook with water, butter and Parmesan. I eat this at least once a week! 🤣

Le Petit Olivier shower gel in the almond scent! 😍

Bonne Maman compotes in the massive jars (not the fresh ones in the fridge section). The peach one is my favourite closely followed by rhubarb. I have granola and yoghurt then dump loads of this on top.

La Roche Mazet red wine - cheap but good
I love apericubes, the little flavoured cheese cubes but they are processed so might not be everyone's idea of good food!
A good cassoulet in a jar
White chocolate and cherry flavour jaffa cake-style biscuits.

This is good for when I want a blow out on French stuff: www.frenchclick.co.uk/

Not sure how the saraneva site works - added 4 soap refills for total of £3.60 and the bill is £18.70????

Microwave toffee popcorn!!

I loved the little foil-wrapped soft cheeses!

Oh the nostalgia and the reminders! Garbit tabboule, la Roche Mazet!
My kids loved Apericubes and Chocapic cereal. La Vache qui Rit. And compote! Loads of compote, especially apricot. Oh, and fromage blanc to go with it.
Petit Beurre biscuits.

And yes..the stationery if you have kids. Mine used to adore choosing from the vast ranges of stuff that was so much cooler than what they could get at home. We were there every year as the supermarkets got ready for l'entree, so they were in heaven.

I’m getting incredibly excited now! So many lovely things, god knows where I’m going to put it all when I get back….

@ChocolatePotCafe - found rillettes TINNED. Prob not as good as fresh, but enough to scratch the itch!

And I have NEVER heard of orangina haribo! Apparently there is a dedicated Haribo shop somewhere in Calais, most exciting.