AIBU to take banned food into EU?

[Hatehairdressers]

We’re flying into Europe on Thursday staying in an AirBnB in an area where shops are going to be very shut for Easter (at least until Saturday).

My plan was to pack a bit of food to see us through a couple of meals - I’ve packed a picnic bag in our hold luggage full of long life stuff like pasta, tuna, and sweetcorn; brioche rolls and hot dogs. Chocolate bars, tea bags and some UHT milk. Applauded myself on my forward planning.

Then I realised we’re not in the EU any more and half this stuff is banned.

AIBU to take it anyway?

In the context of taking stuff into Europe from the UK, fish isn't meat so the tuna is ok.

But it's generally a pain in the bum, when we visit family we have a 10 hour drive after an overnight ferry. I'm coeliac so finding prepared food on the go is more difficult, used to be able to pack picnic stuff, but now tend to survive on crisps and coffee.

You should be arrested. Tin of hot dogs? Crime against humanity.

Dairy products doesn't mean anything that contains milk

I walked around with cheese in my pocket without realising it (had nicked it from the breakfast buffet). It travelled far (we didn't eat it you'd be glad to hear) but thankfully I was never stopped 🤣

I'll just nick this wallet; no one will ever find out!

Apart from Alsace Good Friday isn't a bank holiday in France. Supermarkets are open Sunday mornings, and the big Carrefour near me is open up until 9pm.

Baked goods (brioche, biscuits) and chocolate are fine. Also tea, coffee etc. It's really only fresh fruit and veg, meat and refrigerated dairy products.

We live in Germany and i've found that nobody ever bothers to check this stuff. I've taken in cheese, marmite, sandwiches, chocolates, biscuits......basically anything in my hold luggage and not had a problem. Yes, its theoretically illegal and if caught there would be consequences, but i've neither seen nor heard of anyone being checked for this stuff. Go ahead and take what you want would be my advice.

Chocolate doesn't count. They mean things such as butter, milk, cream, fresh cakes containing cream, etc.
We drive and take stuff with us for our own consumption during the trip but I try to get through the sandwiches before we cross the border. Nobody's checked so far, though.
But most places will have something open. There's usually a supermarket at the airport to get a few essentials. There should also be something open to get a few necessities wherever you are staying. We live out in the sticks and shops frequently close for holidays and on Sundays. However, even around here, larger petrol stations include small supermarkets and you can get stuff there.

Nobody will notice or care. People on MN love to be dramatic about this, but in reality they aren't scanning suitcases looking for contraband hot dogs.

You only need to worry if you're taking liquids through airport security - not allowed even in cans.

Yes I have flown back from UK to EU drive e brexit. I brought plenty of chocolate and I think also some meat. Can't remember exactly what I brought now but British stuff that we can't get where we live.

Since not drive

Why bother flying to another country and then eat tinned hot dogs? I’ve seen it all
now. No idea where the Brits abroad stereotype comes from.

It's easy enough to get dark chocolate that contains no milk, but yes I think it excludes the brioche.

Eh? What does this have to do with stealing?

I still take our dogs food with us (eurotunnel) as she’s gluten free and we always arrive late at destination.

Tinned hot dogs are wrong in every sense regardless of whether they're allowed into the country or not. They should be illegal everywhere.

That's good to know about baked goods and biscuits etc. I wanted to take some protein cereal bars to France and checked the ingredients of lots of options to find some that didn't contain milk. Will just take the ones I actually wanted next time!

My mother flies fairly regularly to and from spain and takes back bacon,.sausages, cheese and sausage rolls..similarly, brings in chorizo and other cured meats
(So far) has never had an issue.

Just go to local shops?
I live somewhere where everything shuts every Sunday, all holidays, from 6pm every day, and often 12pm Saturdays. You can still get basics around.

If your in an air b and b, you can also ask if host would mind picking up basics for you. ( we do this often as hosts for guests arriving Saturday nights or holidays). You just say ‘ could you add a small amount of regular milk, break, xyz fruit, eggs, etc for around €30 value, and we will pay on arrival’

Petrol stations will be open also, and airport supermarkets, Munich airport in particular if your arriving there has a full supermarket that will remain open

Munich has two large Edeka supermarkets, usually see loads of people stocking up on cheap haribo before they go home. It’s open 5am-10pm. Go on arrival on Thursday

We flew from UK to EU on Saturday. Had apples, chocolate, flapjacks, crisps in hand luggage and other snacks and 2l of oat milk in our hold luggaage and no issues whatsoever.

OP ask the Air BnB owner if they can get you some essentials for a fee.

Mmm tinned hot dogs with tuna pasta, what a holiday treat.

OP there is literally no way you won’t be able to access basic food there. You say it expensive there but you’re paying for luggage to bring hot dogs and dried pasta!

Realistically you'd be really unlucky to be stopped and checked at all. Though theoretically, there could be a fine. Most of your items, including Easter eggs are fine anyway.

I imagine most people who live in the EU and visit the UK regularly are bringing back their (post brexit) contraband without second thought. Whatever the morality of that is, now your Cathedral City is banned.

Tell that to the DC who would rather starve then than eat the “wrong” brand of fish fishfingers.