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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to take banned food into EU?

216 replies

Hatehairdressers · 03/04/2023 18:17

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?

OP posts:
RosesInWater · 03/04/2023 20:25

Did I miss the destination!! Oh no.

AnnieSaxophone · 03/04/2023 20:27

What?? OMG - we’re going to spain and my youngest has allergies, so I’ve made him a ham sandwich for the plane as the flight is early. Is this going to be ok?

Sometimeswinning · 03/04/2023 20:29

UpTheAnte · 03/04/2023 18:28

All dairy, meat and plant products are banned since we left the EU.

Yay for Brexit(!)

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Damn! If only more people had known this!!

I'm kidding. It's a non issue. Risk it or don't.

LiquoriceAllsorts2 · 03/04/2023 20:29

Lastnamedidntstick · 03/04/2023 18:28

Meat and dairy were banned on my trip a couple of weeks ago.

so would include the tuna, brioche, chocolate as well.

why not do a trip to lidl or a supermarket on your first day o/p? Save dragging it all with you.

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Chocolate isn’t banned

ThankmelaterOkay · 03/04/2023 20:30

AnnieSaxophone · 03/04/2023 20:27

What?? OMG - we’re going to spain and my youngest has allergies, so I’ve made him a ham sandwich for the plane as the flight is early. Is this going to be ok?

Depends. Will the Mumsnet police be on board?

If they ask, just tell them it’s a vegan imitation ham. Oh wait….that’ll really rile them.

I’d play it safe and cancel completely.

Dinoboymama · 03/04/2023 20:32

The EU clarified this not long after Brexit saying things like chocolate etc were ok. It was full dairy products they mean milk, yoghurt etc

It didn't ban everything that has dairy in it. They were a bit stricker about meat though it was a complete no.

I have not been asked once when entering the EU by plane a dozen times since Brexit.

Horizons83 · 03/04/2023 20:32

AnnieSaxophone · 03/04/2023 20:27

What?? OMG - we’re going to spain and my youngest has allergies, so I’ve made him a ham sandwich for the plane as the flight is early. Is this going to be ok?

Surely it's fine as long as you eat it (or leave it) on the plane?

ThankmelaterOkay · 03/04/2023 20:35

Dinoboymama · 03/04/2023 20:32

The EU clarified this not long after Brexit saying things like chocolate etc were ok. It was full dairy products they mean milk, yoghurt etc

It didn't ban everything that has dairy in it. They were a bit stricker about meat though it was a complete no.

I have not been asked once when entering the EU by plane a dozen times since Brexit.

Before Mumsnet even existed my grandmother took a full roast chicken with us to the Canary Islands in the mid 90s.

Dinoboymama · 03/04/2023 20:36

ThankmelaterOkay · 03/04/2023 20:35

Before Mumsnet even existed my grandmother took a full roast chicken with us to the Canary Islands in the mid 90s.

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There were no restrictions then. Times have changed.

Santasjingleballs · 03/04/2023 20:38

Take it in your checked luggage. We always take meat diary cheese fish etc. no one has ever stopped us or even cared to check

baffledcoconut · 03/04/2023 20:38

Coming back there are no restrictions FYI. So a hold-all full of good cheese is a must.

All those panicking about checking ingredients- just stop. Read the Defra guidance. It’s very clear. Pretty much you’re fine if you don’t take a pint of milk and a leg of pork.

ThankmelaterOkay · 03/04/2023 20:42

Dinoboymama · 03/04/2023 20:36

There were no restrictions then. Times have changed.

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Yes it was glorious.

We didn’t eat out all week.

Shutte · 03/04/2023 20:47

RosesInWater · 03/04/2023 20:25

Did I miss the destination!! Oh no.

Nope, the OP just doesn’t want to concede that they’ll be able to pick up tinned hot dogs in a ‘foreign’ country! Why you’d want to I don’t know! But then, I didn’t know they existed until this post, so maybe I’m missing out on a treat!

whynotwhatknot · 03/04/2023 20:49

i took some chocolate in my hand luggage by accident and they didnt take it off me

think its more meat and dairy products

Snugglemonkey · 03/04/2023 20:50

tiredhadenough · 03/04/2023 19:44

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 🤣

In my younger days I had a stay in Holland working in a bulb factory for a month. We spent plenty of time partaking in local delicacies. When I was unpacking I found 3 partially used and 1 untouched bag of cannabis in the pockets of shorts/trousers. I nearly had a heart attack at the thought of being caught with it.

Snugglemonkey · 03/04/2023 20:53

Hatehairdressers · 03/04/2023 20:25

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

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Last year in Crete I told my son that the chicken nuggets were the same as at home. Only they were a weird grey colour, so they were not. Our only meal in the hotel!

Nsmum14 · 03/04/2023 20:53

I flew from the UK to an EU country a few days ago with hand luggage full of cheese and cheese pasties for family. Not an issue, noone cares. You will be fine.

RedToothBrush · 03/04/2023 20:54

Just been looking up chocolate. Most would be ok and fall under the exceptions list. From what I can tell products containing milk are fine if they are processed and generally is 'the animal product is no longer identifiable'. For chocolate it has to be for personal consumption (so not kg upon kg) and with low milk content. Which most chocolate would be fine. A custard tart however would probably fall foul of the rules as would certain brioche products.

My friend is coming over next month and I know she loves cadburys cream eggs, so I've bought her some now as I know they will be gone from the shops in two weeks time, so this is crucial information for me to know!!!

Bubblemilk · 03/04/2023 21:04

I had no idea about this and we are traveling my overnight ferry to France in a couple of months time and worried about what we will eat the first day as it's a Sunday!

baffledcoconut · 03/04/2023 21:04

I’m going to put it in capitals..

CHOCOLATE AND BRIOCHE IS OK. Bananas are ok.

chunks of animals and bottles of milk not ok.

FlounderingFruitcake · 03/04/2023 21:05

I’m very curious about where you’re going with nowhere open not even small shops from Thursday PM through to Tuesday. Not saying I don’t believe you, I’m sure you’ve researched it properly but I just really want to know!

That said, I’ve smuggled a few Colin the Caterpillar into the US in my time. And on the Eurotunnel flexi plus lounge bit they give you free food and drinks that include apparently illict ingredients before you drive onto the train, the intention clearly being that you take it with you as they give you paper bags to fill up, and you can’t ditch the stuff even if you wanted to as there are no bins. Seems mad. But then so does eating tinned hotdogs 🤢

tiredhadenough · 03/04/2023 21:05

@Snugglemonkey that makes my cheese seem very tame in comparison 🤣

@Galatine no comparison 🙄. What's ridiculous is before brexit it would all be fine and now all of a sudden it isn't 🤷🏼‍♀️

Dibblydoodahdah · 03/04/2023 21:15

I cannot believe that so many people on this thread think taking chocolate into the EU is prohibited!

Confusion101 · 03/04/2023 21:16

Shutte · 03/04/2023 20:47

Nope, the OP just doesn’t want to concede that they’ll be able to pick up tinned hot dogs in a ‘foreign’ country! Why you’d want to I don’t know! But then, I didn’t know they existed until this post, so maybe I’m missing out on a treat!

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It's be too outing to reveal the location...... 😜

caringcarer · 03/04/2023 21:24

Just do a quick.shop when you get in there. Personally I'd be pretty annoyed with you if I was behind you and you were holding up the queue with banned items.