What foods can I pack for flying, to self cater at eurocamp in France?

[Smiller84]

We're flying to France with 2 children ages 11 & 3 and staying self catering at a eurocamp. I'm trying to keep costs down so plan to take some food with me,.. I only have one case booked to check in and we'll have 2 small hand luggage cases and a carry bag... I've thought about packet pastas and cupasoups, cereals... Can people give me some tips as to what else I can pack and take with us? I'll buy things like milk, bread & eggs over there as we arrive in the afternoon so shop should be open. Thanks all x

We found buying what the French buy in the supermarkets wasn't any more expensive than at home. Not the campsite shop, need to get to SuperU (or LIdl!)

But things like seafood and top quality pastries and fruit were really good value and added to the sense of being "abroad"

Excess luggage is really expensive. Save the suitcases for clothes and accessories. Bring your tea bags that is the thing that most british people complain about and may be dinner for the first night.

Lidl, leclerc, auchan are all quite cheap.

Definitely SuperU!
Take only the bare essentials - it's not worth the hassle and you can get all you need for the same prices, more or less.
Marmite?

We lived on lovely fresh baguettes with ham & cheese....

the pound is relatively strong at the moment and European food is much better than the crap we get in UK shops.

take tea, coffee, spices, seasonings etc, and enjoy some decent food while you are away!

Tea bags. For the rest, I think French supermarkets are great and not more expensive.

I would take teabags. And marmite if you must, but kids are usually happy with nutella or jam on croissants or baguette.

Have you tried the packets of seasoning for chicken etc that come with a roasting bag (the brand is Maggi I think)? They would be an easy meal if you have an oven, just chuck in some chicken or turkey, veg etc, serve with couscous, rice or pasta.

Keep costs down by buying multipacks of ice cream and beer, so you're not paying ££ from the camp bar.

If you can access a Lidl with a bakery, they are really good.

You intend to take cupasoup and packet pasta to France?

Each to their own.

t bags would be the only thing really. I'd be more inclined to take a few packs of biscuits, individual choccy and cereal bars for the kids if i had room.

Robinsons S'quashed pouches; they're tiny (and I always struggle to find squash when abroad.)
Always take marmite, tea bags, and a few sachets of hot choc!

French supermarkets are the best I've come across. I'd take nothing! When we camp our way around we take the boring stuff from here...cling film etc but SuperU, Carrefour etc are fab!

Agree only tea bags, people don't take their own food to France even if self catering. Go to the supermarket on arrival. Will anyone want cereal when you can have lovely fresh croissants etc? Cerebral takes up lots of room and likely to crush on journey. Leave the food behind!

Remember that English food (if you want it and find it) in French supermarkets is often way more expensive so bring it with you - tea bags etc.

also I find the long life skimmed etc milk takes different so you could bring long life milk with you (cartons).

all the rest just buy what you need out there.

a few tips - if you like Vogels bread - a brand called Harrys is very similar. They also do delicious Emmental Baby Bels (can't get them here!). Cantal cheese is similar but not the same - to cheddar.

They do the most amazing stuffed olives - blue cheese etc. Supermarkets also tend to be seasonal and rarely import fruit/veggies so you're reliant on what they have. Yogurts, Toulouse sausages, butter etc all are lovely. some things (can't think right now) you can't get in France at all. but you can buy kidney beans etc.

Oh gawd almost forgot - delicious biscuits - and they do stuff like those breakfast biscuits but cheaper brands.

2 hyper/supermarket brands to look out for are Intermarche and E Le Clerc.

re the milk I mean TASTES not takes...

Supermarkets do sell fresh milk though.

French supermarkets aren't overly expensive, and the supermarkets on the campsites are not usually that expensive either, unless you need to take specialist food for medical reasons?

The one thing that might be worth taking is cereal for the DC as that is more expensive in France, but it's not an easy thing to carry - couldn't they get used to Pains au Chocolat? Proper English tea is a must though

Chippy they do sell fresh milk but say you want skimmed it tastes different but ok from uk version!

Chippy they do sell fresh milk but say you want skimmed it tastes different but ok from uk version!

bigTilly to be honest exchange rates good now so cereal would be average price plus all usual brands.

Honestly I wouldn't bother, with the euro so weak at the moment prices in france are not too expensive and supermarkets stock everything you would need.Ours always live on bread and cheese and ham , and those biscuits that are two plain marie with chocolate between, we keep them in fridge and they are great for a quick boost after swimming !

'Supermarkets also tend to be seasonal and rarely import fruit/veggies so you're reliant on what they have'

where do I sign so that we can have this in the UK please?

special - no idea where you can sign. I think sometimes they import from eg Spain but otherwise you're at their mercy.

In a way it's better because you get used to eating fruit/veggies in season.

Ditto what everyone else says. Isn't part of the experience of travelling to other countries shopping and eating local food, especially if it isn't going to cost any more than food at home? The excess baggage fees are far higher than buying food once there.

I agree about taking something for the first night - maybe some pasta with a stir in sauce, and I would definitely take some tea bags, and I always take my decaffeinated teabags because I can't always find them, but other than that I wouldn't bother.

it's nuts, isn't it. If only UK supermarkets would sell food for taste, not appearance.

I feel very lucky to have space for a veg patch - waiting patiently for the tomatoes, lettuce is here now :-)

I go to France all the time and honestly find it all much of a muchness to here. There's nowt in the super u that you can't get in Waitrose imo. I don't get all this gushing about the amazing produce. Yogurts? I mean the biggest selection is from Yoplait which is shit, try The Dairy Collective over here for yummy tastes. Yes the croissants and baguettes are nice but any decent bakery over here will do them too.

We take sauces and spices that are difficult to get out there (although we drive so no space restrictions). Things like mace, tom k, brown sauce, Tabasco etc.

Otherwise buy everything there. The food is wonderful. Lectern is my favourite supermarket, especially for wine,but they are all pretty good.

I wouldn't even bother taking squash as the Grenadine and Menthe cordials are delicious.