Eurocamp in France - what food to take with us?

[littletike]

Going to a French Eurocamp site for a weeks holiday with DP and 4 year old DC staying in a static caravan. I wanted to take some basics for meals (pasta, spices, etc) to keep costs down - any recommendations for what to take for quick meals? We'll eat out a few times in the eve and buy fresh stuff there.

We take:
Cordial
Passata
Pesto
Salt/pepper (we don't need new full ones)
Chili flakes
Tea bags/coffee
A small container of sugar (again we won't need a new full one)
Dried pasta
Rolls of ice bags (to fill when there)
Food containers ( for leftovers or picnics)
Cheap hand wash (buy when on special)
Back refuse bags
A couple of toilet rolls (buy more when there)
Kitchen towel ( buy more when there)
Kitchen 'scrubber'
Cleaning cloths
Anti bac wipes
Favourite shampoo/conditioner
Picnic/beach rug

When in France, on way to Campsite I drop into IKEA and buy
A new chefs knife
Cheap shower mats (not just for bathroom but for inside caravan door for dirty shoes/feet - I chuck them out when done)
Meatballs

Everything else I need, I can get easily and cheaply in French supermarkets

Anything you won't need a full pot of while there - salt/pepper/spices/ olive oil/Tea/coffee/sugar

Some cleaning products, sponges, cloth, dish brush, Tea towels and kitchen roll, clothes pegs for clothes drying

A couple of tins of beans/ravioli for easy kids meals on a night they want to eat earlier and you cba

Everything else we buy there, love shopping in French supermarkets, but going in with a list does help or I can get stuck in hypermarche vortex for hours...

Oh yes and peanut butter Children!- so the kids don't switch to daily Nutella breakfasts while there!

Have you actually been to France???

@LillianGish, not sure why you felt the need to be so rude.

In answer to your question, yes. About 20 times in the last 10 years. Mainly to my family’s place, but also on holiday further north.

And my reference to condiments was owing to fact that Les Castels, Al Fresco and Eurocamp only supply salt and pepper in the caravans. I bring my own as it’s not necessary to buy whole new packs when there (except for Dijonnaise, which I import by the case).

And given that, in my experience, French cereal is more along the lines of the American style than British/Irish, I stand by my comment about that!

take pasta and a jar of pesto for first evening. UHT milk and cereal, sugar and coffee/tea bags for first morning, then I'd go to local shops for the rest.

Also worth taking salt pepper stock cubes ketchup if you use them and also washing up liquid and a sponge

I agree about sugary cereal. The French seen to love it, but I've never had a problem finding muesli or cornflakes tbh

If your dc are still in nappies, according to my dd, they are very expensive!

I haven't rftf (sorry) but i went to a Eurocamp last year - going again this year - and can definitely say I'm taking more provisions this year!

The Euro was very much not in our favour and I spent a fortune on stuff in the supermarket.

As well as food basics (oil, salt, pepper, tea, coffee, sugar, pasta, rice, crackers etc.) I'll definitely take washing up liquid, cloths, washing up sponges, tea towel, bleach for the loo, small pack of washing powder, swim nappies, foil, cling film).

Also, depending on what time you arrive at the Campsite, there might not be anything open (when we arrived, the shop and restaurant had already closed) - so take something you can make your first meal with.

Apologies Justforthisthread - I thought you were suggesting you could only find salt and pepper in France, now I see you meant in the Eurocamp caravan. I don’t find cereal a problem - we generally have fruit and fibre, weetabix, cornflakes and any number of unsweetened mueslis and granolas in our (overstocked) cereal cupboard. I find you can get pretty much anything here - with the exception of decent, builders strength tea (as a pp pointed out) - and that is the only thing I find I have to import (along with over-the-counter painkillers and which are eye-wateringly expensive here).

No worries LillianGish

To the UHT milk point, we invested in a plug in cool box a few years ago. Best thing ever. If you put in a frozen bolognese/chili for the first night, plus plug it in in the car, you arrive with cold milk and a chilled bottle for the first night - essential once the car is unpacked, kids in bed, and you need a sit down on the terrace but the site shop is shut!

We clink our way out of SuperU/Intermarché the following day.

There are a couple of other weird things I bring back (other than wine, cheese, saucisson and once, in error, a jar of salted caramel. An error as I felt I needed to eat it). The aforementioned Dijonnaise, coquillettes pasta and pipettes of solution physiologique (saline)). The last are brilliant for first aid for small cuts or flushing out eyes and are stonkingly expensive here but cheap as chips in France!

I can't believe people are suggesting taking cheese, butter and jam to France.

Regarding cereal, you do know you don't have to have the same cereal as at home and treating yourself to food you wouldn't normally eat is all part of the fun. DP eats Shreddies at home but when self catering on holiday will traditionally buy himself a box of cocopops or the local equivalent and enjoy them very much for his breakfast.

i often take cheddar to france, as my daughter hates emmental or comte on pasta, and not easy to get cheddar and the only french cheese she will eat is cousteron. I often take a few blocks of decent strong cheddar to my french in-laws too as they ask for it.

and if youre vegetarian, i recommend maybe taking some dried soya mince or veggie burger mix/ sosmix, as its not always easy to find things like that