What food to bring on a self-catering holiday?

[MsFogi]

We are going on a s-c holiday for the first time. We’ll be in France and are driving there - I am looking forward to buying lovely fresh food in the markets but wonder what ´ basics’ should bring so as not to have to spend a fortune in the supermarket on stuff I could have easily packed. Does anyone have a handy tried and tested list?

Unless you’re really mad on a particular type of tea I don’t bring anything. Even the salt is better in France! Plus any lovely cupboard staples you’ve bought get to come home with you so it’s win win.

Herbs, spices, seasonings and condiments are the main things that always feel to me to be silly to have to buy. But as long as you have room in the car, it shouldn't matter if you have to buy a big packet of something not-too-perishable. Bring it home and use it as reminder of your holiday, and maybe even keep the container: decant your own-brand drinking chocolate into a Poulain tub, that sort of thing.

Yeah, there's nothing worth bringing unless you need a specific British brand. Like Pg tips, ribena, twiglets, rich tea biscuits. All the stuff there is way better so I'd not bother with anything at all!

I have a small (tiny!) set of salt & pepper pots - basically any condiments or herbs/Spices that you have plenty of at home and would feel resentful about buying. Also a small bottle of washing up liquid (I have a trial sample bottle of it that I refill for hols), dishwasher tabs, a toilet roll

Lard.

I didn't take anything last Yr when we went apart from.my Yorkshire decaff t bags. Wanted the joy of buying there. If u near a Grand Frais supermarket I recommend a visit.

Like the others say, don't bother with bringing ingredients but since you're driving, DO bring a good knife or two!! The ones at holiday lets are notoriously awful.

We’ll take laundry and dishwasher tablets, tea bags, sweeteners, tea towels, a couple of washing up sponges and dishcloths. However my list for what I want to buy from the supermarket in France is already well under way - the food is SO MUCH BETTER in France and we will bring non perishables back with us like olive oil and biscuits etc. I can’t wait for lays crisps, a million different types of cheese, fresh fruit and veg, biscuits and croissants and endless Lipton iced tea and orangina! DH is looking forward to the wine and beer I think!

I would take good which your family can’t live without - brands of cereal, tea, coffee, tomato sauce etc. I also would take food for the first 24-48 hours - French supermarkets can be closed on Sundays.

I would take enough dishwasher tablets and washing machine pods to last a week.

However, apart from those , I wouldn’t buy anything. We always go to the Lidl or Carrefour and buy the cheapest or smallest version of everything, and that includes washing up liquids, shower gel etc. You’ll find some places are well equipped, and these are provided, whilst others have none.

Have the fun of self catering in France us going to the supermarket and exploring what they stock.

Lays are just walkers

I know lays crisps are just walkers but they somehow taste better 🤣🤣

Yorkshire tea and a large bottle of Vimto for the inevitable hangover!

Oh yeah, tea. If you like a Proper British Cuppa™ (PG, Yorkshire, Ty-Phoo) then do not expect any tea that you can buy in France to come within a million miles of it. On the other hand you can get a bajillion types of herbal/fruity tea.

Agree with previous posters, going for a trip to the supermarket and buying foreign-label versions of boring things like pasta and jam is part of the holiday. Be sure to leave enough car space to bring some home with you.

They have all the food you are going to need unless some has special dietary requirements and you’re worried about reading labels correctly when out there.

I tend to take dishwasher and laundry tabs as we get them from Costco and it means I don't have to buy them abroad. I also take my own spices (but then also buy others there - like paprika in Spain and kecap manis in the Netherlands).
We do have 'camping spices' too. DS2 takes ketchup but he has asd so we let him off ☹️

I wouldn’t bother to take anything except particular brands that you or your children like, that might not be available, or small quantities of things that you might otherwise have to buy in large boxes. Salt, pepper, tea, sweeteners, breakfast cereal, washing powder/capsules, Marmite, peanut butter. I would get everything else there - it’s part of the fun.

The only other thing I would say is think about what time you will be arriving and whether local shops will be open (or whether you will feel like going to them after a long journey). You might want to take something you can cook quickly for your first evening meal, and something for breakfast the next day just in case, especially if you have children.

Knives and chopping boards.

I wouldn't bother bringing anything else. Husband brings tea.

In addition to the tea bags. Marmite.

Tea bags are the only thing I can think of!

Every self catering place in the UK and Spain/Italy Ive been to has some basics like oil, salt, pepper, washing up liquid, laundry stuff.

I take tea bags and thats it. Cant stand the thought of travelling with half my own kitchen

we only do self catering although never in France but I cant imagine its that different.

We used to take loads because their supermarkets were hugely more expensive, so the first shop there would cost about €300 when you’re buying oil, salt, spices, ketchup, mustard etc on top of all your actual food. Nowadays it’s only slightly more expensive so we don’t bother to take so much.

A good knife , and tea
every thing is cheaper there anyway
shop when u get there
it will become part of the adventure

Teabags
Salt/pepper
Spices for curries*
Naan breads*
Hot chillies*
Cleaning products from home (all-purpose spray, dishwasher tabs, laundry sheets, washing-up liquid etc.)

*I've struggled to find these in French supermarkets. Therefore I'm not taking any chances.

Are you allowed to travel with a knife in the car?

Im trying to remember if we took a knife camping, we must have done, within the equipment.