British Mums in USA - what do you miss?

[twolittlemonkeys]

I could really use your help - I'm sending a package to my friend in the States and want to send things she can't get Stateside, eg Cadbury's chocolate, Birds Custard powder etc.

What things (mainly foody I suppose) do you miss living overseas?

Unless you want it to be a total surprise I'd ask her what she misses, tlm. There are foreign food shops & websites there so sending things she can't get there at all would be nicest!

I know she'd like some Galaxy fruit and nut (which so far I haven't found in Sainsburys or Asda!) but want to put in some surprises too. Thanks for the link Ponders

Did she used to read any magazines here? (Thinking of the thin weekly ones rather than the big fat monthlies which would cost a fortunes to post!)

I'm racking my brians to think of other special, lightweight, things you probably can't easily get there - maybe local stuff? Where did she live over here?

Marmite
PG tips
The Sunday Times

Probably not too easy to post the Marmite or Times!

Forgot, local newspaper from her hometown.

Ah, great idea about the newspaper or magazine. Hmmm, thinking about it I'm not sure what magazines she used to read. I'll get a Coventry Evening Telegraph for her next time I'm over that way LOL...

I second the magazines and newspapers. If she has young children then how about a little packet or two of Haribos. Apparently they just don't taste the same here. Proper Worcestershire Sauce - the one here is just wrong. Hmmm it is difficult - After many years I have managed to source just about everything I need. When I am in England I love to look at what's new and different, orange kitkats are still a huge novelty to me and I always bring back a few multipacks.
I am sure she will just appreciate your effort and kindness whatever you send.

When I go to USA, I always have to bring Smarties and Hello.

Jacobs Club Orange and custard creams!

People used to bring/ send me:

Biscuits (bourbons, custard creams, caramel wafers etc)
Hula Hoops
Other crisps - skips, frazzles, McCoys etc
Lemsips
Oxo cubes/ Marigold powder
Tea
Hair Straightening stuff
Custard
Angel Delight

loads of other things but I forget what

Chocolate digestives, Cadbury's chocolate - dairy milk, flake, twirl, DS loved getting malteasers

Marmite
Bisto gravy granules
Dark Kit Kats
Cadbury's Fruit and Nut
Heat etc magazines

Chocolate Buttons - much nicer than Hershey Kisses

Rich tea biscuits - with and without chocolate

Percy Pigs

Salt and Vinegar crisps - they have BBQ, Sour Cream etc here, but not vinegar

Jammie Dodgers - they can be found here, but not easily

Teddy Crispies (for the kids)

I live in NYC so I can get everything, pretty much, but the things I bulk-buy when we are in the UK are marmite and loose-leaf tea.

The children love getting smarties and UK kids magazines in packages from Granny.

Nice sausages, but you probably can't post those.

Earlybird - the supermarket we used when on holiday on Cape Cod last week stocked Lays salt & vinegar crisps! Was so surprised to see them as they didn't exist last yer

If only Lays would do the cheese and onion I would be happy! Haven't seen you girls on the living in America thread lately

Heat magazine
Smarties
Tea

is what my friend misses. I spent a fortune posting Cadburys stuff for Xmas. The day afetr I posted it she updated her FB to say she'd found a shop that stocked proper English Cadburys!

Newspapers, especially the tabloids. There is nothing like that here that I have found (although please correct me if you know of any!)

Ribena.

yes Ribena mmmm

Tea, Marmite, Cadburys Choc and salt & vinegar crisps!

What flavour crisps do they have in the US then if they don't have cheese and onion and salt and vinegar?

Erm, Mainly

Ready Salted
Barbeque
Cheese (sour cream and cheese etc)

and I saw lemon ones today

and variations on the above

No:
Bacon
Prawn Cocktail
Beef
Salt and vinegar
cheese and onion

Can you still get tomato sauce flavoured crisps in the UK? Everyone ate those when I was little.

Hello A Having a lovely time? Can't wait to see your lovely Alcatraz sweatshirt.

What is it with US soft drinks? Aisles and aisles of Gatorade and 'sodas' and lurid ready-diluted cordials, but no decent squashes. Or any squashes, come to that.

(My mum bought my DCs Alcatraz t-shirts last year and they are brilliant quality, and wash up really well, as do most American t-shirts.)

Roxy is missing her Boyf, BTW. She can't wait to snarl at him!

Anyway, OP, I would say definitely chocolate. American 'chocolate' is vile - not worthy of the word. Also Marmite.

My mum in Canada always wants M&S undies