provisions to take away (1 Viewer)

[Welsh girl]

As most of you know.yawn. we are off touring France and Germany next Sunday and have been told to stock up on a few provisions.We have got a few extra paracetamols and indigestion tablets as advised on a thread earlier this week. But what other items will be very expensive compared to the UK? Baked beans ,tin veg,beer,vodka,etc. I know lots of you have done this but its the first time for us . We have probably gone a bit overboard with our planning and it will probably all be so much simpler the next time we go.
Ps.we are going for 2months and have got hard copies of insurance papers done as was advised by comfort that printed email copies were not valid. Had to renew a monthearly to get it.that was anothe£640 unexpected expense.

 

[ShiftZZ]

This may help

Link Removed

http://www.carrefour-calais.com/mod...=app/catalogue/liste_apercu_gb.php&ss_rub=200

 

[scotjimland]

Off the top of my head, the things we missed while full time in France and elsewhere

Corn flakes: cereals are in small boxes and expensive
Marmite: Only ever found in ex pat shops and it was expensive
Cheddar cheese: never found this so we always stocked up and kept in the freezer.
No Jacobs cream crackers: but plenty of alternatives
Pork pies.
Bacon, plenty of cooked hams etc but rarely found proper breakfast bacon.
Beef, Chicken, Pork.. in fact all types of meats are expensive
Sausages .. they only sell proper meaty sausages and not cheap
Tea bags are expensive.. as is instant coffee .. but REAL Coffee on the other hand is cheaper.
Don't drink so don't know about prices of booze.

After some time you forgot about UK food and gradually adapt to continental foods.. top quality fresh fruit and veg, proper bread etc , Shopping at a local market is a real pleasure .. a bewildering array of 'real' cheeses , hams , cooked meats, fish etc .. rather than factory stuff we are used to.

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[Stephen & Jeannie]

I am off to France in 6 weeks and I am already stocking up !!! So far...
Packed up in portions and frozen...
Sausages (Richmond)
Smoked streaky bacon
Cheddar cheese
Mince

Other items...

Branston baked beans
Branston pickle
Tea
Instant coffee
Oxo cubes
Tinned anchovies
F.B. Pies !!!!! (JJ knows)

For emergencies (whilst wilding)
Tinned potatoes
Other veg
HT milk or powdered
Corned beef
Spam ( nice fried after the bacon runs out )
Has anybody got any other suggestions ????? :thumb:

 

[Loujess]

I'm green with envy. I would take most kinds of food you can since food is a lot more expensive over there. I stuffed the freeze box in my fridge with steak, chops etc which lasted quite a while. We took a few tins of corned beef for hash and so on. You'll need some soap powder and enough toiletries, which don't weigh too much but cost a lot more over there. Booze costs less there so I wouldn't take more than is needed for immediate use. As Jim says, the fresh stuff is fantastic and the daily baguette essential. Have a lovely lovely time and make the most of it. Most people at work would love to do what you're doing, actually me too.

Ivy

 

[chatter]

We just take basics in tins eg baked beans & beans and sausage (my oh cant seem to live without them) i usually take tinned peas garden , processed and mushy (just a couple of each) tinned bacon grill/spam, a couple of tins of soup, coffee and teabags, freezer gets packed with meat as french meat is very expensive plus a frozen meat pie or two for a quick easy meal on the move, back bacon some in the fridge and some in the freezer although i do like their streaky bacon.Also things like brown sauce, branston pickle, piccailly,beetroot,pickled cabbage, stock cubes if you use oxo ones and gravy browning or instant granuls,malt vinegar as you cant find that over there unless you find an ex-pat shop.
Markets for fresh fruit and veg are great but be warned they are only on of a morning so you need to get round them early

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[barryd]

For some reason cooked chickens in France are very expensive and I dont know why. However we only take a few essentials like Sunpat Peanut butter as you cant seem to get it abroad and loads of Lift Lemon Tea.

One of the joys for me as soon as we get to France is to get some proper bread and various bits and pieces from a French Market. Unbeatable.

If you drink beer I found Lidl in Germany stock a Pils Lager (cant remember the name) which is 15c a bottle (half litre). They wack on another 15c bottle tax which you can claim back if you can be bothered to return the bottles. Before entering Switzerland and Italy I filled the van full of the stuff.

 

[Welsh girl]

Sounds like I have a lot of the stuff mentioned, going to buy quite a lot of meat to put in the freezer, we have an extra freezer fitted under the dinette in the front as we dont have a fridge freezer, I use a lot from the freezer, I have bought a few bread mixes as I make bread in the skillet that we bought at a show last year yummy too!!!

 

[Welsh girl]

I'm green with envy. Have a lovely lovely time and make the most of it. Most people at work would love to do what you're doing, actually me too.

Ivy

Many thanks for your advice I see you are retired so just go and do it!!!

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[WillH]

English Breakfast tea bags and marmalade, everything else we buy fresh and local.

Rgds
Bill

 

[Loujess]

Many thanks for your advice I see you are retired so just go and do it!!!

So how do you make bread in the skillet. Presumably it's just the usual bread recipe but do you have to heat the skillet first, turn it upside down, how long? Somebody (don't know who but it wasn't me) threw out my instruction leaflet. I can't get away at the mo because the Gchildren are on school holidays, after that I'm having an op and may not get away for 6 weeks so it's all a pain in the bum at the moment. We are off to France at the beginning of June I hope. Must say, the Germans didn't seem as nice as the French last year but somebody is bound to shoot me down.

Ivy

 

[Heyupluv]

Off the top of my head, the things we missed while full time in France and elsewhere

Corn flakes: cereals are in small boxes and expensive
Marmite: Only ever found in ex pat shops and it was expensive
Cheddar cheese: never found this so we always stocked up and kept in the freezer.
No Jacobs cream crackers: but plenty of alternatives
Pork pies.
Bacon, plenty of cooked hams etc but rarely found proper breakfast bacon.
Beef, Chicken, Pork.. in fact all types of meats are expensive
Sausages .. they only sell proper meaty sausages and not cheap
Tea bags are expensive.. as is instant coffee .. but REAL Coffee on the other hand is cheaper.
Don't drink so don't know about prices of booze.

After some time you forgot about UK food and gradually adapt to continental foods.. top quality fresh fruit and veg, proper bread etc , Shopping at a local market is a real pleasure .. a bewildering array of 'real' cheeses , hams , cooked meats, fish etc .. rather than factory stuff we are used to.

Just to change some items of Jim's
Cheddar cheese, Carrefour super market always have it in....
Pork is excellent..and most times it is on offer at 2.30 euros a Kilo when not on offer about 5.30 euros per kilo. (2.2lbs)
Bacon..... in French Lidl you can buy portrine fume...smoked bacon...in packs 200gms about 1.79 euros a pack
Beer is about the same price as England...........and plenty of it

The rest is still about the same as what Jim has said......

Mel:thumb:

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[Heyupluv]

I am off to France in 6 weeks and I am already stocking up !!! So far...
Packed up in portions and frozen...
Sausages (Richmond)
Smoked streaky bacon
Cheddar cheese
Mince

Other items...

Branston baked beans
Branston pickle
Tea
Instant coffee
Oxo cubes
Tinned anchovies
F.B. Pies !!!!! (JJ knows)

For emergencies (whilst wilding)
Tinned potatoes
Other veg
HT milk or powdered
Corned beef
Spam ( nice fried after the bacon runs out )
Has anybody got any other suggestions ????? :thumb:

Salopian
.......all the supermarkets have uHT... and nothing but this milk, full crean , half cream , and no cream..not much normal milk, also powdered milk plenty of it so don't waste your space lugging these items.
Tinned potatoes over here.
Smoked streaky bacon..LIDL super market
Cheddar cheese....in Carrefour supermarket called White farm a (Yorkshire one)
They have corned beef over here...... but we think it is not as good as the uk in texture

Tinned anchovies
F.B. Pies !!!!! (JJ knows) WHAT

 

[Heyupluv]

Must say, the Germans didn't seem as nice as the French last year but somebody is bound to shoot me down.

Ivy[/QUOTE]



Ivy........I agree with you about the Germans........all the time....the French are very nice.....you are correct,

Mel:thumb:

 

[Heyupluv]

We just take basics in tins eg baked beans & beans and sausage (my oh cant seem to live without them) i usually take tinned peas garden , processed and mushy (just a couple of each) tinned bacon grill/spam, a couple of tins of soup, coffee and teabags, freezer gets packed with meat as french meat is very expensive plus a frozen meat pie or two for a quick easy meal on the move, back bacon some in the fridge and some in the freezer although i do like their streaky bacon.Also things like brown sauce, branston pickle, piccailly,beetroot,pickled cabbage, stock cubes if you use oxo ones and gravy browning or instant granuls,malt vinegar as you cant find that over there unless you find an ex-pat shop.
Markets for fresh fruit and veg are great but be warned they are only on of a morning so you need to get round them early

Chatter.....beetroot all the supermarkets sell beetroot in sealed packs, 4 in a pack.. already cooked just need vinegar,...they sell piccalily but the uk is better the french tends more on the mustard side...you can get tinned garden peas :thumb:

Mel

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[sedge]

Taking tinned veg to France is like carrying coal to Newcastle! Have to say, theirs is better. And also cheap. I bring it back LOL oh:

I agree with breakfast cereal and marmalade and cream crackers. Also a few sweeties if you like classic English 'suck' eg choc limes, choc eclairs, fruit drops, humbugs etc. And the French are not good at cake. They are very good at gateau but sometimes you fancy a scone or fruit cake or a jam sponge. Especially if there is none to be had!

 

[Welsh girl]

So how do you make bread in the skillet. Presumably it's just the usual bread recipe but do you have to heat the skillet first, turn it upside down, how long?
.

Ivy

I use the grill insert to raise the pan away from direct heat and use the electric hob on number 1 setting , preheat the skillet and put the prepared dough ( from a bread mix) in and leave it to rise with the lid on for around 40 mintes, then you are supposed to turn up the heat to 3 for it to cook, tried that but bread not cooked inside so I have found the best way is to take it off the heat when risen enough and remove the handle and then place it in a preheated oven gas number 4 for around 20 mintes and the bread tastes yummy but I usually cut it into slices and freeze it as it doesnt last long without doing that as there is no preservatives in it.

 

[the stig]

Some may find this helpful. JML do a device (using the appropriate JML cut off to size bags) that sucks the air out and vacuum seals the bag. Product will last 3 weeks easily without being frozen. Bags can be washed and re-used. Obviously over the course of time the bags get smaller by default. They also very good for quick marinading too. Has many use's actually, you can often find them demonstrating it on JML shopping channel. Some may not want to take device away as it is rather big, but you can certainly shrink and seal stuff before you go. Can also be seen in Asda's. Crisp packets, bread bun packets etc can all be re-sealed.
Oh and Maplins are also doing a mini sized tool to re-seal bags. I bought one from Lincoln Show last year, very handy to keep in van, was looking for some in Newark this year but non to be had.

Andrea

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[Road Runner]

One thing I have found with increasing difficulty over the years is to stock up with a full wallet

 

[JJ]

JJ

 

[rangi]

Surely the reason we go overseas is to experience the sights, sounds, and the TASTES, of the Country we are going to!

We take the bare minimum when we go to France, enough to last for the first days meal. We use local shops for the rest, and Markets. One thing we do take and a good few of, is Tea bags.

Taking English Food to France is like going to a Chinese Restaurant and smothering everything with Tomato Sauce!

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[wivvy's dad]

Surely the reason we go overseas is to experience the sights, sounds, and the TASTES, of the Country we are going to!

We take the bare minimum when we go to France, enough to last for the first days meal. We use local shops for the rest, and Markets. One thing we do take and a good few of, is Tea bags.

Taking English Food to France is like going to a Chinese Restaurant and smothering everything with Tomato Sauce!

I wasn't going to be the first one to say this, but this is one of the main reasons I go away - to experience those things I can't experience at home. And just like you, we also take a good helping of Yorkshire tea bags - that's one thing Johhny Foreigner hasn't mastered yet.....

I could go on for ever telling you about the marvellous cheeses, wines, meats, fruits etc that I've experienced abroad, and that includes the Far East, Asia, Middle East, Europe, America. But IMHO, you have to experience them for yourself. Go on, you might surprise yourself.............:thumb:

 

[champers]

We are the same.... take only the minimum food wise as we love to explore the diff foods.
some stuff are dearer but found meat less then here when bought in their supermarkets
Spirits are about the same unless from a wine merchant etc

I do make sure i have my herbs and condiments - vinegar, salt, n HP sauce , some cereal , oxo's and instant gravy n custard, something easy to eat on the way, mixers for any drinks we may have as found that expensive.... oh and Blue stuff for the toilet as we had to pay 20 Euros
and then found the spare bottle in the gas locker oh:oh:

Also if you need any hair products and toiletries whilst away


Have a fab time ...dont forget to let us know how your trip is going :thumb::thumb:

 

[Reallyretired]

The only things we find essential to take are tea and bacon (almost impossible to find in FRance).
We fill the freezer with bacon.

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[trophychap]

If you must have English style tinned foodstuff's we have noticed over the last few years that quite a number of the supermarkets now have an aisle with english brands.

But we always take the bisto with us!!

 

[MikeandCarolyn]

I wasn't going to be the first one to say this, but this is one of the main reasons I go away - to experience those things I can't experience at home. And just like you, we also take a good helping of Yorkshire tea bags - that's one thing Johhny Foreigner hasn't mastered yet..... :

Same here-except it's Earl Grey for us. France is more about bringing food back from than taking food to
We usually take ferry to Calais and our first stop is Auchan in Boulogne to stock up with provisions,fuel and PLG.

Mike.

ps.we usually take a shepherds pie for evening meal on Marine Drive/Parade Dover the night before the ferry.

 

[Welsh girl]

Surely the reason we go overseas is to experience the sights, sounds, and the TASTES, of the Country we are going to!

We take the bare minimum when we go to France, enough to last for the first days meal. We use local shops for the rest, and Markets. One thing we do take and a good few of, is Tea bags.

Taking English Food to France is like going to a Chinese Restaurant and smothering everything with Tomato Sauce!

Probably when we have done it the once we will think to ourselves how daft we were bringing all this with us and no doubt we will enjoy the tastes and smells and the feel of another country.
Tez bought 4 packets of 80 tbags yesterday he will go through that in a month I reckon, I dont like tea so will have to get the coffee, I like real coffee so will be buying that there as someone says that is cheaper over there anyway, and I like the smell of it percolating.
:thumb::thumb::thumb:

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[champers]

The only things we find essential to take are tea and bacon (almost impossible to find in FRance).
We fill the freezer with bacon.

Oh yes must have my teabags agree , but had no probs with finding bacon , perhaps it depends on which region / department you go

I love looking in their supermarkets they seem to have more selection than we do in a rural village of Wales

 

[sedge]

Yup and if the chaps don't like the food shopping (although Pete quite likes it!) there is the Fishing section and the Motoring section and the Gardening section ........ so I can look at the frocks - then pretend I've been agonising over cabbage LOL

 

[pixorr]

Luckily I don't drink Tea oh:
But I know friends have complained about finding it along with bacon.
The bigger Champion, Carrefour and Super-U shops have an English aisle but charge for the privilege.
But why not eat what the locals eat ?

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