Taking food into the EU from UK via Le Shuttle

[Tebs]

Does anyone have any advice about taking their own food with them when they travel to France? Should our fridge be empty and then we fill up at the supermarche in Calais? Or will it be ok to take supplies from the UK? Any advice welcome.

 

[Jewellbags]

Never been checked . Just don’t hide it away . We take the essentials and what we’d miss then shop abroad .

 

[royandsharont]

Legally the rules say you cannot take any meat or dairy and limited amounts of fish. Many will tell you tgey take everything and have no problems even if checked. I have never had them check the fridge even if coming in the van. They are looking for people generally.

 

[Richard n Ann]

They aren't the slightest bit interested in what's in your fridge, even if they come inside for an immigrant check. There was another post about this a few months ago and nobody has ever had their fridge checked.

 

[cliffanger]

We’ve never had our fridge checked either.

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[Chipster]

We've never been checked either, but then again we don't take much. Getting supplies abroad is all part of the holiday for us!!

 

[Vanman]

Only used it once (last April) and they came on board, checked any person sized lockers / loo but didn't open the fridge or cupboards.

Having said that we didn't have any contraband and had a ball when we got to the Carrefour

 

[Jonno1103]

They're not interested as personal use won't get into their food chain.

 

[cliffanger]

Only used it once (last April) and they came on board, checked any person sized lockers / loo but didn't open the fridge or cupboards.

Having said that we didn't have any contraband and had a ball when we got to the Carrefour

I packed chicken breasts and bacon, because the first is more expensive in France, and the second is not sold there!

Apart from that we also shop when we get there!

 

[Two on Tour]

Never had the fridge checked, only had the LPG checked to make sure that is turned off.

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[Tombola]

I always take my fridge full of what I want, never been checked yet, they can have it if they are desperate.

 

[Mr porky]

We also took chicken breasts in the freezer, no issues at all.

 

[Brains]

For the ferry routes.
Pack 4 x 1.5L fizzy pop bottles filled with water and frozen for 24hrs

It will keep the fridge cold for even the longest ferry crossings.

The only fridge food we take is whatever is in our fridge at home the day we go.
(and a pint of milk)

 

[bobnick]

For the ferry routes.
Pack 4 x 1.5L fizzy pop bottles filled with water and frozen for 24hrs

It will keep the fridge cold for even the longest ferry crossings.

The only fridge food we take is whatever is in our fridge at home the day we go.
(and a pint of milk)

Thats a good tip about the freezing of water bottles to stick in the freezer, however my good lady stuffs the freezer compartment packed solid with food so no room.

 

[fishplug]

As already said, there are some restricted items and the chances of being stopped and having your fridge contents checked is extremely low.

Be prepared for a low chance that your bacon and brie might be confiscated.

That's about as bad as it's going to get, so I wouldn't worry excessively about it.

If your bacon gets confiscated, get yourself to the nearest butcher and buy a piece of belly pork. Then go down to the supermarket and buy a tupperware (or other resealable non-metallic) container it will fit in and a large pot of salt.

Put a generous layer of salt at the bottom of the container, pop the pig in, and add another generous lot of salt on top and pop it in the fridge.

Turn it once or twice a day and pour off any excess liquid and top the salt up.

After three days you have bacon. Rinse the excess salt off, pat dry, slice, fry, enjoy.

There are more complex recipes but as travel bacon goes that'll do the job. You can also chuck in some sugar or honey if you want - you can go up to 50% sugar to salt and you can throw in pepper or bay leaves or juniper berries or rosemary or... well, you get the picture.

Anyway, I seem to have gone off on a tangent again.

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[Spriddler]

100+ replies to the same enquiry in this recent thread with chapter and verse.........

https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/dairy-and-meat-to-france.308644/

 

[David and Sally]

Did Holland and back a couple of weeks ago. No checks at all. Were not interested in any foodstuffs.

I like travelling by motorbike

 

[Jenka]

Does anyone have any advice about taking their own food with them when they travel to France? Should our fridge be empty and then we fill up at the supermarche in Calais? Or will it be ok to take supplies from the UK? Any advice welcome.

Fridge full,cupboards full got stopped for a check they was not in the least interested.

 

[DBK]

I packed chicken breasts and bacon, because the first is more expensive in France, and the second is not sold there!

Apart from that we also shop when we get there!

We buy bacon all the time in French supermarkets, you can get smoked and unsmoked. It's cut quite thin but otherwise fine.

 

[Grianan]

We take a little milk and butter and the first night’s meal ‘just in case’ but our very first stop is a hypermarket … so the ‘just in case’ meal becomes a disappointment.

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[cliffanger]

We buy bacon all the time in French supermarkets, you can get smoked and unsmoked. It's cut quite thin but otherwise fine.

I haven’t seen that in any supermarket John! Is it in those chillers in the middle of the food halls?

We’ll be travelling back up from Beni in March, so I’ll look out for it.

 

[DBK]

I haven’t seen that in any supermarket John! Is it in those chillers in the middle of the food halls?

We’ll be travelling back up from Beni in March, so I’ll look out for it.

You do have to hunt for it. It's in the chiller cabinets, you should easily find lardons of various types and the bacon shouldn't be far from them. They call it bacon but it comes in two types. Round slices like processed ham which we've never tried (doesn't look nice) and then proper rashers.

 

[Richard n Ann]

I haven’t seen that in any supermarket John! Is it in those chillers in the middle of the food halls?

We’ll be travelling back up from Beni in March, so I’ll look out for it.

Lidl sell bacon at their Albir store, as you walk up the first isle it's usually in the bottom of the chiller multideck.

 

[cliffanger]

Lidl sell bacon at their Albir store, as you walk up the first isle it's usually in the bottom of the chiller multideck.

Apparently the new Lidl in Beni opens in November, so I will be heading there when we get there in January, with a shopping list!

 

[Richard n Ann]

Apparently the new Lidl in Beni opens in November, so I will be heading there when we get there in January, with a shopping list!

Yes it's going to be the biggest Lidl in Spain according to the builders must be true then

29th sept

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[cliffanger]

Yes it's going to be the biggest Lidl in Spain according to the builders must be true then
View attachment 965458
29th sept

Probably feels like the biggest to them, seeing how long it’s taken them to build it

 

[Hawkstone]

I always take filtered semi skimmed milk as it’s really only sold in some of the bigger supermarkets and I hate that long life stuff . It’s also good to remember that there are very few shops open on Sunday afternoons so take enough for a couple of days to see you through.

 

[FrankNicklin]

My sister lives in Germany and brings food across to the UK on every visit. We have also taken food with us to Germany and never been checked.

 

[royandsharont]

My sister lives in Germany and brings food across to the UK on every visit. We have also taken food with us to Germany and never been checked.

The rules for bringing food here are not like going to EU. You can bring in the banned things but only for personal consumption and in reduced quantities

 

[Tebs]

We take a little milk and butter and the first night’s meal ‘just in case’ but our very first stop is a hypermarket … so the ‘just in case’ meal becomes a disappointment.

We tried to get into Carrefour at Calais, but we're unable to find any access without height barriers, so descended upon Lidl instead...