A friend moving from US to Germany

[Annie H]

(let me know if I should take this over to Regional Topics)

I was wondering if anyone can tell me what she should take with her from the US to Germany. She's just taking suitcases (family of 5) and sending a couple of boxes to her sister who lives on an American military base out there.

What foods can you find here that she won't be able to get there? She already has taco seasoning on her list.

I think that food items are her only real concern, since German-made everything else is better than what we have here.

[- Carla -]

Annie H wrote:
(let me know if I should take this over to Regional Topics)

I was wondering if anyone can tell me what she should take with her from the US to Germany. She's just taking suitcases (family of 5) and sending a couple of boxes to her sister who lives on an American military base out there.

What foods can you find here that she won't be able to get there? She already has taco seasoning on her list.

I think that food items are her only real concern, since German-made everything else is better than what we have here.

Hmm if it makes your friend feel any better - I live in Holland and going shopping to Belgium and Germany at least once a month - they always have better foods there then here. That is the nice thing about living so close to other countires - you can come and go in a day and get the nicest things. For what reason is she moving to germany? I live about a half hour from the west german boarder - anything we can do to help expats out here we will.

[Berliner Goere]

Mexican ingredients i. e. tortillas, salsa, jalapenos etc are sometimes hard to find and often quite expensive, unless she has access to a military commissary.

[Annie H]

Her husband is continuing his education there. I think they intend to someday return to the US.

Thank you for the information! I will let her know.

[Thorsten]

In most bigger cities in Germany are speciality shops, where you can get most of the things.


And I pretty sure your friend will find out that Germany has to offer some of the most delicous dishes or the world

[-Sylvie-]

Some of the things that are often mentioned here on Zaar and which I have never seen in Germany are:

:arrow:liquid smoke
:arrow:A1 steak sauce (even though there might be something similar, I can't tell as I don't know what A1 steak sauce is like)
graham crackers
bis-quick
butter flavoured crisco
velveeta
grits (but you can find cornmeal or polents in some shops)
any baking 'chips', apart from plain chocolate ones
meassuring cups, if she wants to use American recipes. In Germany ingredients are usually weighed instead of meassured in cups, so she'd have a hard time finding meassuring cups if she doesn't bring her own.

That's all I can think of for now. I'll post later if I think of anything else. I think your friend might get a shock at first going into a German supermarket, because she will probably feel that the choice is so much smaller. However, I think that the quality of food makes more than up for it and there are many smaller delicatessen stores where you can find special ingredients. Also, I think it is mainly the vast amounts of US convenience foods that are 'missing', if she likes cooking from scratch she won't have many problems I think. I'm always looking forward to go shopping in Germany, when I visit my family.

[Annie H]

Thank you! I know she's looking forward to it as a learning experience. I'll let her know all of your great advice.

[Amberngriffinco]

maybe pkgs of mixes she likes.. I LOVE Taco Bell's Meat and I do have and use a TSR version recipe that tastes just like it. The only thing is you really NEED to use Schilling McCormick's chili powder..

Maybe she ought to list her fav. items and see what isn't over there: she can make flour tortillas and corn if she can get masa harina.. flour calls for just flour, water, salt and fat; peanut butter??????? chicharrones? Spices I would think would be the hardest.. yes, agree, anything Mexican or Spanish..


I'm jealous! DH lived in Germany for quite awhile as a kid and he has turned me onto their foods.. We get take out from a deli in Denver, CO, but of course, it is not the same!
STILL praying for the $$ to get over there before I die!

Amberngriffinco

[Chef Suz in Bekond]

hi, i live in luxembourg but was born and raised in illinois.
a couple other things. baking soda, a must. pam cooking
spray. hidden valley dressing mix. it is no where in europe!!
lemon pepper and pizza spices. they have pizza spices here
but not as good. i always buy cake mixes when in the states.

tylenol!!!!!!!!!! it is only by perscription in europe.

[-Sylvie-]

You can get tortillas and Mexican stuff in most German supermarkets.

[Thorsten]

Baking Soda is also available in Germany. But it is not called
baking soda, it is named "Natron" or "Backnatron"


One of the most prominent brands in Germany of baking soda. You will get it in any supermarket

[HeatherFeather]

You can also find Velveeta behind the cheese counter in the grocery stores, which I found quite funny. It is not called Velveeta but instead Kraft Chester I think it was called. Gosh...it hasnt been that long since we moved and already I am forgetting things yeesh. You will easily spot it though...it looks exactly the same as the American version, just not sold in the handy box.

Also, if you ever have trouble finding non German ingredients..check the Asian markets or "Holland" shops ...they very often sold things like soft brown sugar, Ovaltine, etc.

[darthlaurie]

One thing you definitely must enjoy (and if you have kids, you'll want them to enjoy) are the Kindereggs, about the size of a Cadbury egg, only inside the chocolate shell is a little yellow container that has a toy surprise, often something you have to put together...kinda reminds me of the Cracker Jack toys back when they weren't so cheap! They're illegal in the US...go figure!