Sainsburys American Food

l was in Sainsburys today and saw a few items listed as American foods. They even had the Flag on the cover.
They had BBQ ribs, doughnuts, chicken and pasta meals, and mushrooms with garlic sauce.
I didn't buy any of them yet, but was wondering if any one else had? If so what did you think of them?  

I think the American flag is more a marketing gimic than anything else.

I've tried a few of these so-called American foods at both Tescos and Sainsburys, and found they haven't been anything to write home about.  However, Tescos has some American saltines that are probably the closest you'll come to proper crackers.

As far as the doughnuts are concerned, in the five years I've been here, I've had one good doughnut.  I found it in, of all places, a gas station in Chiswick (London).  For some reason, they were selling Mr Doughnut's brand.  My hubby says that there used to be lots of Mr Doughnuts around, but that's the only one I've ever seen.

I haven't tried the Sainsbury's things, but I have noticed that a lot of food products are being labeled as "American" and I think it's just a sales gimic. One product I saw, a certain brand of frozen pizza, touts itself as being "America's Favourite" and I've never heard of it!

One other reason they do it is to separate it it from what the British know as something else. An American bisuit. An American pancake, etc.

One product I saw, a certain brand of frozen pizza, touts itself as being "America's Favourite" and I've never heard of it!

I know the brand you are referring to and I think it would be laughed out of the city for which it was named!

In Maryland*, we had a pizza palour run by NY Sicilians.  Gawd, could they make some pizza.


* Mfredericka, the next time you are in Easton, look for a place called Rusticana's, and have a slice for me, eh?  

One of my bosses tried to make me feel at home and bought some American Brownies from Sainsburys. l thought oh yummy this will be wonderful. But then upon examining the package thought it was weird that they were in a tube package. I opened the package, and saw what they considered Brownies! A vanilla sandwich cookie with a very thin layer of chocolate!  :-/ :-/  l ate them anyway!

Ah, but it's the thought that counts!

Awww, that's nice Trish.
Check out Sainsbury's bakery section though... they do make their own chocolate brownies, and they are really nice!! Very chocolate-y & chewy!

ha, this topic reminds me of that frozen pizza commercial/advert that i saw on tv a few months back, about how it was 'america's favorite.' never heard of it, and frankly, i've even forgotten which brand (chicago town, maybe?)

i actually have tried the chicken with the american flag on it, which wasn't that good and had me missing popeye's chicken.

*

I've seen that too, Islandgirl! It's pretty funny   We've eaten the pizza, too (Chris used to be quite the frozen pizza fiend hehe) but it definitely doesn't come close to a good 'ol NY pizza! Or even the pizza I used to make on my baking stone! (waaah- I miss my pampered chef stuff! Silly teensy cookers here hehe)

Have you seen the commercial for the real italian pizza that's actually made in Germany?   I can't remember the name now, but it made us chuckle hehe

Jen
(who is drooling for pizza even though it's just lunchtime! hehe)

A)  If you want some good (and easy to make) American style Brownies, I've found Betty Crocker's Brownie Mix in both Tesco's and Sainsburys.  Mix as per directions and break in some extra chocolate (I do one white and one milk) and nuts if you like.  Bear in mind that the extra chocolate generally makes it take an extra few minutes to cook.  A knife through the centre, if it comes out clean (you'll be able to tell the difference between a speared piece of chocolate and uncooked brownie goo trust me!) then they're done.

LOL to the "American"  food selections.  Tho the Tesco's American Onion Rings were quite good.  So of course they stopped carrying them.   :'(

Ivy showed it to me shortly after I came over when we were out shopping....I hadn't even heard of some of the things they were touting as American lol!  

wench

Oh yeah, Chicago Town pizza! I used to eat that alot because it was the only microwavable pizza I could find. I don't know how they could say it's "America's favourite" when no American has ever even heard of it! And have you smelled it cooking? It smells like melting plastic wrap! Just thinking of that horrid pizza makes me feel woozy.
But the "American" saltines at Tesco are great, they taste just like the ones at home! (They actually do have good crackers in the UK, you just have to look... the ones I bought came in a big orange container, but the name has slipped my mind.)
Have you seen "New York" bagels too, which are basically circles of bread??
It really is amusing to see what they call "American" in the UK. The foods never *quite* cut it, but they try sooo hard!  

My husband and I always have a laugh when we shop and see those "American" products!

Our favorites are:
**American hotdogs...in a jar!!!!  Righhhhht.
AND
**American hotdog sandwich filler...I think it is hotdogs, mayo, ketchup, mustard and god knows what else all blended together.  What American would eat that!!??  Ewww!

Hillarious!

I haven't tried the Sainsbury's things, but I have noticed that a lot of food products are being labeled as "American" and I think it's just a sales gimic. One product I saw, a certain brand of frozen pizza, touts itself as being "America's Favourite" and I've never heard of it!

One other reason they do it is to separate it it from what the British know as something else. An American bisuit. An American pancake, etc.

That's the Chicago Town pizzas, which are absolutely identical to the Tombstone microwave individual pizzas they sell in the United States.  They're either Tombstone or Red Baron repackaged for the British market.

I haven't tried the Sainsbury's things, but I have noticed that a lot of food products are being labeled as "American" and I think it's just a sales gimic. One product I saw, a certain brand of frozen pizza, touts itself as being "America's Favourite" and I've never heard of it!

One other reason they do it is to separate it it from what the British know as something else. An American bisuit. An American pancake, etc.

A lot of the American style products at Sainsbury's don't even come close, but one area where they hit the nail on the head is the MUFFINS.  They have American-style muffins...the blueberry muffins are absolutely divine.  I don't even bother with the "Mexican" food or the "chili" or the "ribs."  They're pathetic.

I just make my own Mexican food from scratch at home.  The flour tortillas EVERYWHERE here are just abominable and the corn tortillas are puke-inducing.  Luckily Sainsbury's sells masa harina so I can make my own corn tortillas, but I've been jonesing for good flour tortillas ever since I left Texas.

*pout*

I also can't get any decent chili peppers here.  They seem to only have two varieties here: red and green.  (stifling a laugh.)  I asked the people at Sainsbury's if they ever got any poblanos or anchos in and they said, "Probably nachos?  Foods of the world, aisle 9."

Hello Stacey,

Maybe you should try these two sites:

http://www.coolchile.co.uk/

and,

http://www.lupepintos.com/

I have not personally ordered anything from either one but others have.  Might give them a try.  They will have the authentic stuff we are use too.

Cheers,
Moi

If you are looking for poblanos to make chili rellano's, you might be out of luck with most websites, they'll have mainly sauces/pickled/canned ones........I've not had any luck, although I went to a Chili festival last weekend at West Dean Gardens and got motivated towards growing my own (in pots/conservatory). I didn't buy a poblano this time, but am going to try my hand with the medium-heat sante fe red I picked up. I can at least eat what's on the bush now! I ain't got a green thumb, but when pushed back to the wall by desperation.......!!! lol

Sher