Should you totally give up American foods?

I also think it's a bit presumptuous to assume that people aren't invested un local food culture if they occasionally buy American products.  I also wouldn't call European produce locally sourced.

Sorry, I am not a Velveeta or Cool Whip consumer, but I'd never dream of criticizing an expatriates for wanting to buy them.  I imagine people can take it too far and have it interfere with adjusting to  a new life, but making a few orders with an online  supplier or making the occasional shop somewhere different to pick up some highly processed food which reminds someone of home is hardly grounds for concern or derision.

I am an immigrant.  I can hardly imagine someone telling an immigrant in the States or an immigrant from  any other country that they should forget about food from home, no matter how foul anyone else thinks it is.

Agreed.  If we didn't eat things that weren't local how would we have Chinese, Mexican, Ethiopian, and Indian among others to try at home?

Agreed.  If we didn't eat things that weren't local how would we have Chinese, Mexican, Ethiopian, and Indian among others to try at home?

Or baklava.

So, opinions are frowned upon here...fair enough. Seattle happens to to different that many other parts of the US. Similar to living in Ithaca, NY, Santa Cruz, CA or other little enclaves of progressiveness. We recylce everything, we try to buy local, we try to be an example of sustainability, but the decadence of the lowest common denominator is always with us. I find adventure and whimsy in the unusual and different. Perhaps the fact that I am a foodie and an amateur chef helps me to understand taking to different cultures and foods. I cook Thai, Chinese, Italian, German Mexican and French food. I like eating South Amercian food and Japanese food, Vietnamese, Hawiian food. I have eaten in The Netherlands, Germany ( am of German ancestry) and France, and well as England. I took the time to explore the grocery stores and understnad the customs and limitations of certain places. It frustrated me to no end that I  could not find any potato chips in Germany that didn't have paprika or onions flavoring them. I once spent a half hour in a store trying to find condiments for our sandwhiches. None to be found. But the Weinersnitzel and Sauer Braten were excellent. The breads everywhere we went were fresh. The Indian food and Argentinian steakhouses in Amsterdam were amazing. Mostly we loved the yogurts and fruits and veggies. We can get some English specialties here, like golden syrup and doublecream spread for scones, but it is better there. I am a scone fanatic. I haven't emmigrated, but I know food, and I know what I can be happy with and what I can handle. You can't, for example, get peppermint tea in Florida. They just do not have it. That would be unheard of in Seattle. There are as many differences in the food choices and quality of differing eating preferences in my own country, and just north of us in Canada. I think I have "some" clue" as to what I am speaking of. Just saying.

I don't think anyone's saying you're clueless, lawyerwoman, or that you can't have an opinion; just that it's not nice to rain on peoples' parades in a thread devoted to missing American foods and products.

I, too come from a healthy eating background and worked in a natural food market (a competitor of Whole Foods) in the US for 14 years.  But I wouldn't say someone else's choice of what they are missing is vile (though I think I did once say Boo Berry cereal was gross  ).

You can always start a different thread for that.

So, opinions are frowned upon here...fair enough.

No, holier than thou looking down your nose at others probably is, though.

Seattle happens to to different that many other parts of the US. Similar to living in Ithaca, NY, Santa Cruz, CA or other little enclaves of progressiveness. We recylce everything, we try to buy local, we try to be an example of sustainability, but the decadence of the lowest common denominator is always with us.

I lived in Switzerland for nearly 8 years, everything was recycled (to the point of being fined if they found recyclables in your household trash). Things were local to the point of two grocery store chains having a cartel - and quality does suffer. Not an enclave of progressiveness.

I find adventure and whimsy in the unusual and different. Perhaps the fact that I am a foodie and an amateur chef helps me to understand taking to different cultures and foods. I cook Thai, Chinese, Italian, German Mexican and French food. I like eating South Amercian food and Japanese food, Vietnamese, Hawiian food. I have eaten in The Netherlands, Germany ( am of German ancestry) and France, and well as England. I took the time to explore the grocery stores and understnad the customs and limitations of certain places.

That really has nothing to do with expats craving food from home. There's plenty of junk food in French, Dutch and German grocery stores and restaurants. I would do my weekly shop in France or Germany (I lived on the border of both countries), so I'm pretty aware of what they sell, and all is not wholesome and good. I've not just "eaten in", I've lived the culture, I know of what I speak.

It frustrated me to no end that I  could not find any potato chips in Germany that didn't have paprika or onions flavoring them.

You didn't look very hard, then.

I once spent a half hour in a store trying to find condiments for our sandwhiches. None to be found.

Again, you didn't look very hard. They're all over. Ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise and all kinds of flavored mayonnaise, etc.

But the Weinersnitzel and Sauer Braten were excellent. The breads everywhere we went were fresh.

The vast majority of bakeries in Germany, France and Switzerland are pre-baked at a factory and then just finalized at the shop. Even the corner bakery.

There are as many differences in the food choices and quality of differing eating preferences in my own country, and just north of us in Canada. I think I have "some" clue" as to what I am speaking of. Just saying.

Everyone is a unique snowflake. Just not quite as unique as they think they are.

Just saying.

So, opinions are frowned upon here...fair enough. Seattle happens to to different that many other parts of the US. Similar to living in Ithaca, NY, Santa Cruz, CA or other little enclaves of progressiveness. We recylce everything, we try to buy local, we try to be an example of sustainability, but the decadence of the lowest common denominator is always with us.

Seriously?  Can you not see how completely offensive you're being?  It's completely fine to hate cool whip and fluff and whatever else.  It's not fine to be incredibly rude and condescending.  There's an entire forum for b!tching -- perhaps go have a gripe about the lowest common denominator in there and leave people to their comfort foods, whatever they may be.

We were at Meadowhall shopping mall in Sheffield at the weekend - and they have a stand selling soft pretzels

I saw Double-Stuff Oreos in the local Tesco Metro the other day. I was PMSing. I bought them and ate half the pack before I even made it home.  Blergh. And yet delicious.

That said, I miss Annie's Mac and Cheese? Didn't someone spot it somewhere? I got all happy last week because it looks like Tesco is going through a big Mexican food push--the section is now twice the size it was and included some cans of Poblano chillies! And some jalapenos! Very exciting.

I think we are going to see Mexican food become really popular here in the next couple of years.  We were in Cancun on holiday last September and I swear 3/4 of the people there were Brits.  BA now flies direct to Cancun.  As more people travel and holiday in Mexico the more people will want that food at home and all of us who are Mexican food afficianados back in the UK will benefit!

lawyer woman.......i think its very good to have an opinion but the way youre coming across with your opinions on this thread and the other thread just isnt very nice......i know many people that leave in seattle and they dont behave in such a fashion.......do your own thing......be a lawyer......be a chef......enjoy all the things you enjoy but you must realize not everyone wants to be who you are......i cook too.....i love foods from most all cultures but damn i like a good zero bar from time to time too.....and personally i dont care what you think about it......i dont need to know that you are a lawyer, chef, your sexual orientation, or your knowledge of foods.......what i would like to see is a non judgemental human being with some compassion for others.......good luck on your move and i do wish you all the best with your life in the uk

I guess I would just like to encourage people to live where they are, and become invested in the food culture of where they live. I think a lot of acclimating to a new culture is doing things the native do.

What I think you're failing to realise is that embracing a new food culture doesn't mean turning your back entirely on your past.  I am both a British Citizen (2009) and an American one (1972) so I can darn well eat curry or fluff depending on my whim.

We were at Meadowhall shopping mall in Sheffield at the weekend - and they have a stand selling soft pretzels

Not as good as Auntie Annies, but close.. Its been there since Christmas I think (last time I was there and had to have one)

So, opinions are frowned upon here...fair enough.

Opinions are not frowned upon here, we just dont have the same. Thats the difference.

Seattle happens to to different that many other parts of the US. Similar to living in Ithaca, NY, Santa Cruz, CA or other little enclaves of progressiveness. We recycle everything, we try to buy local, we try to be an example of sustainability, but the decadence of the lowest common denominator is always with us.

In the UK, most areas have moved to bi-weekly collection with recycling being collected in the by-week. If I had a car, Id bring more to my local supermarket which has a place for clothes, linens, cds and more. Long Island or Philly never gave me those options.

I prefer to buy locally, so go out of my way to buy from the local green grocer,  butcher and dairy. Not only am I being green, BUT helping out the small guy. If not, try to only buy products from the UK (its pisses me off to no end that we're sent apples from Washington State or NY, when the UK grows some amazing ones)

I find adventure and whimsy in the unusual and different. Perhaps the fact that I am a foodie and an amateur chef helps me to understand taking to different cultures and foods. I cook Thai, Chinese, Italian, German Mexican and French food. I like eating South Amercian food and Japanese food, Vietnamese, Hawiian food. I have eaten in The Netherlands, Germany (am of German ancestry) and France, and well as England. I took the time to explore the grocery stores and understand the customs and limitations of certain places. It frustrated me to no end that I  could not find any potato chips in Germany that didn't have paprika or onions flavoring them. I once spent a half hour in a store trying to find condiments for our sandwiches. None to be found.

I hate the term foodie. GAH. Anyways, an American living in the UK recently won British MasterChef with a meal of hamburgers. Take what you want from it.

It annoys me things are labelled differently or things just arent so. I make do. I know here wont be like back home, but can try to find as much as I can and adapt. I prefer British beef over American

You can't, for example, get peppermint tea in Florida. They just do not have it. That would be unheard of in Seattle. There are as many differences in the food choices and quality of differing eating preferences in my own country, and just north of us in Canada. I think I have "some" clue" as to what I am speaking of. Just saying.

You say this like none of us have come from the US and are unaware of our own country... I dont go into a Stop n Shop in NY trying to find Bestmans when I know full well I only find Hellmans.

You say this like none of us have come from the US and are unaware of our own country... I dont go into a Stop n Shop in NY trying to find Bestmans when I know full well I only find Hellmans.

Now wait a second right here.  People eat different vittles in different places in 'Merica? I know she's talking about makin that thar fancy Cool Whip out of the thick drinkin' milk or drinkin' fancy peppermint tea like they done do in those progressive enclaves, but this is too much.  I am aimin to eat some of that orgasmic fruit, British baklava and yoghurt (WILL MULLER'S CORNERS DO?), but now I am gonna have to try different American places food.

Mushin peanuts to make yer own peanut butter, fancy Cool Whip, and cheese other than spray, squeezy,  or Velveeta.  Oh, I forgot about those little slices wrapped up in plastic.  I always forget about them cos they are called "cheese food".  Keep thinkin' I need to feed them to the brick of Velveeta if I don't use it quick 'nough. Anyway, next ye all will tell me I can make a cake without Betty Crocker or Duncan Hines!

How long til I become one of them foodies?

EDIT: I almost fergot!  I went to Canadia once and ate some of that there Kraft Dinner, but it were just mac and cheese just my mommy used to make.  Cept they put ketchup on it. So yeah, I guess she is right.  Different vittles for different places.

What I think you're failing to realise is that embracing a new food culture doesn't mean turning your back entirely on your past.  I am both a British Citizen (2009) and an American one (1972) so I can darn well eat curry or fluff depending on my whim.

Hopefully not at the same time.