Dry Pet Food & Customs

Hi All,

Does anyone know if dry cat food in ziplock bags will be a problem when going through customs. The brand I get for my cat (Nature's Variety Instinct Chicken Meal Formula) doesn't appear to available on Amazon UK, and so I wanted to bring some of her food with us so we don't have to run out right away to get more food and also have time to transition her to whatever new brand we get. Not sure if pet food needs to be in the original bag, which would be a hassle but doable, or if ziplock bags is okay since it will be in our carry on luggage.

We brought in about 8 pouches of wet cat food last summer and no one cared/asked/inquired, not to mention ours had dry food in baggies with them when they drove across the channel earlier this year.

Should be ok - its different coming into the UK than the US with animal byproducts. We've entered many times with a lot of cheese and sausage (Im from WI originally) and never had a problem either (well, except with the airport scanner at O'Hare due to cheese blocks apparently looking suspicious) with UK immigration. And I mean we bring in cheese and sausage - last summer it was about 15kgs or so. You should be good to go even if its in baggies.

This year we are planning on bringing a case of that wet food (their absolute favorite and it is either £2 a packet if you can find it on Amazon or not available at all) and I wouldn't do that if I hadn't had experience doing it previously. And we will probably still bring in some more cheese because this British stuff just doesnt melt well on enchiladas, not to mention we are now out of the cheese from last year 

We brought in about 8 pouches of wet cat food last summer and no one cared/asked/inquired, not to mention ours had dry food in baggies with them when they drove across the channel earlier this year.

Should be ok - its different coming into the UK than the US with animal byproducts. We've entered many times with a lot of cheese and sausage (Im from WI originally) and never had a problem either (well, except with the airport scanner at O'Hare due to cheese blocks apparently looking suspicious) with UK immigration. And I mean we bring in cheese and sausage - last summer it was about 15kgs or so. You should be good to go even if its in baggies.

This year we are planning on bringing a case of that wet food (their absolute favorite and it is either £2 a packet if you can find it on Amazon or not available at all) and I wouldn't do that if I hadn't had experience doing it previously. And we will probably still bring in some more cheese because this British stuff just doesnt melt well on enchiladas, not to mention we are now out of the cheese from last year 

Melty cheese! What I wouldn't give for some good old American cheese that melts into soup. Have you found any sort of okay substitutes?

No, no good other cheese substitutes found yet. I thawed out some of the last of the mexican blend we brought back from Costco and put it on my chili this week and man, how can you not love the stringy goodness? British cheese always melts in a lump and has such a sour taste that I just don't like. I will suffer and use it for ghetto nachos in the microwave but its just not the same.

British cheese always melts in a lump and has such a sour taste that I just don't like.

what kind of cheese are you using?

Cheddar (usually shredded etc), but sometimes i get blocks of cheddar for cocktail hour and that is still really gross.

Cheddar (usually shredded etc), but sometimes i get blocks of cheddar for cocktail hour and that is still really gross.

Just found this blog post about the best cheeses for melting: http://thecheesemarket.co.uk/cheeseblog/whats-the-best-cheese-for-melting/

Apparently cheddar isn't that good for melting because it has a low moisture content, which means it requires higher temperatures to break down the protein bonds (which might be why you're ending up with a lump when it melts?)

In regards to cheeses for nacho sauce, I've just come across a UK recipe for it which uses processed cheese slices!

Just found this blog post about the best cheeses for melting: http://thecheesemarket.co.uk/cheeseblog/whats-the-best-cheese-for-melting/

Apparently cheddar isn't that good for melting because it has a low moisture content, which means it requires higher temperatures to break down the protein bonds (which might be why you're ending up with a lump when it melts?)

In regards to cheeses for nacho sauce, I've just come across a UK recipe for it which uses processed cheese slices!

It is best to just make a cheese sauce out of cream cheese and your favorite cheese. Add a bit of cream to it.

It's really easy but you won't get that nacho cheese sauce flavor here because cheddar here is completely different.

This is also how I make Alfredo sauce.

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Cheddar (usually shredded etc), but sometimes i get blocks of cheddar for cocktail hour and that is still really gross.

Have you tried any of the shredded cheese mixes? I've gotten a 4 cheese mix and an Italian mix, and they work well. The one's from Tesco even tell you what cheeses are in the mix!

The cheddar does a good job in my cheddar and broccoli soup and a pasta I make with cream.

Have you tried getting one of the mild cheddars? Most of the one's here are mature cheddars which would probably be that 'sour' flavor you are describing. It's the mature cheese flavor. My dad loves mature and extra mature cheddar and they have a bite to them.