Pennines49

To start with CHOICE,COMPETITION and VALUE for money

Biscuits, beer, danish bacon, sausage, fresh fruit, ready meals, t bags, roast chicken, cod, etc etc

Amazulu

be there or be square

northernbird

Seriously??????

chris955

Being in the UK right now I have to agree, I dont notice any difference in the quality of stuff like fresh fruit and veg but most of it is way cheaper and the range is amazing, we still havent got used to the variety available.

Snap Shot

The best and to date only pint of Guiness I ever had was at the Guinness factory in Dublin. I thought it was very good.

I don't really miss a great deal of food from the UK. Paxo stuffing, proper Marmalade, Sarsons Vinegar, instant custard powder, cadburys Bourneville cocoa (not the Australian version), Tetley tea bags. I get all these from an ex-pat shop. All other food and drink is just groceries.

Almo

We've been back in the UK for 3 weeks (this is planned as a permanent return) and have spent a ridiculous amount of time in supermarkets. Although I am over the moon to have some of my old favourites freely available I have to confess to being a little overwhelmed by some of the massive superstores, and particularly the volume of processed food available. Even leaving aside the ready meals, you can buy so much food already prepared/ready to cook, which saddens me. I know this is starting to happen in Australia and I'm sure the trend will continue but it is noticeably worse here.

I still love British supermarkets but I do miss, to a degree, the simplicity of my old supermarkets in Melbourne (and I definitely miss queen vic market).

mays

I agree about the ready meals in the UK. Unfortuantely people are either too busy or just don't know how to cook anymore. No wonder obesity is a problem. I hope Australia doesn't end up the same. The choice and variety of fresh fruit and veg here is fantastic!
When we first arrived here in the late 90s, I thought the supermarkets were disappointing because of the limited choice but now I'm glad.
I do still miss some of the old British favourites though!! (listed in an earlier post).
Hope you settle in ok over there.

Grayling

Australia already has as much obesity as the Uk if not more.

Fruit and veg little difference.....certainly no fresher or more choice here.

Pennines49

Yeah, not with Chicken Treat, KFC,Maccas and KFC on every corner !

Machine

Bisto, Bisto, Bisto!!! Thankfully we've found it stocked in the British shops in Brisvegas. Bloody expensive though, but then isn't everything here now? I also really miss M&S food, both packaged and fresh produce. I miss ripe fruit. I never thought I'd say that because when I've been here on previous holidays the fresh stuff was of a much better standard than in London. I don't know if it's because I'm in Brisbane and not Sydney or Melbourne. Is it any better there?

Onken yoghurt with the grains in it
Bagels
A good quality take away/eat in curry - a miss my occasional Friday night lamb korma - watery and flavourless here
Fresh leafy greens that don't wilt as soon as you pick them up off the shelf

I'm in North Brisbane so any suggestions on where to source any of the above would be gratefully received.

Someone told me recently that one of the supermarkets is stocking Heston Waitrose ready made meals just with different packaging. Anyone know which one and what they are called? We don't really eat ready made meals but I'd like to try one.

Percy Pigs!

Machine

I have noticed that there are not many ready made meals available in supermarkets which surprised me because Australia is now the second fattest nation on earth. Not surprising really with the availability of fast food on every corner.

I have read through all the replies and want to second missing proper fish and chips (cod and fat chips). British fish and chip shop Chumleys in Birkdale (Brisbane) do good fish and chips. The cod is flakey, not mushy like you'd find in a fish and chip take away here and the chips decent. I think they're trying to sell up though so it's bound to go down hill. If you're thinking of going, go early, the queues are long. My local makes each order as it comes in, one at a time, so you have to wait at least 45 mins and it's shite. Who does that? How are these people still in business?

Restaurant food here, even the so called good places, is also pants. Everything is over salted and flavourless. How can this be with so much fresh produce grown locally? Is it just Brisbane? Have I gone back in time, possibly to the 50's?

northernbird

I'm not normally a convenience food girl but our local Woolies started selling Jamie Oliver frozen fishcakes so as we all like fish I thought I would try them. The smoked whiting with spinach and cheese ones are absolutely delicious and served with a mixed salad went down well.

Amazulu

I agree. The UK and Australia are both terrible for this kind of thing.

chris955

Yes agreed, Im not sure where this ideal comes from that there is more choice in Australia, it certainly isnt what we are finding and definitely not fresher in Australia, we have found that fresh is fresh.
I do love the fact that there isnt a fast food joint of every corner here, part of the Americanisation of Australia I really dislike.

Amazulu

What part of the Americanisation of the UK do you like?