MillieF

Bearing in mind I am British but haven't lived there for Ever, and live in France, so never get British 'bits' except rarely - what can I not get in Canada? I have visited Calgary often, but my mother-in-law is the world's worst cook, so I used to have to shop for anything edible to give my child. I didn't like the fact that even if I bought Potato Salad from a shop it had sugar added to it, and so did ALL the youghurts. But of course I will be 'living' there and usually make most food from scratch and don't like pre-prepared, except for washed salad leaves. However, my son loves and worships Heinz Cream of Tomato, and I love a bit of Marmite.

My husband says that I can buy ANYTHING I want there!!! Is this just because he wants me to go to Canada? I don't care....I think the educational system, safety and the fact that my husband wants to go home is a reasonable enough pull. But what do YOU miss??

I don't need Cheddar, I've managed for years without it in France, I also do a once every six months order to the UK via British Corner Shops, but then so does my sister in Jordan.

I would just like to be mentally prepared? I can't get a Christmas Crackers here, but other half tells me I will there?

Every good wish for the New Year and thanks for responses.

Alan2005

I got my Christmas crackers at Canadian Tire.

Oink

Everything has added sugar and salt here. Just look at how fat and unhealthy North Americans are.

ann m

You can get pretty much anything you want, if you are prepared to pay for it.

Even Christmas crackers!

Most regular breads are very sweet - and yes, sugar is added to almost everything pre-packaged.

Make you own, or hunt down the few alternative versions.

The only thing I've never seen in stores here is fresh baby sweetcorn. I need to look in China town or the markets.

adrianj

Canada is nothing like the UK...

go to any major food store and you wont get half the stuff that even corner shops in the UK have.

The food labling is rubbish, and misleading.

To get my standard weekly shop, I need to visit several stores plus some of the ethnic stores.

Tesco can put these guys to shame.

Get used to NOT having what you likeed in the UK, chances are its not available here.

But look on the bright side, everyuthing loaded with sugar and fat.

oh and it must be the law to have maple syrup with everything.

Good Value Baked beans in MAPLE SYRUP. FFS

Simon Legree

What a lot of old cobblers !
Granted that there is too often additional sugar and fat but there is very little that can't be found somewhere.

Novocastrian

Cobblers indeed. Average body mass index by country from nationmaster tell a different tale.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/he...health-obesity

fledermaus

I've noticed a shocking lack of Schweppes Diet Tonic Water.

Oink

I think the inclusion of the Newcastle Upon Tyne area in the distribution has negatively skewed the results somewhat.

Simon Legree

And a while back there was a shortage of Angostura Bitters. It made making a decent Pink Gin quite difficult. Fortunately the supply in now back to normal.

dbd33

Instant Grits are hard to come by. Regular grits are everywhere, as one would expect.

ducktastic

Creme de cassis...can't get it in Vancouver anywhere...really missing my Kir Royales...anyone know where I can buy it?

I am most missing the UK supermarkets, they are all shite here. Yes you can buy anything but it is a very unpleasant experience and I have to go to 3 to 4 different places to get everything I need.

On the flip side the local deli's, bakeries and butchers are all excellent and knock spots off that type of thing in the UK.

triumphguy

You can't get unpasteurised cheese from France at stores here.

Novocastrian

"Here" is a relative term. I accept that it's almost impossible to find in Canada, but I bought an unpasteurized Camembert made in Isigny at the St. Lawrence Market last year.

It was a snip at $18. (Perhaps 3 euros at source).

<weeps>

Dunstable Diva

The quality of food is not as good as in the uk. Coleslaw is so sweet although after living here for over 5 years i have recently discovered that a decent coleslaw can be bought at A&W. I also have to go to several places to get all my groceries and with petrol at $1.25 that can be expensive. i have to buy veg on the day i am going to cook it otherwise it goes limp. In the uk i lived on fish. I dont know why but fish doesnt taste the same here. Canada is a huge country with a very small population and with that comes less choice. Oh and Canada has the highest mobile phone rates in the WORLD. I live in the Okanagan and a recent report on Castanet.net reported that 75% of drivers in Kelowna are driving under the influence of pot!!!!!! DO YOUR HOMEWORK nowhere in the world is paradise but family and friends are the most important thing in the world.