These are a FEW of my favourite things
 

Ok peeps, my mate is over from old Blighty at the moment, and we got talking last night about what I miss as far as shopping goes. So aside from my well documented longing for Clarks for my sprogs :( I actually miss my local Waitrose quite badly still; something I didn't realise till flicking through a copy of Good Housekeeping that an expat friend lent me and saw adverts for all my fave foods, such as Rachels Yogurts and Ambrosia Custard :(:(

So I thought if the Supermarket Fairy could grant you 3 wishes what would you wish for and where would you buy it from

I'll start


1. Waitrose Curries :(

2. Colmans Sauce Mixes :(:(

3. Different Flavours in High Juice :(

Actually I could probably give you 300 but those were the first 3 that came to mind :D

Waitrose is top of my list followed by Tesco

Re: These are a FEW of my favourite things
 

Sarah, I've just been back to the UK for 3 weeks and it ain't all that :lol: I was in Asda the morning after I landed and OMG I hated every second of it! I found the foods expensive (spending Kiwi $$) and there were so many people bumping and banging trolley's to shove past you to grab the bargains :mad: I couldn't get out quick enough! I know you get the choice there but I"d MUCH rather shop here LOL

Re: These are a FEW of my favourite things
 

I have to agree with you Michelle. I went back to the UK last year and first port of call was Marks and Spencer Food court. I came out with nothing (well not food anyway - had to get the obligatory M&S knickers), it was sooo busy and really expensive! There are still certain things that I won't use here - Watties Tomato Ketchup, as it tends to take the top layer of skin off the kids faces (yes I have told them it isn't a face wash) - it has to be Heinz. We even went to our favorite Chinese and Indians and they didn't even taste as good as I was expecting them to.

I think we all crave familiarity and I can often be heard mutter in the shops here 'bloody country - expensive crap quality', but at the end of the day I really love it here but if anyone is coming over and would like to bring me some Thorntons Viennese Truffles I would be extremely grateful, oh and some Bisto Powder and Robinsons 'R' Pink Grapefruit Squash and.............

Re: These are a FEW of my favourite things
 

:D:D:D

Re: These are a FEW of my favourite things
 

1] Supermarkets like Tesco, Asda with plenty of aisles, space, checkouts and choice. I was back last September and couldn't get over the quality & how cheap it was compared to what I have seen here for the past 4 years.

2] M&S for blummin' good underwear.

3] Waterstones for books


The small stuff:-


Paxo stuffing - yum & double yum.

Gravy granules - coz it's easy when in a rush. Yes , yes I can make gravy from scratch and an oxo. :zzz:

Tesco doughnuts for husband.

Re: These are a FEW of my favourite things
 

1. Cans of Old Speckled Hen
2. Cans of Wadworth's 6X
3. Cans of Flowers IPA

Re: These are a FEW of my favourite things
 

You can get Old Speckeled Hen here, have seen it in New World a few times now...

My list would inculde (not including the stuff you can get in the likes of Cool Britannia)...

1) Ham, why can't they have decent Ham in this country? You know the sliced stuff that M&S excell at...

2) Choice of Cheese, its still limited and expensive here

3) Jones the Bootmaker/Clarks/Schuh/H&M/Gap/French Connection/John Lewis/Ikea/Habitat etc etc etc

4) DECENT MEXICAN FOOD!!!

5) Morgans Spiced Rum...

6) Magners...mmmm!

Re: These are a FEW of my favourite things
 

After reading the answers to date, I think I need to open an off-licence :ohmy::ohmy::ohmy:

You lot are a bunch of p****heads!!!! :rofl::rofl::rofl:

Re: These are a FEW of my favourite things
 

*hic* guilt as charged m'laud *hic* right, off to the pub *hic* :rofl:

Re: These are a FEW of my favourite things
 

talking of drink. I miss the fact that you can't buy any spirits in the supermarket - whats that all about??? mmm, Magners, had forgotten all about that - want some now!! Also miss Asda and Tesco for cheap paperbacks - why are they sooo expensive over here??

Food wise, I miss :

Decent gravy
Waitrose free range pork sausages - my kids won't eat any sausages over here- they say that they are disgusting.
Did miss decent pesto -but found some that I used to buy at home in Woolworths the other day.
Decent take away curries - they are all too creamy over here.

also miss Next, Gap, H&M, M&S, even Primark for the odd bargain - can't beleive I just admitted that! :o

other than that nothing! :thumbsup:

Re: These are a FEW of my favourite things
 

You can apparently get decent sausages over the 'other side' in BOP from an English Butcher :thumbup:

I don't really understand why Kiwis haven't cottoned on to the gravy :unsure:

I was talking to a Kiwi friend last night who is married to a Pommie. We were discussing the fact that we came from a life of convenience in the UK whereas she has grown up learning that doing things from 'scratch' was the norm.

This has probably been the hardest part for me; trying to learn a new 'routine' to fit baking in and making sure that I have planned ahead as far as food goes

However, she says that many younger Kiwis don't have those skills now and also live on convenience food, which means that younger Kiwis are living on Maccys, Burger King, KFC or Subway round here :eek: That or the so called 'ready meals' in the supermarket :blink:

I would have imagined with so many Kiwis doing their OE in the UK in particular or those returning after living there for, in some instances, decades, that they too would have cravings :unsure:

Re: These are a FEW of my favourite things
 

Those cravings get fewer and fewer as time goes by. Still fancy real ale with Brannigans crisps in a nice country pub, or a good curry from our old local. But even those are more about the memories, or experience and less so about the taste.

The other thing we still miss is convenience.

Re: These are a FEW of my favourite things
 

we do.

i love hobnobs. Original, not the ones with chocolate (oddly!).

Re: These are a FEW of my favourite things
 

[QUOTE=kev&sarah;6406598]You can apparently get decent sausages over the 'other side' in BOP from an English Butcher :thumbup:

Thanks, may have to go over on the hunt for them and buy a bulk load! My kids were not fussy eaters until they got here, but that probably has something to do with the quality of kids meals in the pubs and restaurants we have been in.

Still can't beat bisto gravy granules - however much that is cheating!!

Do miss walking down to the local and enjoying a glass (or two, or is that bottle) in the pub garden in the summer. :(

Re: These are a FEW of my favourite things
 

I'm going over but sadly not until March, if you remind me closer to the time Thorntons here you come. I love Viennese Truffle, Diplomats, Alpini's etc etc actually just love Thorntons. It will be my first Christmas without them, survived mothers day and birthday but Christmas