jambey2510

Hey guys,

Been searching for answers online, I'm visiting my OH for Christmas on Sunday and I'm bringing a bunch of British treats for her family as gifts for Christmas.

There are some foods I know which I can bring, but there is a few I am unsure on!

Here are the ones I am unsure of:

Mushy peas (tinned, obviously)
Meat flavoured crisps (I know the USA are funny on meat, but meat flavoured?)
Custard Powder
Branston Pickle

Can anyone tell me are these things okay to bring over? I'm only asking as I know they're funny about vegetable/meat stuff, so want to check if canned veggies and meat flavoured stuff are okay? And I'm unsure how they are on powdered foods?

I'll be putting some things in my carry on, chocolates and biscuits mainly, hopefully they make it through the flight untouched

SultanOfSwing

Canned items, stuff in jars and bags of crisps are all OK, I've brought all those things through in checked luggage. Even brought a few 2L bottles of Irn Bru last time as well. I've no idea if they bothered checking our cases or if they even get X-rayed but we listed food on our customs forms and nobody seemed to care.

Just don't bring actual out-in-the-open meat/cheese or fresh fruit/veg and you should be OK.

jambey2510

Awesome!

Cheers for that Sultan! Appreciated. I'm thinking of taking the crisps in my carry on bag to stop them being crushed in my checked luggage, I'm assuming that's fine with TSA etc?

SultanOfSwing

I'm not sure about the carry on, I've never carried food in mine that wasn't bought beyond security. I know they get funny about liquids, not sure if it extends to food.

I will say it's nigh on impossible to transport crisps in checked luggage without being crushed, but that's always how I've done it.

rbackhouse

Don't bring gravy powder. Ask me how I know

Guindalf

One thing to remember, meat-flavoured crisps are just that and do NOT contain any actual meat!

robin1234

..... Sigh ......

HOW DO YOU KNOW ???

kodokan

Best method we've found so far is for hubby to go over on a business trip, buy a plastic storage crate and a roll of packing tape, fill the box with crisps, tape it up, then check it as a piece of luggage on the way back.

robin1234

Call me an infidel but I think crisps or chips are better in the U.S. so wtf??

SultanOfSwing

That'd work. Last trip we were already at our limit with luggage, though. Even our then 4 year old had her own case full of crap.

Crisps are fine over here. You can't get pickled onion Monster Munch or Skips, though, which is what we usually bring back.

Also, Tayto cheese n onion, which are the food of the gods.

rbackhouse

Tried bringing some bisto granules back once. Customs didn't like the beef extract and confiscated after a thorough search through the rest of our luggage.

jambey2510

Hence why I'm hoping to take crisps in my carry on instead, still get a little crushed but not as much as if I put them in my checked luggage! I wonder if there's anyone here who would know if carrying crisps in my carry on is fine?

Yeah, that was my thinking, but I was unsure how TSA or whoever else may view it! Crisps in my carry on, instead of checked, do you know if this is okay?

It's not about that sometimes, it's about trying flavours they would never experience otherwise, such as prawn cocktail, the meat flavours we have and monster much crisps!

Monster munch are being taken over, for them to experience how amazing the pickled onion flavour is!

H Bomb

Were they being OTT or is that the rule? We have brought gravy granules back every time so far without issue.

We also just got a relative to bring dried fruit over for a Christmas cake we were making. She didn't have an issue but we realised afterwards it was probably on the list of things we are not allowed.

I tried to get her to bring a load of Gregg's pasties - but she said no Thinking I may stock up on some Fray Bentos when beck over Christmas

Rete

Why are you bringing these over to the US? They are available for sale here as well.

Rete

Before I moved south in end of June, I could have sent you all of these things plus what the young man/OP mentioned all from the state of new York. They are sold in all the delis in the area I lived. I mentioned it many times on here but apparently no one listens