canarybats

Just wondering whether you should declare teabags as food on the customs form when entering the States? I'm getting conflicting advice.

I'm sure that you can buy them out there but I don't drink coffee and am basically addicted to yorkshire gold. It's the only thing that gets me going in the morning!

Beaverstate

How many are you planning on smuggling? I doubt customs will worry about a few commercial teabags.

rpjs

When bringing in teabags and other packaged groceries I've ticked the food box and verbally described what I'm carrying when asked by the primary inspector. One time only I got sent to secondary customs and the indpector looked into my bag of goodies and sent me on my way.

Karrie72

I've never declared tea bags but written it down on the green customs form. Never had any problems, just sarky remarks about bringing tea in Boston!

robin1234

Yorkshire Gold is very widely available in supermarkets here, at a very reasonable price too.

Karrie72

That's true, as are pg tips my personal favorite. I do find tea to be expensive here though so I buy in bulk when I'm over. There's a new pg tips variety called builders tea that isn't available here yet.

civilservant

Twinning's English Breakfast is available at any Walmart too.

robin1234

When I go to England I bring back loose tea, since that is harder to buy here than tea bags. My favourite at the moment is Lyons Red Label.

watchamacallit

The only food you need to dump before entry are meat, fruit or veg. Tea bags, coffee, candy and cookies are allowed.
You can buy PG tips and Tetleys in Hannafords, Price Chopper, Shaws. Stop and Shop and a few other stores anyway.

Karrie72

That's true unless you find a boutique type of tea shop. There's a lovely and quite substantial one in Maine called Mcnabbs tea room.
I'll have to try that Lyons one.

canarybats

Thanks for the replies. Good to hear that yorkshire gold is available in supermarkets but I'm still going to bring some over as I can't be without my brew!! When I visited Portland the only tea that they served in the coffee shops was the fancy stuff in the plasticy bags. Supposed to be better for you but I prefer that paper taste!

mikelincs

Yorkshire tea had a major advertising campaign here in the UK, showing how they were taking Yorkshire tea to the US.

Guindalf

Most products sold in jars/non-perishable packages are fine. It's fresh, frozen or chilled meats and fruit/veggies they're more concerned with.

Yorkshire Gold is available from Amazon anyway.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...shire+gold+tea

canarybats

Crikey!!!! $12.63 for 160 bags!!! That's crazy prices isn't it. I'm sure that 160 only costs me about £2.50.

Speedwell

My husband brought me LOADS of Punjana (it was most of his carry-on) and they said nothing. I breeze through Customs when I check "yes" to food and then put what it is just beside that (for example "tea, cookies, candy, wine"). Tea isn't a problem. Once when coming home from Germany I didn't realize I shouldn't have brought home a sausage gift, but since I had actually written it on the customs form there was no assumption that I was trying to smuggle it.

We get Yorkshire Gold, PG Tips, Barry's, a lot of Indian teas that are very good indeed, and a truly silly range of supermarket stuff pretending to be upscale. Drugstore.com sells Punjana and you can of course order it from the firm themselves.