We're off to France camping in three weeks time and I'm wondering whether its worth taking some basic groceries with me or just buy in the French supermarkets ?
We're fairly adventurous eaters so we'll be exploring the supermarkets but debating taking the basics like cereal, baked beans, tomato ketchup, pasta, jam, tea, coffee, cartons of fruit juice, squash etc
What do you do ?
Are the supermarkets cheaper or more expensive at the mo ?
Any advice appreciated
Thanks
Jen
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Supermarkets probably slightly more expensive at the moment but not a huge different t be honest. It depends where you buy. the local market for groceries would be cheaper, fresher and more enjoyable by far than carting stuff away with you. We usually take tea bags (as the French just not quite got it right yet) and sometimes the odd bits but generally buy out there. When in Rome!!!!!!! ......... eh
I would suggest tea and instant coffee if you like particular brands. We used to buy Carte Noir to bring back from France but its now much cheaper in Waitrose! Kellogs cereals are usually available as are those made by Nestle others you would be best taking with you. Other than that you will find most things you want in French supermarkets and much more beside. There is no doubt that French supermarkets are not as cheap as they once were but we did not think they were excessively expensive compared to our previous trip a year ago.
We take basics such as pasta, rice (basically for no other reason than to finish them off as we would at home)! We also take a couple of emergency meals (indeed have on every French trip since 1960). We also take a few 'stir-in' sauces to use with locally bought chicken pieces etc). We take tea, coffee, salt , pepper etc again not because you can't stuff them in France but because you can take a measured amount from your normal home supply, rather then being faced with buying 100 teabags whilst in France!
We also buy corn flakes in France but you can take them if you wish. We buy jam in France (or better still Switzerland where Black cherry jam is mean and popular) because its really nice.
Baked beans are a pretty British thing, so you need to take thos eif you need to have them. Also you would need to take things like Marmite.
always thought that the food / market shopping was part of the experience, only ever take a few basics - pasta rice tinned corn, chicken/ham and some sauces - so that we can produce a meal without shopping if desperate.
must admit take a couple of bottles of oz wine - mainly cos of the flexibility of screw caps
unfortunately the exchange rate is taking a lot of the fun out of shopping - getting too expensive to indulge in experimental purchases
We go on our first trip in about 4 weeks, I have a box that i have just added a few tins and packets too, beans, pasta, tuna, rice etc and also biscuits, orange squash etc plus also i have things like tea, coffee, salt, pepper etc that we take on every camping trip. Like others i have enough to be able to throw a meal together without shopping if needs be or if we arrive later than anticipated. Also, i do want to keep costs low if i can so my intention really is just to buy fresh stuff.
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Dilute pop is a must if your children like it, we have never found anything similar to date, it's all syrup. Also we have always found cereals very expensive in France and as my 15 year old eats at least 3 bowls a day we take alot with us. Our big bags of rice and pasta from home would save us a bit too as although it's readily available it is more expensive. Tinned tuna for sandwiches was very dear too so tend to take that with us. Otherwise we buy everything else when there.
Last year as an emergency thing I took a tin of soup and a pack of spaghetti to the Costa Brava and brought it home again. This year it was a tin of beans and a pack of spaghetti! Also brought home again.
However tea bags, your fave instant coffee and a pack of uht milk for emergencies should be on your list. Fresh milk is not always easy to find.
Alex
enjoy
We went to france for 6 weeks 2 years ago and the main thing we couldn't find like sandra said was fruit squash like robinsons, we tried lots of different bottles but they where horrid, it was a real problem with our son as he wont drink water on its own, so this year we will be taking plenty of bottles with us.
I live here, and I have a wish list.......on hand.
Tetley T bags, Marmite, Birds custard Powder, HP Brown Sauce, Heinz Tomato Sauce, Mint Sauce, Cadbury's Chocolate, Blue Dragon packet stir in sauces, Malt Vinegar, Hendersons Relish, Heinz Baked Beans, Danish Bacon, Jacobs Cream Crackers selection pack,any packs of sweet Biscuits, a very Mature Chedder Cheese, asda Jelly's,
We can get them, every big supermarket does the English section, but at a price.
Christmas I go back to the UK, with Jams, Cheeses, Pate, Bottles of Pineau, Red and White wines,
Shopping over the last 2 years I havn't noticed a vast difference in the prices, but with the exchange rate now, well yes, your not going to get as much for your money,
We are off on saturday and in my box of stuff to take is as others have said...tea/coffee/sugar. Shall take some sauces eg brown and ketchup. Baked beans ar a must as is a bag of pasta and a stir in sauce for emergencies. Anything else can be bought freshly. We like eating salds/breads/meat so all easy stuff to get there.
I never go without taking a 24 box of Oxo cubes, not only useful for Gravies, stews etc but also nice in a mug of hot water with a nice baguette to dunk on chilly days.
------------- Gaynor
I have three sides, left, right and wrong - which one are you on?
My kids like grenadine syrup so we get that there...
otherwise I take some baked beans (the French ones are nothing like ours), t-bags, hot chocolate and a couple of packets of tesco value rice with vegetables in. If we have room I shove in some cook-in sauces that I know the kids like - but everything else we buy when we get there as we don't have space.
Recently most of the 'squash' brands have started to have concentrate ones so the bottles are much smaller, so I guess we might take a bottle with us this year as the grenadine tends to come in glass bottles and I prefer plastic.
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Topic: Groceries - Whats worth taking with you ?
