How To Buy British Food As An Expat part 2 – Part one is here.

Ways to Buy British Food as an Expat

An Englishman usually drinks tea, eats scones with jam and clotted cream, or even spotted dick for dessert. To be fair, that’s not too far from the truth. But some things are just what they seem on the tin. It’s easy to find traditional English food in almost any country in the world.

Besides, what about when you want to buy British food? Well, Britain? Here are a few ideas to ensure that you can have a taste of home whenever you feel the urge.

Use the Internet

The first thing that every expat will tell you is that buying British food online is one of the best ways to ensure that your cupboards stay full of the things that you miss. Several British food retailers deliver to expats worldwide, so once you have set up an account with them, you can buy your favorite brands of crisps, snacks, and tinned goods in large quantities to keep yourself in stock.

Visit the British Sections of Supermarkets

Some supermarkets now have large sections designated to British food imports so that you can buy your favorite British fruit and vegetables as well as meat and other staples such as flour.

These sections will also be useful for buying ingredients for British recipes, such as Marmite and Bovril, which may not be easy to get hold of in some parts of the world.

Embrace Local Food

Although it can be nice to be able to eat some familiar foods, you also need to embrace the culture that you are living in and try out their cuisine – this will give you a deeper understanding of where your host country is coming from, just like you are bringing your food culture with you.

Visit Local Markets and Butchers

This will be the most authentic way to get hold of British ingredients in some places. It can also lead to finding new foods and flavors that you may not have even known existed before – they can provide a great introduction to the native cuisine of your host country.

Adapt Your Favorite Recipes to Use Local Ingredients

Adapting your recipes to the product available in your host country will allow you to make all of your old favorites, even if there are some ingredients that you can’t find. Not only is that, but it also means that you will never get bored of the food that you are cooking.

Try Local Equivalents of Your Favourite British Foods

Most Western countries have developed their versions of popular British snacks, so you should be able to find crisps and chocolate bars that taste similar, if not exactly like the brands that you miss back home.

Seek Out Specialist Shops and Online Retailers

Finally, it is always possible to find British food that can’t be found in supermarkets or markets by seeking out specialist shops and online retailers – there’s a good chance that wherever you are, someone somewhere will stock the things you want.

Top 10 Countries Where You Can Buy British Food

Germany

British food isn’t exactly popular in Germany, but it is available. UK supermarkets like Tesco or Marks & Spencer make themselves known by offering some of their goods online (though shipping costs usually make them more expensive than items sold in local stores).

Poland

Although Polish people love British products – for instance, the Britvic brand is one of the biggest soft drink producers in Poland – they import most of their food from Germany. There are several Tesco stores in Warsaw, where British people living or working in Poland can pick up some groceries if they don’t want to go all the way back home for them.

Norway

Norwegians don’t have a lot of their food brands, so they usually rely on stores from the United States and the United Kingdom. British supermarkets like Tesco or Sainsbury’s try to provide goods that Norwegians want, but it isn’t always easy.

Russia

British products are extremely popular in Russia, and local supermarkets like Metro and Magnit carry lots of them. British products can cost more than those made in Russia, but many Russian consumers don’t mind the price as they offer quality goods.

South Korea

Tesco opened its first store in Seoul in 2011 and has been very successful since then. They now have 60 stores in the country and plan on opening 100 more. South Koreans love British food, and they also like that Tesco offers local products as well. In addition, South Koreans love British culture and could be considered the largest consumers of English goods outside of Europe.

Switzerland

‘British food’ usually means ‘fancy cake,’ but there is quite a lot more to the UK’s cuisine than cakes and pastries. A good example of that is British delicacies like pies, crumpets or scones, which you can find in many Swiss supermarkets. Of course, these items are not cheap (because Britain is not cheap), but they will definitely be a nice treat for your taste buds.

China

There’s more to Chinese food than dumplings and noodles, as some might know, for example, scones. A British bakery in Hong Kong recently became very popular by selling its version of the quintessential afternoon tea snack. They even managed to translate the original British scone recipe of enriched dough baked with cut-in shapes, so no worries if you cannot read traditional Chinese.

Singapore

A former British colony and now one of Asia’s most modern metropolises, it makes sense that Singapore has a great variety of grocery stores offering products from home. You will find British food items in supermarkets and smaller shops, where you can get all kinds of imported goods.

Australia

With a long history of British colonization, it is no wonder that Australians quite like British food as well! Many small stores specialize in importing UK snacks, and the occasional supermarket also offers some items. The UK food aisle is particularly popular among young adults, who like to go for a ‘British snack night’ sometimes.

United States

British food items are extremely popular in the US – especially American expats living in the country enjoy them and British tourists. You can buy British snacks (cheese crackers! Scotch eggs! Irn Bru!) at supermarkets, smaller specialty stores, or e-commerce websites like amazon.

Frequently Asked Questions about British Food

What are Fish and Chips?

One of the unique aspects of British cuisine is fried fish, particularly cod. The fish is battered in a custom flour mixture and then deep-fried in oil or lard. As a result, it provides a crispy exterior with moist meat inside.

In some areas, such as Yorkshire, traditional English fish and chips often come with a side of mushy peas. Outside of England, fish and chips may be served with French fries or even a fried batter tortilla.

What is a British Food Glossary?

A ‘British food glossary’ lists all the most important items in a traditional British menu and explains what they are. This article does exactly that! There are some things to bear in mind here: firstly, there is no such thing as an entirely traditional British cuisine – it has been influenced by everything from French cuisine to the spread of spices as a result of the British Empire.

What makes a Traditional British Breakfast?

Traditional English breakfast includes bacon, sausages, grilled tomatoes, and fried eggs. It is usually served with toast and/or fried bread. Sometimes beans or mushrooms will be included to accompany the other items on the plate. Finally, a traditional breakfast would not be complete without tea or coffee to drink.

What are the ingredients in English Muffins?

English muffin recipes usually contain flour, milk, yeast, and eggs. The batter rises for a few hours and then spooned into greased pans before baking. This creates a flat, circular object with nooks and crannies on top and bottom. To serve, the muffin is sliced in two and toasted.

What is Chocolate Hobnobs?

Chocolate hobnob recipes usually contain rolled oats, butter, plain or milk chocolate chips, sugar, egg, and golden syrup (corn syrup). The mixture is baked together before being cut into cookie shapes. After baking for 10 minutes, the cookies are left in the oven to cool for a few minutes before being moved to a wire rack.

What are Bangers and Mash?

Bangers and mash recipes usually call for sausages, mashed potatoes, onion gravy, salt, and pepper. First, the sausages are pan-fried until they brown over all sides. After this, the onions are added and cooked until they become translucent.

Salt, pepper, and flour are then used to make a roux that will thicken the gravy before finally being poured over the sausages. The mashed potatoes are usually made with milk, butter, salt, and pepper as seasonings.

What are Haggis and Black Pudding?

Haggis recipes usually call for sheep’s pluck (heart, liver, and lungs), mixed with onion, suet, oatmeal, salt, and stock. The ingredients are then boiled in the stomach of a slaughtered sheep until they become tender. After boiling, it can be sliced into individual servings and served hot.

Black pudding recipes usually call for pork blood and fat mixed with oats, spices, and herbs before being stuffed into a casing made of animal intestine. It is then boiled, sliced, and fried to give the crisp exterior that many people associate with this dish.

Conclusion

While British cuisine might not be the most famous one globally, it is certainly worth trying out. Whether you are visiting Britain or just looking for some fancy snacks to treat yourself with, it’s essential to have a taste to know how it feels. Nonetheless, you can refer to this article for relevant information.

Before introducing this article, if you are interested in our core services which are expat financial, insurance and mortgages, you can contact me here. 

The best time to consider your financial situation is when you are moving to a new country.

Introduction

When you build up your dream of moving to another country, you will inevitably imagine yourself eating lots of traditional foods in cozy cafes and restaurants with the locals. You may also have visions of walking through farmer’s markets or grocery stores where there are so many choices that they are overwhelming.

When it comes down to buying food, once you’re living in your new home, you are required to go down to the supermarket for some essentials, but what about all the British food you had dreamed of? There are ways that you can still get it.

One way is through buying imported British foods from online stores on websites like Amazon or eBay. You can find many items on these sites, including milk, beef jerky, cookies, and any other British food you could want.

Another way is to go directly to a British store website through a search engine such as Yahoo! or Google. These sites will give you the location of a brick-and-mortar store in your area. Sites like these can also help find British newspapers, magazines, and gift items.

If you want to be more adventurous about finding different foods from your new home country, you need to look through UK newspapers or even chat with middle-aged expats that have been in your area for a while. In this article, we will walk you through the best ways to buy British food as an expat. Not only is that, but you’ll know some of the best restaurants to buy British food.

Benefits of Buying British Food as an Expat

As an expat, you might be tempted to seek out convenience foods rather than cooking everything yourself. While it’s true that many of the international food brands are cheaper, they’re also made with inferior ingredients that lead to poorer health. British quality foods provide expats with a range of health benefits, including the following.

Lower Obesity Rates

A 2021 government inquiry found that 15% of people eat no fruit or vegetables and that obesity rates are rising faster in the UK than in any other European nation. One reason put forward is poor quality produce; according to this study, people who regularly buy cheap food (which tends to be much less fresh) have 50% higher obesity rates than those buying organic.

Avoiding Unnecessary Antibiotics

Of 949 samples of raw chicken tested in the UK, only one contained antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Many are imported from Asia or South America, where newly reared animals are often given higher unregulated supplements. These can be passed on to humans if the food isn’t properly stored.

Longer-Lasting Products

British supermarkets have an ample supply chain which allows them to keep produce fresh for much longer, meaning expats won’t need to shop as often. Many foreign brands use cheap processing techniques that require preservatives and ultra-high levels of hydrogen peroxide, which can leave food carcinogenic after just a few months in storage.

Increased Nutritional Value

Because the average British front garden is much smaller than foreign countries, homegrown produce is incredibly fresh and picked at its peak; this ensures that vitamins and minerals are held at their highest levels. By contrast, imported fruits and vegetables can spend weeks on shelves or in transport before they reach customers’ hands.

Stronger Teeth and Bones

According to a recent study, British children have the strongest teeth in Europe; this is especially notable because dental hygiene is generally considered much better elsewhere on the continent. Other research has found that non-organic mineral water (a common substitute for fruit juice) strengthens bones and overall bone density.

Increased Quality Of Life

The inquiry listed above also found that people who mainly bought British products were happier and more satisfied with life than those who favored international goods (brought into the country to avoid tariffs).

This may be due to higher living standards; expats who choose not to cook for themselves can often afford takeout meals, which will contain fresher ingredients than the processed meals they would otherwise be stuck with.

Greater Flavor and Variety

The combination of terroir and traditional food preservation techniques such as curing, pickling, smoking, and kitting means that British produce has a fantastic range of tastes. This can add a fascinating new dimension to expat cooking while still allowing them to enjoy the traditional cuisine of their adopted country.

7 Best Places to Buy British Food as an Expat

As an expat, you will most likely live outside of your home country. Thus, there are many things that you miss about the old country, things like food. Luckily for most British who move abroad, one of those foods is easily accessible to them, with most supermarkets offering expanded food sections for famous British brands known across the globe like Walkers, Cadbury, and McVitie’s.

These products are not only tasty like some American foods can be, but also quite healthy. For those who live by the coast or near England, there is even the opportunity to purchase British seafood, which never fails to amaze anyone who has tried it whether they are on holiday in Britain or abroad.

But for those who can’t find British imported foods at their local supermarket and either doesn’t live near the sea or just want to try something new, there are other great places to purchase British food in a restaurant. Here we talk about seven of the best places with great examples of each.

1.    Chicken Republic

Chicken Republic is a restaurant that specializes in American food with a British twist. With locations around the world, it makes for an international taste experience.

For those looking to try chicken and chips (French fries), this place will give you exactly what you’re craving while still having enough traditional British dishes like bangers and mash (sausages and mashed potatoes) and shepherd’s pie (ground beef and fried pumpkin).

2.    Piebury Corner

Piebury corner is a take-out restaurant with the best pies, pasties (meat and potatoes in flaky dough), and sausage rolls around. This quaint little shop makes for the perfect snack on the go; we recommend trying one of their steak and ale pies.

3.    BrewDog Bar

Brewdog bar may be known for its wide selection of craft beer, but that is not the only food they offer to keep you coming back. Their menu has plenty of great British dishes themed like the Full Scottish breakfast (bacon, eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes) or bubble and squeaks (fried cabbage and potatoes), all available to eat in or take out.

4.    Ed’s Diner

Ed’s Diner has one of the best menus we’ve ever seen at a place that is mainly a breakfast and lunch place. With options like scones, beans on toast (toast with baked beans), and even bangers and mash, Ed’s diner is an excellent spot to get a traditional British meal, even if it is almost lunchtime.

5.    The Lord Moon of the Mall

The Lord Moon of the Mall is a food stand with an assortment of different snacks to choose from. For those looking for something sweet, they have everything from traditional British pastries like scones with jam and cream to bacon-wrapped dates (dates stuffed with blue cheese in bacon wraps) or peanut butter chocolate brownies.

For those looking for something a little more savory, they offer plenty of options, from tuna baguettes and chicken and beef burgers to fish and chips.

6.    Patty and Bun

Patty and bun is another great place to go if you want a variety of British food without the need for reservations at an expensive restaurant.

They have classic British dishes with a modern twist like their take on the Full English breakfast (2 banger patties, bacon, egg, and tomato relish) or Bury black pudding (black pudding wrapped in streaky bacon). Not to mention they have things like pulled pork fries and Buffalo wings.

7.    Pizza East

Pizza East has great pizza and plenty of British food for those who aren’t big on traditional pizza. To name a few, they offer fish and chips, bangers and mash (sausages and mashed potatoes), Scotch eggs (hardboiled egg wrapped in sausage), steak pie, pork scotch (steak with mushrooms), and even haggis.