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What food can I bring to Germany?

Our family will be traveling later this month with a very picky 7 year old. I'd like to bring some snacks from home that I know she'll eat. What kinds of food can I pack in our luggage?

Posted by
2779 posts

What would you like to bring? A lot of American brand snacks can also be bought over here...

Posted by
12040 posts

I don't know the exact restrictions (I know its easier to bring food to Europe than from), but you should not have any problems with non-perishable items. From what I have seen however, other than toppings and condiments, many of the same varieties of snack foods available in the US and Canada are sold in Europe.

Posted by
95 posts

I have a son with a very mild autistic spectrum disorder and food was always hard. We always carried pre-packaged snacks so that the wrappers and everything were the same as he was used to (still do, though he takes care of it himself now) We never had to leave anything, even like slim-jims or beef jerky (for some reason I thought meat or produce would be more difficult). The only thing I always made him choose not to pack was things in foil wrapping -- I didn't know how those would go through the X-ray machine -- and produce. We also took a whole suitcase full of my grandmother's baking to London once to visit my sister. We ate good Southern cooking all the way from London to Poole on the bus. Again, we were never questioned.

Posted by
3 posts

Thanks for the responses on food here. I think I'll pack some and also pick some up over there. Thanks again!

Posted by
12170 posts

My kids are also picky. We used to own a restaurant and they still eat like they are ordering off a menu. My younger son discovered Nutella on a trip to Europe and eats it daily now. I'm glad it's available here.

They did fine with an assortment of rolls (brotchen), sliced deli meats, cheeses, fresh fruit and chocolate - all available in local stores. It's also easy to find a quick sausage. They were harder to please in restaurants where they were looking for familiar food choices.

Since most American food was brought here by imigrants, it's not that hard to find something they have seen before.

If all else fails, you can go to McDonald's. My kids know I eat local only on the road, they didn't even ask.

Posted by
809 posts

Shawna-Your daughter may surprise you. My daughter is a very picky eater at home, but on her first trip to the UK at age 10 she had a blast and ate all kinds of things. Full English breakfast [well, maybe not the grilled tomato], ploughman's for lunch, and she always found something on the menu for dinner. Including pheasant at least once. She is now 16 and is quite adventurous in restaurants though still picky at home. [Hmmm, could it be my cooking?] This is also a great opportunity for your daughter to check out the local chocolate options - a choc bar with fruit and nuts provides reasonable nutrition and a great morale boost. And how about gelati? or hot chocolate? The potential danger in bringing things from home is that you run out partway through the trip; might be better to start the adventure of trying interesting new foods right at the start.
Good luck and have a great trip!

Posted by
13 posts

Shawna,
Andreas is right they do have many of the same brands in Europe but...The flavors are often different from what we have here. If you have a really picky eater it will not be exactly like it is at home ;).
LIsa