If you ever wondered what it looks like when America pays you a visit, then this is it. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I opened the repackaged DVD box that dear friends brought with them from Texas to the UK. Full of sweet and savory things, along with popular Yeti knock-off tumblers! I mean, what else can a girl ask for when she hasn’t seen Cheetos in 10 months. 🇺🇸
(This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. For the full disclosure, read it here.)
American Things You Can’t Buy In England
Sure, some of these American products you can find in England if you look really hard, but some you simply can’t find at all.
Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of British foods to fill the all-American food void. But, if you really want to make an expat or Brit’s day, surprise them with American things you can’t buy in the UK.
Easy To Find In The UK 😊
These are American products that are easy to find in most British grocery stores.
- Fajita and Taco Seasonings (EVERYTHING Mexican food-related is Old El Paso ☹️)
- Cheetos Puffs
- Heinz Ketchup
- Teriyaki Sauce
- Tobasco Sauce
- OREO cookies
- Ben & Jerry’s
- Quaker Oats
- Marshmallows
- Rice Krispies
- Aveeno Body Lotion
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Tricky To Find But Possible 🤔
These are American products that you intentionally need to shop for at certain British supermarkets.
- Annie’s Macaroni & Cheese…Whole Foods
- Twinkies…Sainsbury’s
- Pop-Tarts…Sainsbury’s
- Lucky Charms…Sainsbury’s
- JIF Crunchy Peanut Butter…Tesco
- Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix…Ocado and Tesco
- Cheetos Crunchy…Wilko
- Kraft Mac & Cheese Box…Sainsbury’s
- Ranch Dressing…Tesco Extra (specifically Newman’s Own)
- Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce…Sainsbury’s and Tesco Extra
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups…Tesco Metro & Specialty Shops
- Storage Bags With Slider (all sizes)…Tesco Extra
- Swiffer Wet Wipes
- Aveeno Moisturizing Body Wash
- Crest White Strips…Amazon UK (and at a comparable price to buying in the US)
- Hershey Kisses…Ocado and Tesco
- A&W Root Beer
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Can’t Find In The UK 😡
These are American items that aren’t easily accessible in the UK. You can buy some of these items on Amazon.co.uk but be prepared to spend a LOT more money than you would in the US.
- Guacamole Seasoning Mix Packets
- American spices for the BBQ, like Adams Reserve or Dale’s Steak Seasoning
- Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
- Taco Bell Sauce (this is important for 9-year-old boys 🌯)
- Fritos
- Kraft Mac & Cheese Singles
- Cliff Bars
- Snyder’s Pretzel Bites
- Suzie Q’s (nearly all Hostess is difficult to find in the UK)
- Stuffing (not the Paxo kind)
- Candy Corn
- Peeps
- CHEEZ-ITS
- Pepperidge Farm Goldfish
- Nabisco Graham Crackers
- Nabisco Saltines
- Nabisco Oyster Crackers
- Cornbread (a box of Krusteaz cornbread cost £50!)
- JIF Creamy Peanut Butter
- Jiffy Pop! How about that camp-style popcorn which is honestly perfect for camping, RV-ing, and road trip adventures in the UK.
- Children’s Tylenol (most American medicines are not available for sale in the UK)
- USA Soccer/Football Kit For Kids
- The Home T products (state-related “home” t-shirts and hats that make perfect gifts for people moving within or outside the USA)
- RTIC Tumblers
- Crest Toothpaste
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An American food or specialty store in the UK is another way to get some of these items, including Costco which is continually expanding throughout the country.
Why are some of these items so hard to find in the UK?
American companies that want to make their products available in another country have to abide by the local laws and regulations managed by the Gov.UK’s Food Standards Agency.
There is a theme with some of these hard-to-find items, like the bright orange color used in Cheetos and Kraft. It makes you wonder if either of these should even be on shelves in the US.
Regardless of why some American items are harder to find than others overseas, more and more American products are popping up in British grocery stores year after year.
An American gift box with products you can’t buy in England is an awesome gift for someone who’s relocated or homesick.
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This might sound silly but getting food and local products from home is a big deal.
Though Twinkies aren’t really my snack of choice even if we were still in Texas, it’s a great excuse to indulge and share with our English friends or treat the kids’ school teachers when gifted to us.
Plus, there is something about that Twinkies box sitting in my English pantry that brings happiness – even unopened.
Finding alternatives takes time.
Many English substitutes have been found for a lot of things, like Tyrell’s Black Truffle Crisps, but not all.
Nothing has been able to replace the guacamole seasoning mix which is a problem. Thankfully our visitors restock us or my sister ships to us abroad. Without them, it would make our Taco Tuesday tradition rather tricky. It’s what saved us when we were homesick after moving abroad!
Finding alternatives takes time and in some cases not entirely possible without flying across the pond again.
But if you have the fortune of visiting the USA and looking for American products you can’t buy internationally that are not about food, then get my top 10 shopping list. Cousins from Norway stocked up and more during their trip to the USA.
Finally Thoughts On American Products You Can’t Buy In Britain
If you’re moving abroad to the UK, sending a gift to an American overseas, or the perfect American gift for a British friend….just send food or one of these totally cool American products (download upon newsletter sign-up).
65 comments
I was just there for the first time a couple of weeks ago. My biggest things I searched for were coffee creamer or half n half (they tried to give me skimmed milk instead when i asked), Trisket or Wheat Thin style crackers (I finally found some ritz crackers at Tesco), At Subway restaurants no yellow mustard (or oil and vinegar) they only had mayo, russet baking potatoes, ranch salad dressing (or any salad dressing). Not food related but wash cloths and a top sheet or lighter blankets on beds. In Inverness I asked for a wash cloth/face cloth and they didn’t know what I was asking for. I’m from Florida and not used to only heavy duvets for covers. I was going to buy a sheet but in the stores they didn’t sell sheet sets they only had fitted sheets.
In the UK we have semi -skimmed milk as well which is the equivalent of half n half. Must stores most certainly sells face cloths but they are better known as flannels. And not sure where you went but you can purchase top sheets everywhere. Remember in the summer in the UK, we still need a cover.. Not everyone uses a fitted sheet either for the bottom sheet. Most definitely all that you were looking for is readily available
It was a Tesco and a Morrisons, a pretty big one like a Walmart here. They only had fitted sheets and duvet covers but no top sheets. Two of the three places we stayed did not use a sheet. The third place had flannel sheets with a top sheet under the duvet.
As for the milk I bought what they suggested the semi skimmed and it didn’t taste like the half and half we have here. To me it was just like using the 4% whole milk we have here. Half and half here is half 4% milk and half whole cream.
Next time I will ask for flannels instead of washcloths. I guess I confused them when we asked for wash cloths. The place we stayed was very nice and the bathroom was like a spa but they did not have them with the towels.
Take a holiday to Egypt. I live in Hurghada and many of the items you’re missing can be found in supermarkets here! I personally miss wotsits from the UK and are having to make do with bright orange Cheetos. They’re about 20p for a big bag! But love Frisco’s. Nabisco and Jif are in all the large supermarkets. There’s a huge assortment of spices and sauces. Combine a holiday with a grocery shopping trip, it’ll be cheaper than ordering from Amazon!!!
Thank you Tracey! I’ve yet to visit Egypt..
A&W root beer is actually becoming increasingly common to find here 😀
Thanks Jake!! Can you recommend which stores you find it at regularly? Tesco, Sainsburys etc? Or only specialty stores?
Yeah sure, Jake. All the British people here saying “all of these things are soooooo easy to find” are full of crap.
Hi Patti. I appreciate your comment because I thought perhaps it was just me.
Lived in England 4 years7 with my husband in the air force. It was excruciating t9r9ying day aft0e8r day hunting for m and Ms and
Ok but this is not true? I’ve lived in the middle of nowhere in England my whole life and literally none of these are difficult to find in the slightest except those with ingredients we don’t class as safe to consume lol. Most of these are in every single supermarket AND the local cornershop. This article is so ridiculous XD
Hi Emily. Thank you for your input. The “Can’t Find In the UK” section isn’t about British alternatives but specific American items that can’t be found in traditional British supermarkets. It might not matter to an American who’s lived in Britain long enough to possibly not even remember or care about these items, but to an American new to England, this is about familiarity and home comfort. These items aren’t found in traditional ways – as in pop into the store, easily find it & throw in the trolley without thinking about it. They are either received as a gift from overseas, or we’ve succumbed to exorbitant prices on Amazon or a specialty shop because we can’t get it any other way (if lucky enough to find a reseller in the Marketplace). More and more items are making their way bilaterally across the pond, which is appreciated on both sides, but we’re certainly not there with just a stop at the local cornershop.
Hi Lori. You live in a middleclass, market town and some of the more “exotic” things you won’t find in any shop in the area. Some of the seasonings that you can’t locate are used by the black communities, Africans and West Indians, and will be in the shops that cater to these diaspora. You will, however, have to travel south towards London to places such as Wembley where there is a large ethnic mix.
Hi Victoria. Thank you for the tip. x
Aren’t Cheez-its just Ritz?
Hi Chiff! Thank you for asking. Cheez-Its are very different from Ritz. They are small squares with baked cheese and an entirely different density. Just nothing like them in the UK (that I’ve found). Have you seen them?
I live in Northern Ireland have done all my life and have been able to buy the majority of your lost all my life hell we made rice Krispy cakes before we even started school the only food on your list you can’t buy in the UK is the stuff filled with ingredients that we don’t class as edible
Wow, Chris! You can find the majority of the items in the “Can’t find” section? Rice Krispies are definitely in the “easy to find” section but the other items like A&W Root Beer etc and specific brands are hard to buy as I’ve found in supermarkets living near London.
More to say…the best bread zi have evef ood store in England
Deliciois tasted is the Bloomer at any local bakery in Stotfold or Bedford etc. Small villages. And best desert,? Frozen strawberry trifle from any little store
IN LONDON DON”T order an Amerrican pizza as it’s. called. It arrives with fried egg on top. A lot of places have changed it out now tho. We lived there when fish and chips were cooked to order and wrapped in newspaper
Yup
Thank you, Jeanne! x
Skittles have been available in every shop in the UK my entire life (I’m nearly 40) 😂😂Where do you live in the UK that you find them hard to find?? Same with Crest toothpaste. I would try moving to another location or visiting other locations if you miss either of those at all. Sorry to hear you find them difficult to find. Herseys kisses, Cheeze-its and a few other things on the 2nd and 3rd lists are pretty easy to find in my area too.
Also try an online UK shop called American Fizz. Pretty much anything American you can’t usually find in the UK is on there. I’ve even been able to find Graham crackers on there every now and then which I’ve never been able to get in the UK before 🙂
My British friends asked me to bring Graham crackers to the UK on my recent visit. They can’t find them anywhere either, but it does seem that more and more of these American food brands are making their way into Britain. x
Hi Louise, how funny. Perhaps it’s finding Skittles with grape flavour?!? Curious which shops you find Crest outside of Amazon. Tesco, Boots, etc doesn’t carry it, so I’m super curious where you’ve been able to find it. We used to live in St Albans, but back in Texas now. We just returned from visiting the UK for a few weeks and didn’t find Crest while in London either. I’m stunned you easily find Hershey Kisses and Cheeze-Its. That’s amazing. Aside from online, these items aren’t in your typical everyday supermarket for those living in non-metro UK cities.
Hey 🙂 hope you’re having fun back home! Very jealous, wish I lived in the U.S
Yeah grape flavour stuff seems hard to find here, which is a shame since its one of my favourite flavours. Not sure what flavour the purple skittle is here, maybe blackcurrent then?
I get Crest from a store called Savers. Or occasionally from Superdrug. There’s a big Superdrug store in my town. Don’t shop at Boots much cause it’s at the other side of town from where I live.
I don’t don’t visit the east coast much, I do find they seem to be limited with American stuff for some reason. Not sure where St Albans is? Is it a small town? That’s the only reason I can think why you may not be able to find some stuff. Another thing I found it odd you didn’t come across much is Aveeno products. That’s another thing I’ve found in every store my whole life, that’s my mother and grandmothers favourite. How odd!
UK is limited for the most part for sure though 🙁 I miss Bed, Bath and Beyond and so many other places when I’m here.
After eights are not American. They were originally made by rowntrees who nestle bought out. Been a British favourite since the 60s.
Also surprised you can’t find skittles, ziplock bags, Reece’s peanut butter cups and poptarts.
And no way the queen would’ve banned something. Doubt she’d ever even seen root beer, but she wouldn’t have had the authority anyway. Most likely these products contain a colouring we prohibit the use of.
Think that Tesco’s do an own-make similar to cheez its.
How come peanut butter M&Ms, grape jelly and Ghirardelli chocolate aren’t on your list. That’s what I always stocked up on when I went to the US. The M&Ms were just the best ever!
Hi Tracey! So right about After Eights!! I didn’t realize they were British so it’s no wonder why they are so easy to find here. 🙂
If you are still missing these things, take a quick trip to Egypt. Many of these things are available here. For instance Twinkie 2le each or 3le for chocolate or strawberry. Cheetos crunchier 5le fir big bag exchange rate £1 = 23le
Thanks Tracey!
Hi! I looked at a Poundland website and saw “Food press and seal bags.” Is that the same thing as Ziploc bags? Also, I’ve been forced to go low-sodium, so I’m not going to miss all those crackers & snacks you mentioned (and I blend my own herbs & spices for Guacamole). But the onion and garlic powders/granules I don’t think I’ll be able to do without. Is that true, that they don’t have onion and garlic powders/granules in London – Not even at Borough market?
Hi Gina. The “food press and seal bags” aren’t the same thing as Ziploc but close enough. Tesco offers the closest product to Ziploc I’ve found. For onion and garlic powders, you can order from Spicemountain.co.uk or you should be able to find those at a Tesco Extra. I don’t recall ever seeing at Borough Market but it’s possible…they do have a spice area so if you have easy access to the market, you can give that a try, too. I hope that helps! x
Take a cheap vacation to Egypt. Garlic and onion powder available everywhere here as are Cheetos crunchier (about 25p for a large bag). Personally I prefer wotsits which I can’t get!!! Most of the can’t get stuff is here! Twinkies about 6p each, and about 8p for the chocolate or strawberry.
They sell of Nabisco stuff here. All the Paul Newman range, plus ranch sauce, BBQ sauces, Mexican sauces, etc.
It’s English food that’s harder to get.
Take a cheap vacation to Egypt. Garlic and onion powder available everywhere here as are Cheetos crunchier (about 25p for a large bag). Personally I prefer wotsits which I can’t get!!! Most of the can’t get stuff is here!
They sell of Nabisco stuff here. All the Paul Newman range, plus ranch sauce, BBQ sauces, Mexican sauces, etc.
It’s English food that’s harder to get.
Wow, thank you! I’ve never been to Egypt but good to know. x
You left out Costco and Ikea, where you can get the Ziploc bags etc. Plus, you can buy garlic and onion powder/granules here. And all the seasonings! You need to look at the shops the cater African/ West Indian and Indian communities, which are everywhere in London, and also the Eastern European shops, you can get everything, even dowe to Cheez-It. and Cheetos.You do not need to go to Egypt! Basically, almost everything you say you cannot find here, you can. You just need to be in the right place, in South, North and East London. Anywhere there is a very large ethnic community.
Thanks Jennifer. I think the message is that it’s not as simple as going to your local grocery store to find your favorite American staple – especially if you don’t live in London. You either have to make a journey of it, spend the extra money on Amazon, or stock up on return visits to the USA. Either way, it feels so good to find or receive some of these American things that are so abundantly available everywhere in the US but not in the UK. x
I’ve been in the UK for nearly 5 years now and I miss Miracle Whip so much!!! And American breakfast sausage! There are loads of things I miss, some I manage to find bulk offers for on ebay or amazon (note: don’t bother with eBay candy corn… it tastes like it’s 90% food dye mixed with sugar).
However, you should see if there’s a store near you called The Range. There’s at least one near London and one in Exeter. I know others are scattered about. You can get CRUNCHY cheetos in the little snack bags like 3 for £1! Sometimes, you can even get a 6 or 10 pack at a decent price, considering. They are, of course, UK approved food dyes but I don’t notice a taste difference!! The Range is online as well, but rarely offer their snack foods there.
Hi Rhiannon! Thank you for sharing your tips. Yes, there is a Range in St Albans, but the Cheetos are different, albeit close enough when you’re really missing them. x
Hey! From the uk and a lot of things you have mentioned in your list, you can buy in England! And I’m not talking about like special stores, I’m talking about your everyday shops, I’m acc quite concerned that you’ve never seen some of these basic foods that every single shop has aha! Especially skittles? I’m pretty sure you’ve seen them plenty of times but accidentally skimmed past it aha
Hi Harriet! Really? The items in the Can’t Find In The UK section are everywhere? Aside from Tesco, Waitrose, M&S, Sainsburys (American section is super small), Iceland, ALDI…is there another grocery store I’m missing? Or am I really just not seeing them!?! xx
A lot of the things you’ve mentioned under hard to find are easy to find and widely available. Also some of the things you’ve said you cannot get you can.
Hi Kerry. I’m curious if you live in a metro area? I do think some of these are finally making their way to more than specialty stores which is great. I’ve been updating along the way. Is there something in particular that brought you to this post that I can update for others? Thank you for reading the blog! x
One more thing, B&M sell a huge range of American goodie. You can buy saltines in all the major supermarkets they are just not called saltines and I saw Guacamole mix in Asda the other day, plus you can get old El Paso brand if you want. There are crunchy Cheetos and you can get kisses in a lot of shops.
GARDEN ORIGINAL SALTINE CRACKERS – Chinese under £2
Doria Doriano Italian Crackers – under £2
Good luck.
Hi Mitzy. Thanks for sharing. I’ve never been able to find the true equivalent of Saltines in England or a guacamole seasoning packet so this is helpful. And yes, there is a version of Cheetos but not the original crunchy ones that my kids LOVE. You can buy them through an American online store or Amazon but will pay for it. Same for Hershey Kisses (not the Hershey bar) but sounds like you’ve had a lot more luck!
Your list is seriously out of date.
Thank you for providing the context – I’ll update the post with your recommendations at Asda. x
TKMaxx sell a lot of US food products. You can also buy online, although check regularly as stock changes daily.
Hi Cath. I love TKMaxx. But definitely a hit or miss. Thank you for sharing! x
You can buy skittles everywhere, unless you mean specifically the US ones with grape flavour?
You can also get reece’s cups almost everywhere.
You can buy the Snyder’s pretzel bites from big supermarkets and a lot of corner shops. I’ve bought them several times, although I can’t remember exactly where from I’m afraid.
I’ve seen guacamole seasoning pop up recently too, I think it’s quite new. It seemed very expensive, but I don’t know how much you would expect to pay in the US.
I’ve seen a few other things in the “world food” sections before (A&W root beer, cliff bars, kisses, goldfish, JIF), although of course they’re quite expensive, they didn’t seem too extortionate.
Hi Tabby! Thank you so much for contributing to this post. Yes – grape-flavored anything really! And that is fab about the guac seasoning. They cost $1 in the US, but I’d pay a couple of quid to have in the UK (vs mailing it). I do agree that you can find some of these things if you’re willing to pay for it over & over – or just splurge occasionally. Thanks again for all your tips and for reading the blog! x
The Sainsburys in Hayes West London sells the A&W root beer, I saw it today
Awesome! Thanks Sunny x
Erm, we do have crest toothpaste (if that’s what you mean) – it’s available pretty much everywhere, also, you can get Hershey’s kisses in a few places – I know you can get them in Selfridges and some jif products too… if you aren’t somewhere with a Selfridges (they only existed outside of London recently) I would say try online or sometimes you can find little shops that sell American things – cyber candy comes to mind when thinking of Hershey’s kisses – hopefully that’s helpful
Oh, one more thing… I think you can get Cheetos crunchy… I’ve seen them in Sainsbury’s/Tesco sometimes but there’s loads of online shops that provide these things including amazon… this is another https://americancandystores.co.uk/products/frito-lay-cheetos-crunchy-original-226g
Wow, thank you Helen! I haven’t seen Crest anywhere aside from Amazon. My husband always replenished our stock on return trips to the USA. I’m curious where have you seen it for sale at normal prices? Most shops I’ve found have been ridiculous!
So I’m an American trying to ship a care package to a friend in the uk but a lot of the food stuffs mentioned here I’m worried I can’t get through customs (specifically because of dairy restrictions). Also worried about my recipient having to pay any taxes in order to receive their gift! How does your family send you stuff in the mail?
Hi Amanda. Most non-perishable food items are fine. There are some restrictions that will cause problems – I have that in another post that I’ll provide. Typically, boxes are always marked as “Gift” with low value, say $10. Gift and low value typically pass through without an issue. When you ship the package, definitely pay for tracking and consider UPS or DHL over USPS. I hope that helps. x
https://abroadpurpose.com/what-you-cant-ship-to-the-uk-from-the-usa/
Thank u for your input. My daughter is n Ireland playing pro basketball. Can I send her cheese ?!? Velvetta can I send her canned items. She wants rotel so bad. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.
Hi Autumn! That’s amazing that your daughter is playing pro bb in Ireland!! Very cool. As for Velveeta, Rotel and other canned items, buy and ship them from amazon.co.uk. You can buy and ship to her in Ireland. They are a lot more expensive than buying off the shelf in the USA, but well worth it over the cost to ship yourself because it’ll be a heavy package. Also, cheese is not allowed to ship into the UK…although I’m not sure Velveeta can qualify as real cheese. lol! Good luck! xx
If you really want to get these items, I recommend making friends with local American military. They sell mostly all of these items in the base stores, in dollars and tax free.
Thank you for the recommendation, Luciano!
This list just helped me do research for my novel–what items Brits would take home as oddities to share from a trip to the US. Perfect! Thanks for the fun dive!
Hi, Emily. I’m glad I could help. Your novel sounds like it could help readers to this post. Can you share the name?
[…] non-perishable and snack foods that are hard or even impossible to find. Check out the run down here from Lori, an American living in […]