I'm headed back to Canada for the first time in over 2 years, and am making my "must bring back" list. So I'm curious as to what other transplanted Canadians ALWAYS bring back with them. My list thus far:

- a box of Shreddies
- Smarties, Jelly Tots
- bottle of cough syrup with codine, OTC Robaxacet (can't get these without Rx in the US)
- Bisto
- hot cross buns (if I don't eat them first!)

.... I'm sure I'll think of tons of other things. I would love to bring back some REAL apple cider, but we're flying so likely not possible. The stuff they call "cider" down here is actually a "malt beverage".... yuk.

So what do y'all grab before you head back south if you are flying? Driving?? Let's make a big list!!

The music thread got me thinking today . . . I have tried to order some Stan Roger's CDs to be delivered here but they are always backordered and then the order gets canceled - so I am going to go to a music store and get a Stan Roger's CD:-) when we are there the end of this month. Other items - Aero and Mirage bars, Wine gums, turkish delight, hot cross buns and yes I will have to buy more because I will eat the first batch and the second, hehehe. In fact, I think I am just going to visit a grocery store and pick up what comes to mind as I go up and down the aisles because I know there will be things I can't think about right now. And I will have to check about cheese with customs - real, good honest old cheddar from the Wilton Cheese factory where old is measured in years - not months! Maybe I can mail it back if I can't bring it across the border. Oh, and I just thought - Eccle cakes - I have never seen them here!

Tim Hortons coffee.

When I go to visit my guy in the US I am required to bring a big bottle of Clamato for Caesars. You can get Clamato there, but it's subpar and expensive.

Cheezies, thinlicious, clodhoppers, canadian Heinz ketchup and old dutch ketchup chips. Though, I do like to buy Lush stuff as well since it is a bit cheaper in Canada than US. Unfortunately, I won't be able to go for awhile, so for my wedding in november, I've asked several canadian guests to load their luggage full of cheezies for me :3

Heinz Ketschup
Red River Cereal
Pepperettes

ketchup chips
Mr. Big chocolate bars
Colgate Total

and as much yarn and roving and knitting needles that I can afford from certain companies in NS

I was back home in May and I brought back a few bottles of salad dressing. I wish I had brought back more. I find the salad dressing taste so much different here- even though it is Kraft and the same type of dressing.

I made a comment that I needed to bring Mel home a few Coffee Crisp bars. My sister got a box of 48 at Costco for him. I have been giving them away to whoever wants them. I have had a couple and I think Mel has had 1. He likes them but he is more into salty stuff.

I also brought back some plum sauce and cherry sauce.

Oh man, trying to make a list is hard! We are flying home this Saturday (YES!!!!!) and I think I'm gonna do as Kathryn is going to do...just go shopping and whatever takes my fancy goes in the basket. Deffo on the Tim Horton's coffee though. I'd also like to prowl through the craft shops and cloth shops in NS to bring back material I can't find here in Georgia. I do love to sew!

heh heh. You'll see many of my posts listing what I brought back on my shopping sprees. In fact, there's an entire thread dedicated to it, complete with spreadsheet. Grocery Items Unavailable in the US Actually, there's a ton of threads about bringing back food from Canada on here. We really do love our food.

My list of stuff is way too long for this post but some of the things I always bring back are:

India House butter chicken paste
Cheez Whiz
Malt & rye bread
pepperettes
Gravol
Nyquil
Vachon cakes
Stresstabs

Seriously... I'm obsessed.

OOOO yeah, I forgot about that list! I'll have Joel peruse it later and we'll make a list methinks. Just one question though...medications. I've never tried to bring any back with me on previous trips so if our luggage gets searched, will they confiscate stuff like this? I mean, there's meds I can buy OTC in Canada that I can't here w/o a prescription and I'd sure like to bring some back with me.

Nope, they won't confiscate anything. And I've had my bags searched every time. You'll be fine, Karen.

What are pepperettes? I have seen them mentioned on a few peoples lists.

Pepperettes

I always bring back the Turkey ones.... I think they're called "Slims". Less fat, blah blah blah. I just love their taste and the juiciness. Unfortunately, my husband does too, so they go really fast.

Well, I'm not the Canadian (my fiance is), but I'm developing my own list too so I hope ya don't mind my 2 cents here lol.

Aero bars (the ones with the yogurt stuff inside)
Diana sauce
can of Tim Horton's hot chocolate (my son & I are hooked)
I wish so bad I could bring back pemeal bacon!!
and we always stop somewhere for some poutine

and I must say your ketchup is much tastier (sweeter) too.
I'm gonna have to try the famous Shreddies one of these visits.
I want to try mcdonald's just to see what the difference is out of curiosity.

The toothpaste in Canada is just weird!! I didn't like it too much. Soda is too sweet especially in restaurants where it's not from a can, omg.

Eeeeeeewwwwww, those things are nasty. My parents got those for my older brothers as children, but I refused to eat them so they got me crappy Cherrios instead. Nothing worse then some soggy mushy wheat squares. Making me vomit just thinking about them.

My list is pretty simple:
- Ketchup Chips
- Canned Black Olives with the pits in them (for some reason everything is pitless or seedless here and I hate it)...

Oh ya!!! I have had those- the name didn't sound familiar to me. Thanks Krikit!!

I think that if it's for "personal use", they don't care one way or the other. The problem I've had is that all my friends here in NC ask me to bring them back muscle relaxants..... and I think a dozen or so boxes of muscle relaxants might make me look a bit like a drug trafficer, haha! They do sell something here called Excederin Back and Body, but isn't even close to Robaxacet (which is only Rx in the US). Same with the cough syrup with codiene..... you have to ask for it at the pharmacy counter, but you don't need an Rx, and you can get generic at Shoppers or London Drugs. I haven't found anything here in the US that works on a bad cough at night, so my small stash of Canadian stuff has been a god-send.

Another thing I always get are the Shopper's Drug Mart (Life Brand) glycerin soaps - yummy scents and just nicer quality than what I get here.

And I agree with the person who said oatmeal..... in BC they make one called Roger's Porridge Oats, which is a mix of oatmeal and all kinds of other good stuff..... have looked and looked for it here in the south, to no avail. So will definitely be adding a bag of that to the list!!

It's fun to read all the ideas - thanks!!

L

Of course we don't mind, CBR. I enjoy your posts!

I brought back peameal bacon with me! I just made sure it was vacuum-sealed, then wrapped it in newspaper to keep it cool. It's quite cold in the luggage compartment so it works great. If they don't have vacuum-sealed peameal, ask the butcher to do it for you. They don't mind.

Is there a difference in the McDonald's? I didn't know that. I know there is definitely a difference in the Wendy's. No offense, but the Canadian Wendy's are WAY better than the American. It's what a person's used to, I guess.

If you've ever had Multi Grain Chex, then you've pretty much had Shreddies. I find it's a reasonable substitute.

• Laura Secord chocolates (seasonal assortment particularly)
• Saskatoon berry jam (admittedly, available only in West)

McDonalds tastes like crap in Canada and the US

but Wendy's is definitely better in Canada... and the Burger King is better in the US then in Canada

my list is basic...

Heinz Ketchup.. I usually bring home a tin of it every time I go
Kraft Dinner..
Cheese Whiz - I usually forget to being some back with me though..
Tetly Tea - the round bags.... although I have been using Kroger Brand tea bags and they are pretty good but they just don't have the round bags

I would love to be able to bring Pizza Pops back with me but not sure how to accomplish that

To me, Harvey's tops all 3 quality-wise.

Take an empty Coleman cooler as one of your checked items in the "to Canada" flight. Put some bags of party ice (or a pack of "dry ice") in the cooler along with the frozen foods and check it in for your return flight.

well, for me In&out or Carl's Jr is better then all of those, fast food wise.. although I don't think I have ever eaten at Harvey's

but the best burgers and fries around here are at the Burger Depot or Taco King

******

mmmm, not sure if the cooler thing would work... would they allow that??

Dill Pickles.. just straight forward dills.. is it just me or is it hard to find a good dill pickle??

here in New England they have these pickled cucumber spears - that taste just as they sound.. no zing to 'em.. blech..

I have had good pickles down here... but to me none of them compare to my grandma's or my mom's pickles....

Dad's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, Aero Bars (the original), Caramilk Bars and PIZZA POPS!!!

I was shocked when they didn't have Pizza pops down here...

those hot pocket things are ok but nothing like Pizza Pops

Oh yes!! Cookies!! Those Peak Freen (sp?) ones with the strawberry in the center. And I must sheepishly admit that, in a moment of weakness, I had my sister-in-law send me a box of Wagon Wheels

I think I better take an extra suitcase.... sigh.....

L

We always bring back at least 5 dozen Montreal bagels, my husband hates the "round bread" thingys here in the US. And sometimes we bring back maple syrup, but last time we were up there we had bought 10 tins so we're OK for now. We *would* bring back KinderEggs, but they're not allowed here in the US.

Good call on the Diana sauce! My husband loves the honey BBQ!

I bring back certain meds! normally Robaxacet (or the generic stuff) mother in law swears by the stuff. Kraft chunky peanut butter and thats about it.

Blech! I TOTALLY agree with you on the bagels here. I brought back bagels on my last trip too! But I found the Einstein Brothers shops here in Florida have a pretty good facsimile.

Harvey's I think is pretty much localized in Ontario. I have to agree they are so unique tasting and by far my favorite burgers from anywhere. In and Out is great, but still 2nd in my taste for burgers. Think the whole choosing your own ingrediants that are freshly laid out before you makes harveys better...

Harvey's is all over Alberta too - really like their burgers

For crying out loud!! I was going to reply to several posts here and I can't figure out how to do it neatly. I can play childish video games like a 12 year old, but I can't figure this out??

Anyway, I was gonna say to Krikit, Yes, according to my soon-to-be mother in law there's a BIG difference in the McDonald's and I'm not a huge fan either, but am curious to see what she was all a tither about. Shreddies being like Chex...aww forget it then, lol. Everyone on here seems to make such a big deal about them I thought they'd be good.
And, did you ever have Panera bagels? I love theirs. Einstein's? really?? They're similar?

To everyone buying cough syrup with codeine in it...omg there's a reason it's not otc here!! Codeine is addictive and with all the alcoholism and drug abuse I've seen and heard about in Canada (at least where i've visited, don't be offended!) I'm surprised they sell that otc. As a nurse I've seen enough patients get hooked on it and repeatedly want refills when they don't need it. I hope the otc is much weaker than the script version. I took a dose once when I was sick and it made me zonk out uncontrollably. My daughter was talking to me at the time and I just couldn't stay awake, it was an awful feeling.

Pickles...does anybody have a good recipe for canning dill pickles? My mom used to make them in a huge ceramic crock but can't remember what she put in there besides dill and hot peppers. They were soooo good!
For store pickles here I like Klaussen. They're more garlicky than dill but yummy.

Harvey's in Canada...yummmmmmm I agree they beat all the other fast food burgers except maybe tied with Culver's for me (and they're not really fast). Their poutine was also my favorite of what I have sampled so far.

Calgary's Brentwood Mall (since 1981), Airport, McKnight Blvd and MacLeod Tr (of course).

I have a couple of my mom's recipes for pickles, if you want them...

she uses my grandma's recipe for pickles but they don't come out the same as when my grandma made them they are still really good though

Did your grandma happen to be one of those women who never measured, simply knew by instinct how much of each ingredient to put in?

HUH???

oh ya, i purchase the otc codeine!! alll is good in moderation,lol its actually kept behind the counter, but one just has to ask for it.

I think she just happened to leave out a secret ingredient so people would keep getting the pickles from her.. everyone in the area would come buy pickles from her.. and she was generous with handing out the recipe but people couldn't duplicate it.. they even thought it might have to do with the well water she used but people would even come and get the water and still didn't work...

I know how! I found out by accident. You hit the "quote" button on each post you'd like to reply to, then hit "add reply" at the bottom of the page.


I haven't had Panera's bagels, yet, but I do like their stuff! Yep, Einstein's is pretty close.


There was an e-coli breakout with KinderEggs so I think they banned them from import. I'm pretty sure you could sneak a few into your bags, though.

I just happen to have right here infront of me the last bottle I bought..... way back in March 2006! And it is still over 1/3 full - so no addictions here.... but I understand what you are saying

FYI, here are the specs:

*Life* brand cough syrup with codeine 250ml bottle,
Nasal decongestant - antitussive - expectorant,
each 5ml (1 teaspoon) contains:
- 3.33 mg codeine phosphate
- 30 mg pseudoephedrine hydrochloride
- 100 mg guaifenesin

I *think* it's a pretty mild formula.... yes??

You've GOT to be kidding me.. holy flip those silly Americans and their over reactiveness and paranoia... RUN AND HIDE PEOPLE!!! For the love of God will it ever end? *end of personal issues with the US system

The local store here was told by Customs that they weren't allowed to import them here anymore, because of toys are a choke hazard.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinder_Surprise

Seriously out of control!

What is a Kinderegg? Are the eggs meaner here in the US???

Krikit, yea I tried that with the multiple quotes (attempting here again) and it got all messed up. I was adding color to my text and that didn't go well either. I'd be a horrible programmer! The dashes and brackets and commas and everything just make me crazy!


Yes, because you're a good patient. After being a nurse in the US for a while you might find yourself shocked at grown up's behaviors!! I know I was.


Yes, I think the prescription has about 10mg in it (at least the one I looked up). And I have to clarify my error. The cough syrup I had when I was sick had hydrocodone in it!! No wonder I was loopy!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinder_Surprise

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinder_Surprise

Oh. I must have been thinking of the Cadbury's Creme Eggs.

I dislike those things .. ugh...

i do kind of like the caramilk egg things



my hubby has got me liking these choclate marshmallow egg things that come in an egg carton..