#84369 - 02/15/10 11:22 AM
groceries-what to take what to buy
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shelbydc
Member
Registered: 09/28/09
Posts: 59
Loc: usa
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we'll be staying at places where we can do our own cooking. Any suggestions or tips on what we can take with us in our luggage and what to just buy when we get there? Our trip is cut short now and we will be staying on huahine for 4 nites/bora bora for 3 nites.
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#84370 - 02/15/10 11:51 AM
Re: groceries-what to take what to buy
[Re: shelbydc]
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Old Wife
Expert Advisor
Registered: 02/21/03
Posts: 2302
Loc: Burlington, Ontario, Canada
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Take liquor (unless you know you'll 'live' off of Hinanos and/or Tahiti Drink). We took peanut butter with us because Canadian peanut butter is different from most others (they put sugar in ours, LOL). We enjoyed small packets of Crystal Light, too (it saved paying for pop, which is expensive). If you're cooking, you might want to pack small quantities of the spices you expect to use so you don't have to buy a bunch there. And if there's a condiment you like (e.g. ketchup or hot sauce), pack a small container of that, too. Most food is available in FP (most but not all), but some stuff is very pricey so you might just end up shopping accordingly. By the way, we always take too much food with us and end up not eating what we bring because the local food just seems so enticing. Maybe packing food during a Canadian winter is a bad idea, too (we ended up packing food we like in the winter, but don't eat in the summer, know what I mean?).
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#84371 - 02/15/10 12:13 PM
Re: groceries-what to take what to buy
[Re: shelbydc]
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Patti.
Expert Advisor
Registered: 03/28/04
Posts: 2376
Loc: Las Vegas, NV
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What I do is make a basic menu plan before I go and bring the few things I will need to complete that menu and buy the main ingredients after I get there,
There is a great website that has any kind of trial/travel/individual size items. http://www.minimus.biz/
I get a few packs of salad dressings, croutons, soy sauce, pancake syrup, jams, peanut butters, mustards, mayos, hot sauces, parmesan cheese, etc.
I get a couple of the 3 oz bottles of olive oil. I use one bottle at home before I leave and then refill it with regular vegetable oil.
I also use the small pill size ziploc bags (at your local drug store in the pill storage area) and fill a few of them with what ever spices I think I might need....salt, pepper, garlic powder, crushed red pepper, Italian seasoning, etc.
I measure out "breakfast for 2" portions of pancake mix (that only needs water)into ziploc bags. I also but a few packs of the precooked bacon that does not need to be refrigerated until after opening. I also buy some sliced salami that does not need to be refrigerated...and/or a summer sausage beef stick.
That way I can have some pancakes and bacon for breakfast some mornings. You can buy eggs there (not cheap, but not completely outrageous). And have bacon and eggs too. You can buy butter there and lots of wonderful baguettes and make some toast (in the pan) and have toast and jam. You can buy yogurt or fruit or croissants for breakfast also.
For lunch, you can buy great cheeses there and sandwich meat, pasta and all kinds of salad stuff. I make sandwiches, grilled cheese sandwiches (on baguettes), green salads, pasta salads etc for lunch.
For dinners...they have pastas and sauces, meats, shrimp available...I make spaghetti with garlic bread (on a baguette), green salad.... or steaks and salad....or a shrimp lo mein stir fry.I also bring some of the tubes of crytal light lemonade mix and fruit punch and iced tea mix, so I don't have to drink water all the time.
This way, what you are bringing is really quite minimal, but it stuff you can use to make great meals without having to buy bottles of oil, mustard, mayo, salad dressings, spices, etc while you are there. That stuff adds up and you'll never use the full amount you have to buy...so buying it in small packs works great!
It takes quite a bit of thought and pre planning, but it works out great for us.
I also like to buy the little packs of Tylenol, Immodium, Benadryl, neosporin, toothpaste, shampoos, etc from the mimimus site...that way I don't have to pack a whole bunch of medicine/personal care type stuff. I even tried the packets shave gel this year for my hubby...he doesn't shave every day on vacation....usually only once or twice a week...the little packets of shave gel took up much less room than his small container of shave cream.
Edited by Patti. (02/15/10 12:14 PM)
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#84386 - 02/16/10 06:08 AM
Re: groceries-what to take what to buy
[Re: Patti.]
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Old Wife
Expert Advisor
Registered: 02/21/03
Posts: 2302
Loc: Burlington, Ontario, Canada
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Wow, great post, Patti. I've never seen the pill-sized ziplocs (they probably haven't hit Canada yet--I just recently saw the huge-sized ziplocs after hearing about them from Americans for years). My hubby uses an electric razor so we just packed that and it was universal for voltage so that helped.
And, yes, baguettes are cheap in FP. Cheese is quite reasonable, too. When we want to have an "FP at home" celebration, we often buy baguettes and mini Babybels and La Vache Qui Rit and I get dressed in my pareo and we put on our FP slideshow (that has Tahitian music playing in the background). Hmm...gotta have one of those celebrations again soon!
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#84388 - 02/16/10 11:07 AM
Re: groceries-what to take what to buy
[Re: Old Wife]
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shelbydc
Member
Registered: 09/28/09
Posts: 59
Loc: usa
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Thanks for the tips! I checked out the minimus.biz website and will probably purchase some items from that. I will also adopt the spice "baggies" as well. We're trying to keep things simple yet still experience the local foods/flavors while we are there. While I could live on baguette and hinano for the week- alas- I don't think my husband can :) We leave March 21st so anything else you can think of between now and then is certainly welcomed!
One more thing: are there any issues with customs regarding bringing food items in our checked baggage?
Edited by shelbydc (02/16/10 11:07 AM)
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#84389 - 02/16/10 11:35 AM
Re: groceries-what to take what to buy
[Re: shelbydc]
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hamara
Expert Advisor
Registered: 01/07/02
Posts: 2296
Loc: Washington/Moorea
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You are not supposed to bring in meat products but in well over 60times going thru customs we have never been stopped. We suggest you have your passport in plain sight as you wheel your luggage cart thru customs.
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#84390 - 02/16/10 02:27 PM
Re: groceries-what to take what to buy
[Re: hamara]
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Poehere
Expert Advisor
Registered: 08/18/07
Posts: 2340
Loc: FP
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it would really help the local economy if you would just buy your food here iso bringing it with you... :)
_________________________
* with sunshine *
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#84394 - 02/16/10 03:01 PM
Re: groceries-what to take what to buy
[Re: Poehere]
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Patti.
Expert Advisor
Registered: 03/28/04
Posts: 2376
Loc: Las Vegas, NV
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I do buy most of my food there. I just bring the stuff I need to round out my meals. I can't see buying a whole jar of mustard there if I am only going to make 2-3 sandwiches. Or a whole bottle of salad dressing for just 2 salads. Or a whole container of garlic powder to make a couple serevings of garlic bread.
For the most part, I do try buy the main portions of my meals there. Partly, like I said because they do have some really good food, and also like Poehere said, they need the business...but also because I don't want to the hassle (or weight) of bringing an entire suitcase full of food.
Tracy~ If you have Rite Aid drug stores near you...try looking in the travel pill container section for those little pill zippy bags. I have also seen them at CVS drug stores...not sure if you have those or not.
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#84404 - 02/16/10 05:32 PM
Re: groceries-what to take what to buy
[Re: Patti.]
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Old Wife
Expert Advisor
Registered: 02/21/03
Posts: 2302
Loc: Burlington, Ontario, Canada
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No, we don't have those stores in Canada (we have things like Shoppers Drug Mart, PharmaPlus and London Drugs--the last one's out west). I will check near the travel pill containers whenever I'm in any drug stores here, but I haven't seen those bags (and I do like to look at all the gadgets in that area so I'm pretty sure they don't have them).
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#84405 - 02/16/10 05:51 PM
Re: groceries-what to take what to buy
[Re: Old Wife]
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Patti.
Expert Advisor
Registered: 03/28/04
Posts: 2376
Loc: Las Vegas, NV
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If not, I can easily send you a pack. They come in packs of 50 for somewhere around $2.99-3.99. Sometimes less if on sale. They're great not only for spices on vacation...but for pills too...go figure! LOL! When you go away for a weekend, you can just pack a few pills of your RX or vitamins so you don't have to take the whole container.
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