American food etc

[rachaeld]

I read on here somewhere that alot of the food in the US has lots of that high fructose corn syrup in it, including breakfast cereals etc.

What can I expect to find in their supermarket that is fairly much the same as we have in NZ or OZ. ie cornflakes, wheatbix (or similar).

Also are some of the same foods that we have here that are also in the US made differently, ie have the high fructose stuff in them in the US but not in the NZ version.

Another question DH wants to know, is do they sell alcohol in supermarkets, if so is it just bear and wine, or is it spirits too. And is duty free alcohol worth the hassle, or is it just as cheap in the shops there. (This is for California).

Thanks

 

[Toy Story]

Much to our disappointment the raspberry M&M's that have just been released in Australia do not taste the same as the ones in the US

Have a look at the Walmart website to see what you should be able to find - our DD did eat the sugar cereal (it is known as holiday cereal in this house). We bought quakers muesli bars that were not overly sweet and stuck to bagels - also not sweet (unless you are adding strawberry cream cheese - yum).

With the duty free, we tend to buy at the airport before we leave and pick up on return. SO we have not really shopped around for different prices.

 

[rachaeld]

Much to our disappointment the raspberry M&M's that have just been released in Australia do not taste the same as the ones in the US

Ooh those sound yum, haven't seen them in NZ yet.

 

[aussietravellers]

I know they don't have wheatbix as they are my DS's favourite and we haven't found them here. They have rice bubbles. They do have a massive range of cereals. I'm sure you'll find one. We shop at an organic supermarket that's got a great range of cereals.

I have found their food to be very sugary, especially the bread.

They seem to sell alcohol in the supermarket and at places like Target. I don't know what the prices are like. Hopefully someone will be able to help with that .

 

[kylieh]

We have lots of dietary needs in our household, including avoiding high fructose foods like HFCS, wheat (but not gluten, but they kind of go together) and limited dairy.

So far we're planning on visiting Wholefoods http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/ for a heap of fresh foods, etc. From what I can tell they're like what Macro used to be like but heaps bigger before Woolworths took them over and ruined it! We will have a car that will make it a lot easier.

Molly, aka Bumbershoot, a real Disboards Vet that you will see a lot in the main threads tries to be HFCS free, and she is a wealth of info. Do a search by threads by her.

Sites like Safeway.com vons.com that are some US grocery sites there isn't any ingredient listings which makes it hard. Likewise if you google no hfcs there are a lot of sites that explain a hardline view on why hfcs is no good, whether they're right or wrong I don't know, I'm just letting you know before you google; or the lists are out of date.

I've found that anything with normal cane sugar added here will have HFCS added in the US, even the coke/pepsi. A lot of stuff without has the label "no HFCS added" as a marketing thing.

Alcohol, from memory a lot of supermarkets have it, even corner stores or 7-11.

We're going in December and some of us will be able to keep an eye out for you.

 

[aussietravellers]

We have lots of dietary needs in our household, including avoiding high fructose foods like HFCS, wheat (but no gluten, but they kind of go together) and limited dairy.

So far we're planning on visiting Wholefoods http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/ for a heap of fresh foods, etc. From what I can tell they're like what Macro used to be like but heaps bigger before Woolworths took them over and ruined it! We will have a car that will make it a lot easier.

Molly, aka Bumbershoot, a real Disboards Vet that you will see a lot in the main threads tries to be HFCS free, and she is a wealth of info. Do a search by threads by her.

Sites like Safeway.com vons.com that are some US grocery sites there isn't any ingredient listings which makes it hard. Likewise if you google no hfcs there are a lot of sites that explain a hardline view on why hfcs is no good, whether they're right or wrong I don't know, I'm just letting you know before you google; or the lists are out of date.

I've found that anything with normal cane sugar added here will have HFCS added in the US, even the coke/pepsi. A lot of stuff without has the label "no HFCS added" as a marketing thing.

Alcohol, from memory a lot of supermarkets have it, even corner stores or 7-11.

We're going in December and some of us will be able to keep an eye out for you.

Are you going to DL or WDW Kylie?

 

[Toy Story]

So far we're planning on visiting Wholefoods http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/ for a heap of fresh foods, etc. From what I can tell they're like what Macro used to be like but heaps bigger before Woolworths took them over and ruined it! We will have a car that will make it a lot easier.

Y\We visited the Wholefoods in NY and it was fabulous.

 

[rachaeld]

Thank you all. I don't mind if the kids have a few things with the HFCS in it, but I know they certainly won't need it in their breakfast cereal.

Interesting about the bread being sweet. I think I will have to take a jar of Vegemite with us.

I had a look at the walmart website and that gave me a good idea of what will be available.

 

[ssour]

gardengrocer.com are in Orlando but they list ingredients for most the things they stock, so you might be able to get an idea of brands/products that would work for you.

 

[kylieh]

Are you going to DL or WDW Kylie?

A week in the Hollywood Hills then driving down for a week in Anaheim. I've booked Vacation Rentals in both so we have the kitchen etc.

 

[aussietravellers]

A week in the Hollywood Hills then driving down for a week in Anaheim. I've booked Vacation Rentals in both so we have the kitchen etc.

When you are in Anaheim. There is a supermarket we find is better than Wholefoods and it's actually closer than a whole foods to DL. It's called Mother's Market (or Mothers Market and Kitchen). I've been doing our supermarket shopping there for the last few months (as we mainly eat organic, DS is dairy free and we try to eat spelt over wheat). In LA we go to Wholefoods and I also go to a Wholefoods in Newport Beach (at Fashion Island, they have THE BEST coffee by the way! really good coffee) a couple of times a week for breakfast and grab some groceries if we needed them but the regular weekly shop, Mothers Market.

The Mothers Market is at Santa Ana, across the street from the Westfield Main Place Mall. Their grocery selection is better than Wholefoods (although I LOVE Wholefoods), fresh fruit and veg, about the same and both are good as they have some different things at each (you know, like Coles and Woolies , most the same but some different).

Anyway, just wanted to give you another grocery store to investigate, that is closer to DL when you are there.

 

[kylieh]

When you are in Anaheim. There is a supermarket we find is better than Wholefoods and it's actually closer than a whole foods to DL. It's called Mother's Market (or Mothers Market and Kitchen). I've been doing our supermarket shopping there for the last few months (as we mainly eat organic, DS is dairy free and we try to eat spelt over wheat). In LA we go to Wholefoods and I also go to a Wholefoods in Newport Beach (at Fashion Island, they have THE BEST coffee by the way! really good coffee) a couple of times a week for breakfast and grab some groceries if we needed them but the regular weekly shop, Mothers Market.

The Mothers Market is at Santa Ana, across the street from the Westfield Main Place Mall. Their grocery selection is better than Wholefoods (although I LOVE Wholefoods), fresh fruit and veg, about the same and both are good as they have some different things at each (you know, like Coles and Woolies , most the same but some different).

Anyway, just wanted to give you another grocery store to investigate, that is closer to DL when you are there.

Thank you so much particularly for the one near DL. I was thinking about the trip if we needed to find one! I'm keeping a book of places to go, I'll add it now.

 

[kylieh]

Just googled Mother's Market in Santa Ana: http://www.mothersmarket.com/index.php Close by and great.

 

[aussietravellers]

Thank you so much particularly for the one near DL. I was thinking about the trip if we needed to find one! I'm keeping a book of places to go, I'll add it now.

You're Welcome. We don't have a car, so have been taking the ART shuttle from DL to Westfield Main Place Mall, then walk across the street to Mothers Market. So if you were carless too, it's easy to get there (although I know you said you had a car).

I was told about Sprouts which is close by so we went there once. It was ok, but nothing compared to Mothers Market and Wholefoods.

 

[RachelleBeaney]

I read on here somewhere that alot of the food in the US has lots of that high fructose corn syrup in it, including breakfast cereals etc.

What can I expect to find in their supermarket that is fairly much the same as we have in NZ or OZ. ie cornflakes, wheatbix (or similar).

Also are some of the same foods that we have here that are also in the US made differently, ie have the high fructose stuff in them in the US but not in the NZ version.

Another question DH wants to know, is do they sell alcohol in supermarkets, if so is it just bear and wine, or is it spirits too. And is duty free alcohol worth the hassle, or is it just as cheap in the shops there. (This is for California).

Thanks

Hi Rachaeld

We are heading to the US on our fourth trip in Nov and so i've had a little experience with American food, especially at Disney theme parks.

Food in the US is one of those hit and miss things - some of it's great - if your in the right place, a lot of it can be hugely salty, fatty, overly cheesy (this is from someone who loves cheese) and a little gross - I guess the main point is to make sure to eat at the right places, making some dining reservations at the parks so you don't always have to eat at the counter service places (my stomach could not have handled that!) - Also the serving portions are always HUGE so you could conceivably split a lot of meals and or skip entries and dessert to save money if need be.

Our experience with cereal in the US is that your choices are usually very high sugar/fructose/starch cereals with lots of added flavours and colourings, or extremely unappetizing 'healthy' cereal - there's unfortunately not a lot in between - something like their equivalent of corn flakes for example has more sugar/is usually flavoured in someway - I didn't see anything akin to Wheetbix, one trip we did buy some bran type cereal but it was pretty awful...

I believe that alcohol is sold in most supermarkets - it was even sold in a couple of the smaller convenience stores we went into such as 7-11's and smaller local IGA type stores - unfortunately, i'm not a huge drinker so I couldn't exactly tell you what was available from these types of stores but my bet is that it will be basic - I remember my husband bought beer at one - I didn't really pay attention to the other options...

Hope this is helpful

 

[rachaeld]

Hi Rachaeld

We are heading to the US on our fourth trip in Nov and so i've had a little experience with American food, especially at Disney theme parks.

Food in the US is one of those hit and miss things - some of it's great - if your in the right place, a lot of it can be hugely salty, fatty, overly cheesy (this is from someone who loves cheese) and a little gross - I guess the main point is to make sure to eat at the right places, making some dining reservations at the parks so you don't always have to eat at the counter service places (my stomach could not have handled that!) - Also the serving portions are always HUGE so you could conceivably split a lot of meals and or skip entries and dessert to save money if need be.

Our experience with cereal in the US is that your choices are usually very high sugar/fructose/starch cereals with lots of added flavours and colourings, or extremely unappetizing 'healthy' cereal - there's unfortunately not a lot in between - something like their equivalent of corn flakes for example has more sugar/is usually flavoured in someway - I didn't see anything akin to Wheetbix, one trip we did buy some bran type cereal but it was pretty awful...

I believe that alcohol is sold in most supermarkets - it was even sold in a couple of the smaller convenience stores we went into such as 7-11's and smaller local IGA type stores - unfortunately, i'm not a huge drinker so I couldn't exactly tell you what was available from these types of stores but my bet is that it will be basic - I remember my husband bought beer at one - I didn't really pay attention to the other options...

Hope this is helpful

Thank you, this is very helpful.

Is the US fairly relaxed on food you can bring into the country ie- not like Australia and New Zealand? Would it be easy enough to bring weetbix and maybe some cornflakes etc?

 

[RachelleBeaney]

Thank you, this is very helpful.

Is the US fairly relaxed on food you can bring into the country ie- not like Australia and New Zealand? Would it be easy enough to bring weetbix and maybe some cornflakes etc?

I'm not sure about breakfast foods but we've bought chocolate in before and I reckon packaged foods should be ok but honestly have never tried it

Just chatted with my husband and he confirmed that the big supermarkets and their pharmacys carry all kinds of beer, wines and liqueurs but the smaller places such as 7/11 will likely only carry cheap wine/beer

Where are u staying in anaheim? There is a great little 7/11 on harbor boulevard and a shopping centre just off Harbour Boulevard (right near Disneyland) called Garden Walk so if ur staying around there everything should b available ... If ur staying on the other side of the resort near the official hotels I'm not sure as weve not stayed on that side yet

You are going to have such a wonderful time ... In my opinion Disneyland and America is general is an amazing place to visit ... Enjoy ur trip

 

[Franrose]

Our experience with cereal in the US is that your choices are usually very high sugar/fructose/starch cereals with lots of added flavours and colourings, or extremely unappetizing 'healthy' cereal - there's unfortunately not a lot in between - something like their equivalent of corn flakes for example has more sugar/is usually flavoured in someway - I didn't see anything akin to Wheetbix, one trip we did buy some bran type cereal but it was pretty awful...

This is so true. Last time we were there, I was trying to eat well by having sultana bran in the morning (best of not many cereal options at our resort), while I let my kids splurge with Frosties (those sugar/random sweet stuff covered flakes). After about the third day I read the boxes... and was blown away to find that my breakfast had a higher sugar/sweet stuff content than theirs. Mine was just hidden, there's overt. Crazy. Admittedly, they did taste much sweeter than our NZ version! (Haven't eaten it in Aus but I'm sure it's the same!)



This looks positive for bringing cereal in:
"The following are generally admissible:
...
-Bread, cookies, crackers, cakes, granola bars, cereal and other baked and processed products"

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/de...-bringing-food-into-the-u.s.-for-personal-use


Just make them new, unopened packages so they can see it's all legit.

I think we might look at doing that also - grabbing some milk for our fridge and then using stuff from home would make breakfasts where we don't have plans super easy, low key and much cheaper than eating at food courts etc. Could even bring those little multi boxes in for a treat knowing they weren't HFCS.

 

[gogo65]

The one thing my kids hate is the bread, it is soooo sweet, when our kids were younger we could always fill them up with plain rolls and Vegemite, we could not find fresh baked bread or a bakery.
My kids do love the Quakers muesli bars, we have to stock up and bring them home with us.

Agree with other about cereal they are either super sweet or blaaand. You can always throw a box of west is in your luggage, for emergencies, once it is eaten you have room for some souvenirs

 

[lffam]

The one thing my kids hate is the bread, it is soooo sweet, when our kids were younger we could always fill them up with plain rolls and Vegemite, we could to find fresh baked bread or a bakery.
My kids do love the Quakers muesli bars, we have to stock up and bring them home with us.

Agree with other about cereal they are either super sweet or blaaand. You can always throw a box of west is in your luggage, for emergencies, once it is eaten you have room for some souvenirs

gogo who built house and booked OW RTW trip in J?