Bringing snacks home

[kylieh]

I'm guessing that like so many others we'll have snack credits left at the end of our trip. Have you brought home snacks with you? Thinks like Pretzels, Candy, etc that has been ok to bring through customs?

DD and I are thinking food!!!!

 

[shushh]

I'm thinking that anything packaged and cooked will be ok eg chocolate and candy, even cookies. We have brought those home before although not from Disney.

We used up all our snack credits when we went! It was great to use to supplement for breakfast as it gets you juice, danishes, fruit etc. There are also evil things to get at the parks for morning/afternoon tea eg the pineapple dolewhip, the funnel cakes, and the wild rice and mushroom soup. Mmmmm

 

[queenie82]

I'd use most on dole whip

But we've brought home Rice krispie treats (I swear to god they would NEVER go off they are so toxic ) Gingerbread, anything like that would be fine.

If not...I'll watch out for you on Border Security

 

[Sugarglider]

Customs are fine with confectionary - and - well - those snacks aren't really food products!
I was in the Contemporary Shop and wanted to ship everything home including some tea and cat treats "Fairy Tales". And they refused saying they are food products! They got a bit upset when I told them I didn't think any of the ingredients could be considered food.
Anyway - no- never had a problem at customs with disney stuff

 

[kylieh]

I'm thinking that anything packaged and cooked will be ok eg chocolate and candy, even cookies. We have brought those home before although not from Disney.

We used up all our snack credits when we went! It was great to use to supplement for breakfast as it gets you juice, danishes, fruit etc. There are also evil things to get at the parks for morning/afternoon tea eg the pineapple dolewhip, the funnel cakes, and the wild rice and mushroom soup. Mmmmm

Now I'm drooling over the thought of dolewhip. Even when I make Blue Ribbon Ice Cream and top it with Golden Circle pineapple juice it's just not the same.

I'd use most on dole whip

But we've brought home Rice krispie treats (I swear to god they would NEVER go off they are so toxic ) Gingerbread, anything like that would be fine.

If not...I'll watch out for you on Border Security

Rice Krispie Treats are packaged - cool. I didn't realise they were. I have nightmares about being on border security. When we came back last time there were signs at Sydney airport about it filming that day and you could find a producer and exclude yourself / have your face blurred etc. We were going to do that last bit as you know what you look like after that trip. Actually i don't think they would allow my face on after a 13 hour flight ... but we got through without even a bag check.

They got a bit upset when I told them I didn't think any of the ingredients could be considered food.
Anyway - no- never had a problem at customs with disney stuff

 

[Waybuloo]

Is there still a box on the customs dec "Are you bringing in any food"?

I remember we ticked that and the officer laughed at our Jolly Ranchers

 

[PrincessInOz]

I bring home the Disney Turtles - macadamia nut variety. Check the use-by date and declare everything food related when you come back in.

 

[gippaloo]

Oh my gosh, I have been wondering about this same thing! I am flying there next week, and am bringing a ton of candy and cooking spices for the people I am visiting...

I am so afraid customs is going to confisgate everything from me because it is food. I am declaring it all on my little card I get and it is all sealed but I am still worried :/

 

[austraveler]

We used our 16 snack credits remaining on the rice krispie treats shaped like Micky. The boys gave them to their friends at school and they were a huge hit. We have also brought back cereal (lucky charms), pringles in some weird flavor, pretzels and masses of different lollies and chocolates. We always declare and have never had any problems.

 

[HappyFingers]

Ok where exactly do you get the dole whip from ?

Gps co ordinates will be fine

 

[Diegosmom]

no produce I think is the main rule of thumb as bugs can travel on

 

[Sugarglider]

Oh my gosh, I have been wondering about this same thing! I am flying there next week, and am bringing a ton of candy and cooking spices for the people I am visiting...

I am so afraid customs is going to confisgate everything from me because it is food. I am declaring it all on my little card I get and it is all sealed but I am still worried :/

Gippaloo - those cooking spices may be problematic - they are not banned but it depends on their condition. I strongly recommend you check, spices MUST BE declared and inspected. Be prepared to lose some if they think that something is wrong. Those puppies will sniff spice out, and the xrays detect organic material so it is hard to hide it. From out weekly TV show we all know the fine is $220 for not declaring!

Now I'm drooling over the thought of dolewhip. Even when I make Blue Ribbon Ice Cream and top it with Golden Circle pineapple juice it's just not the same.

oh EEK! but then I never understood the allure of the Dole Whip.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Oh my gosh, I have been wondering about this same thing! I am flying there next week, and am bringing a ton of candy and cooking spices for the people I am visiting...

I am so afraid customs is going to confisgate everything from me because it is food. I am declaring it all on my little card I get and it is all sealed but I am still worried :/

I've taken Tim Tams, Vegemite, Aussie Chocolates and Nuts over....haven't tried cooking spices....

If you declare and bring home packaged food, you won't have anything to worry about. I've brought back Pepperidge Farm biscuits, Cheerios, Quaker Oats, Starbursts, Kisses, M&Ms, Disney Macadamia Turtles, Halloween Candy, Jelly Belly's, Chocolate (Ghiradelli, Godiva..the list is endless)....

I do not bring anything that is fresh or has fresh fruit in it. I've brought back the Quaker oats with blueberry in it (declared of course).... We've even brought back a Bourbon Fruit Cake that my aunt made.....

 

[Sugarglider]

Ok where exactly do you get the dole whip from ?

Gps co ordinates will be fine

Latitude: 28 degrees, 25', 6.9" N
Longitude: 81 degrees, 34', 58.9" W

 

[HappyFingers]

Latitude: 28 degrees, 25', 6.9" N
Longitude: 81 degrees, 34', 58.9" W

ok now we have our funny bones working

where do you actually get dole whip ?
is it a particular park or is it all over the place ?

 

[PrincessInOz]

ok now we have our funny bones working

where do you actually get dole whip ?
is it a particular park or is it all over the place ?

It was funny, wasn't it...ask and ye shall receive.

Dole Whip or Dole Whip Floats (my fave) ....

...... can be found at WDW in Magic Kingdom, Aloha Isle, Adventureland or at the Poly resort. In Disneyland, you'll find it at the Dole Plantation, which is outside the Enchanted Tiki Room (new management or not).

 

[Sugarglider]

ok now we have our funny bones working

where do you actually get dole whip ?
is it a particular park or is it all over the place ?

I was very proud of myself getting those GPS coordinates correct.
It points to Aloha Isle in Adventureland

 

[Sugarglider]

and it is all sealed but I am still worried :/

BTW: Gippaloo I also realised it doesn't matter if a package is sealed or not cause one day you will open it!
That's when the problems start - are there pests/bugs hiding in the spices - say on leaves or bark?, or burrowed inside the seeds/pods? or maybe a disease in a seed that currently does not exist in Australia and may decimate our local crops?

This is an extreme example: three years ago, up in Emerald, Qld, someone wanting to set up a mandarin plantation smuggled in either seeds or plants from Phillippines - brought a disease that was non-existant in Australia. AQIS had to destroy the entire batch of citrus plants in the industry up in Emerald to stop the disease!

I also remember an old Steve Irwin ad that said some wheat weevil is so small you wouldn't see it yourself.

So it's about if it has been processed enough to kill anything

 

[Oz-kateer]

My neighbour works in customs, I have asked him about this many times. You won't get into trouble or get fined or end up on Border Security as long as you declare, declare, declare.

The people who wind up in trouble are the ones who try and sneak things in, clearly ticking the "no foodstuffs, nothing to decalre" box on the customs form and then having a suitcase loaded with food. Or declaring, but only showing them part of what they actually have stashed away.

As long as it's perceived to be a commercially prepared, preserved and prepackaged snack food and you're coming from somewhere like the USA then they'll allow pretty much anything. His rule of thumb:

- if it does not contain meat
- if you can buy it off the shelf in a normal supermarket
- if it's packed in sealed plastic or foil, and
- if it will last in the cupboard for several months without refrigeration

then generally speaking it's okay. Chips, chocolates, lollies, pretzels, snack cakes like Twinkies, factory made biscuits, even the processed and boxed breakfast cereals are usually allowable, but declare them all. And if customs do not think they are allowable they'll just confiscate and destroy - you won't get into trouble or be fined if you voluntarily declare and, if necessary, voluntarily surrender.

 

[kylieh]

As long as it's perceived to be a commercially prepared, preserved and prepackaged snack food and you're coming from somewhere like the USA then they'll allow pretty much anything. His rule of thumb:

- if it does not contain meat
- if you can buy it off the shelf in a normal supermarket
- if it's packed in sealed plastic or foil, and
- if it will last in the cupboard for several months without refrigeration

Thanks Oz-kateer - They are really good guidelines to remember, I'm hoping that we'll be able to make the most of our snacks, but brining home Mickey treats would be cool for the nieces and newphews.