If you are personally not too concerned that baby's food be organic, then you do have a wider range of choice; I was assuming that the adults in your family also only eat organic food wherever possible.
There are quite a few packaged foods sold in the US that are marketed for children in general, rather than just for toddlers. The overarching characteristic of these foods is that they are bland. For the most part, my spice-loving DS does not care for them, which is why I tend to forget that they exist. Just look for bright, cartoony packaging, and you are probably looking at bland kiddie-food.
If it's any comfort to you, DS was 16 mos. the first time we took him to England to visit my family. I also brought a food for him, though not a 'baby food'; a huge plastic jar of chunky applesauce. He loves the stuff, and it keeps his tummy on an even keel, but I've never been able to find applesauce too easily in English food stores. (Not that I really would have expected to; I never encountered it as a child. My DH's German family gave him that habit.) The cousins thought that I was totally daft to carry the stuff abroad. It is absolutely true that "nursery food" will differ by country, and I certainly don't think you odd for seeking something familiar. However, I don't think you need to rely on bringing over ALL of his food; I would just take a fair bit of his most favorite thing, so that you have it as a backstop in case he's feeling picky.
There's something else you won't find much of in the US--that British nursery classic, the soft-boiled egg. Many restaurants will not even serve them, as soft-boiled eggs are considered unsafe in the US because of the possibility of salmonella contamination. Ask for a boiled egg here, and it will be hard-boiled unless you specify otherwise. Even then, it may come hard-boiled, as the cook may not know how to time for soft-boiled. (I still fed DS toast soldiers, but I gave them to him with soup, instead!)
I never did use a grinder for DS' food. When we travelled when he was that age, I mostly just cut up a portion of my own food into tiny bits and gave it to him in a bowl. (I did carry his own bowl, a plastic one with a suction ring on the bottom, so that he couldn't throw it if he got into a temper!) He was never a big eater, so that cut table food, along with a cup of milk and a piece of bread to gnaw on, was usually plenty for him at that age.
) at all times!
!!
Must have something to do with living in California for 10 years and my DH being a US citizen -- I've been infected!! 
