what snack foods do we have here that they dont have in China?

[Mommy2three]

We are hosting a foreign exchange student girl from China this year and I want to send her a package of American snack foods that they dont have in China. Any suggestions? I posted this in the community board but got no response so I thought I would try here

Thank you!
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[Wendybird55]

Wow..That's a tough one as so many things here are made in China! Plus so much of the world is becoming " westerninzed" and with the summer olympics in China I'm sure there's even more.

I would say to send items that are "truly American"
some items I can think of is
Heshey Bars
Hot Dogs (though I don't know about shipping them)
Apple Pie!
Maybe one of those variety pack of small boxes of cereals - I bet there are alot of sugar-coated "fun" cereals we have here that they don't in China like "Lucky Charms"

What about Jelly Bellys? I think they're made in SanFransico.

And or course everyone's favorie - Potato Chips

 

[abdmom]

We're just back from China with Adventures by Disney. We saw very few snack foods while we were there. I think I saw Oreos. The Chinese diet is very different from the Western diet - in some ways more bland and in some ways more spicy.

I would choose one or two things - something sweet, perhaps chocolate chip cookies and something salty - like potato chips - and send several packages of each. They will surely want to share them with family and friends, if for no other reason than their exotic nature. Don't send anything with a lot of milk products in it as Chinese tend to be lactose intolerant.

 

[MistyD]

My sister lived in China for 2 years. I asked her your question and she mentioned:

Chee-tos
Nacho Doritos
Donuts
Dr. Pepper
Cereal

I went to visit her while she was living there and took some Krispy Kremes. She was sooo excited that she licked the icing off of the packaging! When she came home she went to Super Target with us to get groceries. She wanted about 5 boxes of cereal because she didn't get the sweet stuff over there. She stood there forever just completely overwhelmed with the choices! I think a variety package of cereal is a great idea.

What your student can get will vary greatly depending on what area of China they live in. The bigger cities have just about everything we have. The smaller more rural areas don't have much selection.

Have fun!

 

[livndisney]

We're just back from China with Adventures by Disney. We saw very few snack foods while we were there. I think I saw Oreos. The Chinese diet is very different from the Western diet - in some ways more bland and in some ways more spicy.

I would choose one or two things - something sweet, perhaps chocolate chip cookies and something salty - like potato chips - and send several packages of each. They will surely want to share them with family and friends, if for no other reason than their exotic nature. Don't send anything with a lot of milk products in it as Chinese tend to be lactose intolerant.

In some parts of China you can buy Chocolate chip cookies and chips (VERY ODD flavored chips, but chips. I even bought M & M's in rural China. I can't say that I saw American "sugar" cereal. So that might be an idea. Lots of places in China are getting really westerized. They have Walmart, KFC, McDonalds, Starbucks and Pizza Hut. I know most Chinese ladies LOVE American make-up and lotions. Bath and Body works was a HUGE hit. Maybe something to consider?

 

[Mommy2three]

thank you for everyones help. She is coming from Xian China which is one of the most historical cities in china. I did speak to her on the phone a few days ago for the first time and she doesn't speak english very well but hopefully she'll pick it up quickly when she gets here

 

[Kenenitz]

Honestly I don't have any suggestions for you but I think it's great that you are hosting a foreign exchange student. I would love to do the same when the kids are older.. and maybe have a bigger house. lol My best friend in high school had a foreign exchange student from Mexico. She cried every night for the first two months It took some adjusting but by the time she left she was crying not to leave. lol

 

[santa's surpriz]

You might try unique flavors of common snack foods. I remember a friend's family hosting a German exchange student and she fell in love with Chocolate Poptarts. Poptarts were available in Germany, but not chocolate. They mave have potato chips in China but do the have the flavors....

also what about Little Debbie's???

 

[DawnM]

We took Lantz crackers with us to China as gifts. We took powerbars to actually keep in our backpacks and eat.

Then we ended up eating only Chinese food and not eating the powerbars at all. The food was so good!

Anything that won't melt, although the chocolate there wasn't that great, but I would worry about melting.

Dawn

 

[Kailani6]

Oh that is so cool, I would love to do that when my daughter is older.

I know of something that I send to my DD's family in Maui that they don't have there but you may not have it where you live...

Marshmallow Fluff (to make Fluffernutter sandwiches of course, or to put on hot chocolate)
Smartfood (it used to be a New England thing but I think Fritos bought it)

That is very sweet of you to think of sending her a package, good luck and have fun!!

 

[dahrjo]

On the other side of the question:

We are expecting a guest from China in a few months. (actually my new sister-in-law). What can we do to make her feel comfortable and more at home here?

 

[GOOFY4DONALD]

As far a snack foods I think I would send her items that are unique to the US. Ghiradelli chocolate, Jelly Bellies (as someone mentioned before). What about things unique to your state? Here we are overrun with anything and everything made with Huckleberries.

 

[dzorn]

How about cracker jacks.

I would be worried that anything chocolate would melt and potato chips broken to pieces.

Denise in MI

 

[MomofM&M]

An oven is not a household appliance in China so baked goods are always a treat. I remember whenever we went back to Taiwan, my mom would always bring tins of butter cookies to give as gifts. In the department stores they would sell Walker Shortbread in fancy tins and boxes and they were very pricey. Chocolate chip cookies would be good too but buy the crunchy kind not soft batch type. I remember overbaking a batch once and my grandma thought they were so yummy since they were so crispy. Cheese products are a rarity there but I don't know if that would appeal to the Chinese palate My parents are scared of cheese and will only eat mozarella cheese and that's after living here for 30+ years. Peanut flavor will most likely appeal to them and I would imagine Nutter Butters would be popular. Our nanny was from mainland China and she loved American peanut butter as it is more peanutty than the Chinese equivalent. Chinese beef jerky is different than American beef jerky in consistency and my mom liked the Terriyaki Jack Link's brand when she tried it. Savory chips are tricky. Maybe KC Masterpiece flavor as it's more sweet? My sister brought me back seaweed flavor potato chips from Taiwan a few months ago. I was too scared to try it although I appreciated her hand carrying it over so that it didn't get smooshed. Hope this helps!