allie_mac

Hey all!

We are visiting family in the UK/Demark in a few weeks and want to bring some Canadian treats for the kids. Any suggestions on things to bring that aren't available in Europe?

Thanks in advance!
Allie

janisj

Specifically just re your title/candy . . . I don't know what is available in Canada -- but as for US candy I wouldn't bother. There is as good and better available anywhere in the UK.

nytraveler

And the "danish" in Denmark (there called Vienna bread) is fantastic.

Not sure why people alway want to bring food.

the one thing people have asked me for is maple syrup - which is available in europe but super expensive - and much is heavily diluted instead of real maple.

goddesstogo

I see from your profile that you're in Vancouver may already know about this place:

http://www.purdys.com/seasonal/canadian-collection.htm

It seems to suit your purpose pretty well and has the benefit of being local.

We'll be in the UK next month and also want to take a small gift to a couple of people, something specifically Canadian. I think I'm going to take the Canadian made maple chocolate bars or something similar I saw in Kensington market recently.

Re maple syrup, unfortunately it's difficult to take anywhere these days because it's too much liquid to take in a carry-on and I won't risk putting it in my checked baggage.

goddesstogo

"Not sure why people alway want to bring food."

Because you only need so many a) picture books about your local area, b) t-shirts, c) baseball caps or d) whatever else has your local team monogram. Consumables can always be enjoyed.

What I don't understand is why the gift has to be better than whatever the receiver can buy locally. A gift of candy or chocolate or whatever you bring is just that -- a gift. It's nice if it represents the place you're bringing it from, that's all. What difference does it make if they can buy better chocolate there? If you bought your friend a picture frame for their birthday, would you worry that they could buy a better one in their neighbourhood?

mdinbc

If you can fit them in without squishing - how about some ketchup chips? I hear that is a Canadian flavor not available elsewhere. Even if they don't like them they may have a laugh trying them

sassy27

I agree with goddesstogo. I have over the past 20 plus years sent packages to a friend who lives in Lithuania. I not only would send clothes but candies, sweets and other things in the package. When I met her for the first time, she told me those packages meant the world to her. I felt silly when I went to her local store and saw M&Ms but the point was, the gifts and all were from me.

I work with a lot of people from the UK. I think it's interesting to see what they like to take back. I've heard things like a certain nail polish or perfume to anything with peanut butter. I never thought to send my friend nutterbutters and who knew Reese's peanut butter cups but only shaped in trees, eggs and pumpkins were the preferred kind. I don't even like peanut butter.

So really, whatever you choose to take will be appreciated as its a gift from you. I have said this many times here as I do speak from experience. Its the thought that counts.

NewbE

<What I don't understand is why the gift has to be better than whatever the receiver can buy locally.>
Me three! I agree with goddesstogo.

I think that remarks to the effect of "they have candy that's just as good in X" miss the point of a gift entirely. Our German friends love Reese's peanut butter cups. Are they better than German chocolate? No, but they like them, so that's what we send and bring.

If you don't know anything specific that these people want, I think that, being Canadian, you can't go wrong with maple candy. I seem to recall maple candied bacon...? Did I make that up?? Kind of like jerky?

Even if they end up laughing at it, it will be entertaining and that makes a good gift.

NewbE

Btw, the OP also says "treats for the kids". There may be some kids who would turn their noses up at gift candy, but I've never met any.

allie_mac

Thanks all for your suggestions!

We have several small cousins and we know (from previous visits) that they love sweets so we thought we would research / poll which specific treats the UK doesn't have (for example, Smarties). The suggestion to get something from Purdys is great - thank you! Chips are a good idea too but I find they crush and since we aren't going directly there I have a feeling they won't stay in tact. I think we might also try and get some maple cookies.

Thanks all!

sparkchaser

Maple cookies are a good idea. They have maple syrup in the grocery stores but it tends to be expensive and you don't usually find maple syrup products.

<i>how about some ketchup chips? I hear that is a Canadian flavor not available elsewhere.</i>

Walkers (as well as other brands) has ketchup crisps.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb...ketchup+crisps

janisj

>>I agree with goddesstogo. I have over the past 20 plus years sent packages to a friend who lives in Lithuania. <<

A whole lotta difference between Lithuania and the UK.

And for those of you piling on (no surprise there) I am not saying (and <u>didn't</u> say) not taking any food or something interesting specific to Canada . . . just not <u>candy</u>.

I stated >><i>Specifically just re your title/candy</i><< for a reason. I lived in the UK for several years, and go back often and have many friends there -- and almost all of them think American candies taste <i>different</i> and not in a good way.

Maple syrup, or Maple cookies or something like that would be great.

>>poll which specific treats the UK doesn't have (for example, Smarties)<<

Smarties ARE a UK candy.

sparkchaser

If anything, the UK probably has a better selection of candy than the US & Canada. Although I don't recall having seen mallow cups in Cheshire...

bilboburgler

Given how good Niagara ( or is that niagra) wine is.... but maybe you are looking to hyper-ventilate kids ;-)

Rubicund

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Nut Bars are available all over the UK. I like the latter, can't stand the former. Hershey's chocolate is generally despised in the UK, so leave that at home.

sparkchaser

I have not seen Reese's Pieces in the UK. Or the Giant Reese's peanut butter cup.

Jay_G

I've found that "odd" flavour bags of skittles always go down well as they're hard to get in the UK.

Things such as the sours or tropical variants aren't really available over here.

In fact this is the route I normally go down when bringing sweets back from the US; unusual variants of otherwise standard sweets that even if people don't like them, have a certain novelty value.

There's also the added bonus of being able to besmirch an entire country's taste in sweets "I can't believe people actually buy a whipped butter and creosote-topped peanut butter cup" etc.

It allows people to feel superior whilst jamming refined sugar down their gullets, it's a win-win really...

sparkchaser

True dat.

Odin

<i>I have not seen Reese's Pieces in the UK. Or the Giant Reese's peanut butter cup.</i>
The pieces are sold in Tesco and Waitrose. Not sure about the giant peanut butter cups, but I have bought the small ones in UK supermarkets, however they don't taste the same as the ones in the US which I think taste better.

sparkchaser

Jay_G, when I go to the US, I like to return with mallow cups, candy corn, and odd flavors of hard candy (root beer, bubble gum, cotton candy, cola, etc.) and pass it around to the indigenous population and say this is representative of the candy of my people.