Splenda or not - anybody know?
 

This may a dumb question but I would rather be prepared than unpleasantly surprised. I cannot eat sugar sweetened foods and have to rely on Splenda and Splenda bake as sweeteners. When we go to the Caribbean I take it with me and as I go through my travel things I am wondering if I need to take it to Europe with me too. I can tolerate other sweeteners but not as well as Splenda. Any knowledge will be helpful. Thanks in advance

I don't know where you are going but I traveled to several places in Spain and Italy last year and never saw Splenda. I brought my own.

I saw it all over the UK and France in the last year.

Take it with you. It doesn't take up that much room. I was in France for two weeks last year (Provence and the coast) and only saw it occasionally.

Agree with Jody - Splenda was all over UK coffee shops, pastry stands, etc. last year. Often in tablet form instead of granulated, but widely available. Not sure about the rest of Europe, though.

Hmm, I didn't know that Splenda came in a tablet form. Haven't seen that one here at home yet. In our last two trips to Germany, Austria and Switzerland, I never saw Splenda. I always take my own.

Saccarin is widely used in Switzerland; available in handy pocket-size dispensers (tablet form).

Well, at least if you have to take it with you it doesn't weigh much.

In France it's called Canderel and you can get it at any supermarket, Casino, Monoprix, whatever...

We don't have Splenda here in Switzerland. I know because one of my US friends sent me a recipe that calls for Splenda and seemed shocked when I said it isn't available.

Hi BC,

I suggest that you bring it with you in the little packets.

Security would probably be suspicious of a ziplock bag containing a white powdery substance. :)

Splenda doesn't come in tablets.

Canderel is Aspartame, Sucralose.

((I))

Never saw one in a restaurant in Spain, Germany or Switzerland. I have always found saccharine (yuk!) available and sometimes have encounted aspartame (Equal).

The tablets are great, I wish Splenda would come in that form.

i have never seen splenda and doubt it or a reliable facsimile exists here.

I have never seen Splenda anywhere in Europe. (I am diabetic so I notice those things, even though I rarely use any sweetner at all).
I might suspect that when someone says they've seen Splenda in a particular country, they really mean they've just seen a sugar substitute -- and they're using Splenda as if it were a generic name.

Splenda is a well known brand here in the UK, available in supermarkets, but who could be bothered to go supermarket shopping when you're on holiday? I'd bring it with you.

Always carry my own. Like NeoPatrick, I have never seen Splenda in Europe, including the groceries. Just spent a week driving in France in Jan.

Patirck, I'm surprised at you, being the London officianado that you are! Splenda is well known here as one of many sweetener brands, but isn't used as a generic name for sweeteners.

http://www.splenda.co.uk

OK, I stand corrected. I've certainly never looked for it in a store, and now that I think about it, I guess I rarely see sweetners at all on restaurant tables. I suppose you have to ask for it, which I never do.

Thanks for all of hte responses - I do believe I will take some with me - when we go to the islands - I always have a bag of that and one of the brown sugar splenda but I may just take some packets for safety sake. I prefer the splenda bake but it is more bulky so now will make room in my bag for some of those packets. thanks again - you guys are great. I will be in Germany Italy and France with a cruise to the islands

Just came back from Amsterdam and Paris. While I saw non-sugar sweeteners, never saw "Splenda". I took my own in the packets which I put in a snack size baggie and it was easy to carry.