Americans expats -- what American foods/brands are you buying in Thailand?

[Jingthing]

I found this article about the widespread sale of "American" products in London interesting.

 

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/01/26/579762957/in-london-the-american-food-aisle-is-filled-with-nostalgia-and-preservatives

 

Quote

 

In London, The American Food Aisle Is Filled With Nostalgia And Preservatives

...

These were globe-trotting sophisticates living in the tony Maida Vale neighborhood, and topping their wish lists were ... Bud Light and Cheetos.

 

 

Personally, I would never want to eat most of these products abroad or in the USA, but yes, there is a demand. Like Pop Tarts! Egads, yes regretfully I ate them as a kid but that's basically junk food. The article suggests Americans will often pick American brands over local brands based on emotion rather than price value / quality.

 

So Americans, here in Thailand, what American products are you buying, and are you buying the American brands or other nationality brands, and why?

 

In my case, I buy

 

Post Grape Nuts -- no non-American substitute

Post Shredded Wheat -- I just prefer it to Aussie or British substitutes

Peanut butter -- I buy Thai 100 percent peanut brands, much cheaper and I don't like processed sugary American brand peanut butters

Hershey's Cocoa -- better nutrition than the "Dutched" European brands

American Vodka -- don't ask, it's my two cents to stick it to Russia

Arrowhead Mills Natural puffed corn cereal -- no non-American competition

 

No pop tarts, no cheetos, no American beer, candy, processed snacks, etc.

I really don't think there is any American branded American product that I am buying only for emotional reasons vs. another national brand. 

 

Edited February 1, 2018 by Jingthing

[Spaniel]

Pop secret pop corn.

[Jingthing]

Avocados are arguably an "American" product as they originated in Mexico (close enough for jazz) but it's really rare to see USA cados for sale here. So I buy whatever is sold that has the best value and flavor offer. Thai, Australian, New Zealand, and rarely even Mexican or American. No loyalty except to the avocado God!

 

 

Edited February 3, 2018 by Jingthing

[StreetCowboy]

Irn Bru, whenever I see it. Or Dandelion and Burdock, or even Tizer, if it's all they've got left.

 

It's not American, but the principle's the same.

 

SC

[sharktooth]

1 hour ago, StreetCowboy said:

Irn Bru, whenever I see it. Or Dandelion and Burdock, or even Tizer, if it's all they've got left.

 

It's not American, but the principle's the same.

 

SC

But yet Irn Bru here is of the canned variety. Nuhin like the gless boatuls!

 

p.s you forgot Vimto

[StreetCowboy]

1 hour ago, sharktooth said:

But yet Irn Bru here is of the canned variety. Nuhin like the gless boatuls!

 

p.s you forgot Vimto

Vimto’s A bit English, from Manchester, I believe

[Jingthing]

These Italians seem to like Pop Tarts more than I do.

I guess it's no wonder so many people, especially Europeans, have a bad impression of American food if they think it's really only this processed and canned garbage.

 

 

[gbob]

Miracle Whip

[scorecard]

23 hours ago, Jingthing said:

These Italians seem to like Pop Tarts more than I do.

I guess it's no wonder so many people, especially Europeans, have a bad impression of American food if they think it's really only this processed and canned garbage.

 

 

 

Some non-Americans also have the image that Americans live on junk food, as noted when I took a team of Thai MBA students to Austin Texas, the Thai students had planned to try to experience everything.

 

Day 1, walk around the streets and notice the large numbers of obese and grossly obese people, many quite young.

 

Day 2, breakfast at McDonalds, all seats full and big waiting lines and many customers buying 2 big macs, extra french fries, apple pies and giant containers of coke, sprite etc., and more. And same thing at Wendys, etc.

 

Line up for provided lunch on campus, trays of big macs etc., many students taking 2.

 

Dinner with the local professors, buffet of many different pizzas and other junk foods.

 

I mentioned to our campus coordinator 'many Americans houses seem to have big kitchens, do they cook at home?'

 

Answer, 'yes big kitchens but nowadays mostly not used, but giant fridge full of frozen prepared junk foods, often with replenishment on auto delivery'.  

 

 

 

[bubba45]

One thing I am sure to check before buying any american product is whether they use high fructose corn syrup instead of sugar, or such, as a sweetener.  The american cookie companies seemingly can't do without it, so if I'm buying cookies, I buy european.  It's been removed from many items, I imagine due to public outcry, but not all.  

I've bought euro cereals before, and still buy euro muesli, but I like Special K, a little more nutritional value than plain corn flakes.  Bush's baked beans has better flavor than most of the euro stuff I've tried here, when I can find them.

I'd never buy just because "it's american".  Oh wait, I do still have a soft spot for Tabasco sauce.  And before I get torched, yes, I use pretty much any kind of nam jim around, I love hot sauces, and that's something thais do well.  But they don't do Tabasco.  

[bubba45]

Actually, I just remembered, for a while there was a company putting something out called "Thaibasco".  I guess it didn't last; should have kept a bottle for novelty sake.  I can't even remember if I tried it; might have and was not impressed.  

[Jingthing]

I also like Tabasco and use it sometimes in restaurants, but at home to hot things up I use fresh local chilies (including jalapenos) and Thai brands Sriracha.

[connda]

Kraft Mayo.

[Jingthing]

Just now, connda said:

Kraft Mayo.

Good one.

I definitely buy American brand mayos here. I've tried European ones here as well. But Thai mayo brands are truly disgusting. 

[Jeffrey346]

I am looking for canned White Tuna. Brands like Bumble Bee or Starkist.

Has anyone seen any Canned White Tuna here in Thailand?

[themerg]

I live in Thailand. I have immersed myself in Thai food. American food I use is Chex cereal I get at Tops supermarket in Chiang Mai.

[Suradit69]

Johnsonville Italian Sausage. I've tried a few other allegedly Italian sausages here, but nothing comes close.

Used to buy Butterball boneless turkey breast roll, but haven't seen them in a couple of years ... since some poultry disease scare??

 

[DavidB4]

1 hour ago, gbob said:

Miracle Whip

I love Miracle Whip over mayo but haven't seen it in a while! Also love Lipton Onion Soup mix for making potato chip dip. 

[HarrySeaman]

I buy US/European items in Thailand only when absolutely needed.  Kraft mayo is one since I am too lazy to make my own - which by the way is much tastier but which lasts only a short time in the fridge because it lacks antioxidants and isn't cooked to sterilize it like the commercial stuff.  Frenches brown mustard is another item and either French or German mustard with whole seeds (not that Dijon stuff that is flavored with cheap wine).  I get my vitamins by mail from  iHerb at much lower prices than what is available here.

 

On the other hand Cambodia is a shopper's paradise for imported goods since they don't have import duties. You can buy bottles of US booze for less there than you can in the US.

 

The last time I visited Cambodia I had to buy a plastic fabric bag large enough to bring back the three 18-biskets boxes of Post Shredded Wheat I bought, which cost only about $3 vs about $7 here.  The bag carried more things, including medications, a bottle of wine and a jar of natural peanut butter, both wrapped in new $1 t-shirts for myself and my lady.  The bag cost less than what I saved on one box of shredded wheat and I'll be able to use it again next trip to bring back more goodies if I can just get my friend from Australia to bring it back - he borrowed it for his last trip home and I haven't seen it since.

[Jeffrey346]

Just now, DavidB4 said:

I love Miracle Whip over mayo but haven't seen it in a while! Also love Lipton Onion Soup mix for making potato chip dip. 

Ditto..

I have seen Miracle Whip at Big C and Tops but no Lipton Onion Soup.

[spec4]

American breakfast sausage and SPAM.

[bubba45]

18 minutes ago, Suradit69 said:

Johnsonville Italian Sausage. I've tried a few other allegedly Italian sausages here, but nothing comes close.

Used to buy Butterball boneless turkey breast roll, but haven't seen them in a couple of years ... since some poultry disease scare??

 

I found some very nice italian sausage at Rim Ping Promenade (during one of my nightmare immigration visits).  Unfortunately I don't recall the name.  But it had a white cardboard band around the plastic pack, and it had a pig on it.  I recall they used the words "artisan".  I bought a pack of the italian and another, and was impressed.  Of course if you're not in Chiang Mai.....

[TGIR]

2 minutes ago, Suradit69 said:

Johnsonville Italian Sausage. I've tried a few other allegedly Italian sausages here, but nothing comes close.

Used to buy Butterball boneless turkey breast roll, but haven't seen them in a couple of years ... since some poultry disease scare??

 

We've tried these but lately they cook up like they've been in the freezer for years.....what I really miss is BEEF!  When Villa opened in Hua Hin I was treated to All Beef Hot Dogs from Oscar Meyer and beef Bologna but after the first batch ran out they haven't had any at all.  We've found some good frozen Turkey Breast lately in Villa also, but the price of whole turkeys and imported beef is so outrageous I'm down to buying 1/2 or 1/3 pound of Australian beef to make hash (fried potato and beef cubes).  What I miss most are American donuts and regular bakery goods from the local bakeries in California......nothing at all like what we get here.  I would die and go to heaven for Maple Bars, Buttermilk Bars, Cinnamon and other assorted donuts and huge cinnamon rolls (as kids we used to call them cow plops).  We had been here for about six years before going back to California for a visit.....we went to a new Safeway grocery store in a nearby town (we lived in a place about the size of Cha Am).  We could not believe the size of the store which offered every type of food you could imagine; fresh, frozen, cooked on site, ready to eat etc.  It was truly unbelievable.  

 

Well, by now you must know we're from a different planet and I've drooled all over my keyboard remembering all the foods I miss.  Don't believe all you read about American junk foods and appetites.  America has foods from all over the world, fabulous stores of all kinds and restaurants from everywhere.  galore.  Italian, Chinese, Thai, French, Spanish, German.....you name it and you'll find it.

 

Most of it can't be found in Thailand but I doubt anyone moves here just for the food.

[flyingdoc]

Some American brands are good, but it is important to read the labels, and cut down on the amount of sugar, whatever the brand.  Obesity is getting completely out of control, as Scorecard remarked.  The situation in the US is that more is now spent on slimming, than on the actual food in the first place !  The UK is closing fast, and Thailand is not 

that far behind !

[mirage]

1 hour ago, gbob said:

Miracle Whip

Where ?, can't find it anymore

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, flyingdoc said:

Some American brands are good, but it is important to read the labels, and cut down on the amount of sugar, whatever the brand.  Obesity is getting completely out of control, as Scorecard remarked.  The situation in the US is that more is now spent on slimming, than on the actual food in the first place !  The UK is closing fast, and Thailand is not 

that far behind !

Try buying a Thai brand breakfast cereal that isn't loaded with sugar. To buy any cereal without sugar here, it's usually an AMERICAN brand. Ironic, perhaps. 

[flyingdoc]

In Tops or Villa Market?

[bubba45]

38 minutes ago, Jeffrey346 said:

I am looking for canned White Tuna. Brands like Bumble Bee or Starkist.

Has anyone seen any Canned White Tuna here in Thailand?

This might not be exactly the white tuna you're looking for, but if you've not tried this brand, give it a shot.  I eat a good bit of tuna, and I buy this one.  They have in brine, water, oil, etc.  I buy them all.  But note the difference in 'tuna steak' and I think the other is 'tuna sandwich'.  The steak is whole, not all crushed up pieces.  I can't recall seeing American brands here.

Oh, and I always add a little Kraft mayo - I'm on that mayo bandwagon, too.

 

Edited February 5, 2018 by bubba45

[arend]

Virtually none except Best Foods mayo... Seems like most of the US products are bottom of the bucket in the US but cost a lot here... Yuck, such poor quality so I make a lot of stuff myself... Main problem for me is that the Thai cookies are awful but the imports are so expensive... 

[laochef]

1 hour ago, bubba45 said:

Actually, I just remembered, for a while there was a company putting something out called "Thaibasco".  I guess it didn't last; should have kept a bottle for novelty sake.  I can't even remember if I tried it; might have and was not impressed.  

Yep, still in production...Joe Sloane's (excellent Butcher, in BKK) 99.-/100 ml

Thaibasco, Chipotle.