Expats On A Budget: Your List Of Luxury Food/drink Items

[MJP]

Discounted carbohydrates of any particular description

Low grade rice

Water, tap not drinking

Protein (bits of animal, dead) an occasional luxury

Mama Noodles

Did you mistake this with the prison food thread?

Seriously, is that what they eat? Same, same lik dis'?

It'd get me away from mother-in-law, wouldn't it?

Hmmmmm . . . . .

[Jingthing]

I think you would have to pay extra for the Mama noodles but not speaking from personal experience. The protein would likely be fish bones and insects. Yumm.

Edited May 14, 2009 by Jingthing

[MJP]

I think you would have to pay extra for the Mama noodles but not speaking from personal experience.

I get boxes of 40 of Mama's finest cuisine in a plastic wrapper for 150 to 200 Baht.

I used to take a jet from BKK to my place, now I take the bus (VIP bus that is, we've not sunk that low yet)

I buy in bulk. Did you see that. BUY IN BULK STUFF WITH LONG SHELF LIFE SAVES A FORTUNE!!!

A touch myself rather than . . .

[Mosha]

It's the things I have to live without cos I get get then in town. Decent Bangers, propper bread, Yorkshire bitter. Not forgetting lamb and decent cheese at a fair price..

I don't miss beef much.

[churchill]

Things I miss .

good wine at decent prices

Homemade - Scones / Jam and Clotted Cream

Homemade Marmelade

Good Desserts/cakes with Fresh Cream

Decent Fresh Beef

English/French Cheese and a glass of Vintage Port .

[MJP]

Things I miss .

good wine at decent prices

Homemade - Scones / Jam and Clotted Cream

Homemade Marmelade

Good Desserts/cakes with Fresh Cream

Decent Fresh Beef

English/French Cheese and a glass of Vintage Port .

The first four items you could do yourself.

[churchill]

What I have to live without because i cannot find fresh here.

Runner beans

Sprouts

Rhubarb

Figs

Could not live without..

Dutch coffee, but then it is cheaper here 500gr Douwe Egberts cost just 215baht

Have found Fresh Sprouts in Tesco , Macro

Fresh Rhubard in Big C

Runner Beans Tesco

But only at cetain times you have to keep an eye out .

[MJP]

What I have to live without because i cannot find fresh here.

Runner beans

Sprouts

Rhubarb

Figs

Could not live without..

Dutch coffee, but then it is cheaper here 500gr Douwe Egberts cost just 215baht

Have found Fresh Sprouts in Tesco , Macro

Fresh Rhubard in Big C

Runner Beans Tesco

But only at cetain times you have to keep an eye out .

You could grow those.

If you've no land, I could grow those for you.

There's no need to go without.

[Oberkommando]

You are only meant to bring in a litre but I bring in 5/6 bottles.

So do you declare this or not? If not, what happens when they open your luggage?

We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

[MJP]

You are only meant to bring in a litre but I bring in 5/6 bottles.

So do you declare this or not? If not, what happens when they open your luggage?

We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

If you're here long term . . . h o, . ? me £ % b ! r e \\ w ???

[apetley]

There is nothing that I absolutely have to have.

However, things I really miss.

Good bread, which is why my prized possession is my bread maker that I brought with me from the UK.

I treat myself to some decent cheese once in a while.

The local wine here in Kanchanaburi is drinkable but not as good as that available for a reasonable price back home.

Smokey bacon does not exist here either. Even wifey misses that after living in the UK for a few years.

Real English ale.

A doner kebab after a night on the piss. Never found one of those in the village!

[Mosha]

You are only meant to bring in a litre but I bring in 5/6 bottles.

So do you declare this or not? If not, what happens when they open your luggage?

We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Have you ever tried to go through the red channel? I have and was escorted to the green channel, I was trying to declare something.

[padfoot]

Recently, I was in Bangkok for six months. I enjoyed all the different food and many fine restaurants. But I missed being able to get a good burger. At home, a good burger is available at most restaurants, and an excellent one at many places.

[Norrad]

I seems to do OK with what is available here in Thailand and I rarely miss things. But on the odd occassion I wish I could find some Biltong and Droerwors in Bangkok.

[chiang mai]

Only thing I cannot go without, under any circumstances, Earl Grey Tea, especially first thing in the morning - life would simply not be worth living.

[Mosha]

Last time 'home", I fetched some back home.

[Birdman]

never - to the contrary bringing along a lot of prik kee nu, real Thai rice, dried shrimps/squid and so on back to my home country to have a real delicious meal.

Having the Chilli shaker in my inner pockets of the jacket always handy to spice...

[jaiyenyen]

I miss a decent piece of Stilton cheese and Bath Oliver biscuits, closely followed by McVities Digestive biscuits.

Someone said they missed smoked salmon, there's plenty available for 110 baht per pack in the Tesco/Lotus freezer section.

[Brigante7]

mozarella cheese..seems really expense here so only a monthly thing i think.

not a food but detol! im a cleaning freak but again its pretty expensive here so thats a treat

my boyfriend would love to buy a nice cold magners...but he begrudges paying 250 bt when he can get chang for 33! so magners will be a rare treat

decent bread is a regular, have now ecome addicted though to those frozen mini bread rolls from macro that you bake in the oven yum.

but i am craving a can of iron bru BIG TIME, but havnt seen it anywhere if anyone has seen anyone selling it in phuket pleeeeeease let me know

Iron Brew, it's the one thing I really miss when I'm in Thailand, but haven't seen it anywhere.

Brigante7.

[tw25rw]

mozarella cheese..seems really expense here so only a monthly thing i think.

not a food but detol! im a cleaning freak but again its pretty expensive here so thats a treat

my boyfriend would love to buy a nice cold magners...but he begrudges paying 250 bt when he can get chang for 33! so magners will be a rare treat

decent bread is a regular, have now ecome addicted though to those frozen mini bread rolls from macro that you bake in the oven yum.

but i am craving a can of iron bru BIG TIME, but havnt seen it anywhere if anyone has seen anyone selling it in phuket pleeeeeease let me know

Iron Brew, it's the one thing I really miss when I'm in Thailand, but haven't seen it anywhere.

Brigante7.

Irn-Bru was mentioned on the BBC news site today. I'm tempted. What does it taste like?

[Brigante7]

mozarella cheese..seems really expense here so only a monthly thing i think.

not a food but detol! im a cleaning freak but again its pretty expensive here so thats a treat

my boyfriend would love to buy a nice cold magners...but he begrudges paying 250 bt when he can get chang for 33! so magners will be a rare treat

decent bread is a regular, have now ecome addicted though to those frozen mini bread rolls from macro that you bake in the oven yum.

but i am craving a can of iron bru BIG TIME, but havnt seen it anywhere if anyone has seen anyone selling it in phuket pleeeeeease let me know

Iron Brew, it's the one thing I really miss when I'm in Thailand, but haven't seen it anywhere.

Brigante7.

Irn-Bru was mentioned on the BBC news site today. I'm tempted. What does it taste like?

It's made in Scotland from girders and it put's hairs on your chest. It's hard to describe the taste, it's very gassy and hard, whereas coke is as soft drink, you either love it or hate it. When I was a kid my dad always told me that Iron Brew would burn my throat if I drunk it, the first time I tried it I was 8 and was shiting myself but I loved it.

Brigante7.

[Magoomba]

This ain't for the lives of the rich and famous expat package bunch.

This is for the expats who do what they can to live in the local Thai economy, but are still human.

Some food luxury items are not luxury items in the west (such a Paramagiano cheese) but are in Thailand, they still count.

So what is your list of items you can't live without and those that you have sacrificed enjoying living in Thailand?

I have limited it to take home grocery items, but if you want to list restaurant indulgences as well, why not?

My list (can't live without)

good coffee

Paramagiano cheese

smoked salmon (and cream cheese to go with it)

avocados

sometimes 100 percent agave Tequila

sometimes good beers like Guinness

western breakfast cereals

My list (can live without)

good beef

western mushrooms

wine (painful!)

really good coffee

ricotta cheese

greek olives

If you have a friend in Indonesia, you can get plenty of excellent coffee and cheap.

[IanForbes]

I guess I can't answer because I don't live in Thailand permanently. I only stay 5 months at a time and I'm in Canada for the remainder. I'm willing to wait for what I don't have and the other provides. There really isn't anything about food and beverages that I crave. I seldom drink coffee or tea when I'm in Thailand and most of the time I drink water with a bit of lemon/lime. Most of the time I eat common Thai food meals with rice, eggs and a bit of meat and veggies. And, supplement that with fresh Thai fruit.

At home in Canada I cook great meals with veggies, meat, fish, cheese and pasta, which are all basically cheap. I have an unlimited amount of smoked salmon I do myself, so I never think of it as a treat. I happen to enjoy raisin bread toast with creamed honey for breakfast, along with a few cups of spiced tea. I never have that in Thailand. The only time I drink coffee is on the occasional morning when I go out to the hotel to read their morning newspaper and socialize with the locals.

My two parallel lives are quite disimilar, but I enjoy both equally and would hate to give up either.

[Jingthing]

Mr. Ian, the psychology of your bi-national preferences is perfectly understandable but it actually highlights the difference in being an actual full time expat. You take smoked salmon for granted. Are you telling me after two years without it, you wouldn't crave it? Or fill in the blank for your other Canadian treats. We are human (and it costs us)!

BTW, I have always felt a great bi-national pairing would be Thailand and Argentina, half and half. I can imagine going crazy with the world class beef and wines and pizza while there and also enjoying some cool weather.

Edited June 1, 2009 by Jingthing

[mssabai]

Big Borger, Big greasy cheesy Borger.

mmmmmmmm....totally. Wish there was a better alternative than BK but have never eaten a decent burger here. Suggestions on a post card please.

The only thing I get sent out foodwise is chocolate oranges. And being a girl, I would rather they weren't. I miss good cheese a lot and good coffee but don't buy it cos nothing is good enough here to spend the amount of money they ask for it (I am in the sticks). In fact I rarely buy good cheese at home, though I adore (again cos I am a girl and the logic is that I would have to eat it and then feel bad and then have to go to the gym...la la la)

The main thing I guess I do buy here is red wine...and then when I am hungover the nearest farang food I can get my hands on...

My biggest luxury here is going for a really decent western meal once in a while. I am happy to live completely Thai as long as I do that once every couple of months.

The things I really can't live without are books and magazines. I get very excited on Sundays when I can get the Sunday BK post...

[LAZYTERRY]

I need clean food which is a luxury here.

Edited June 2, 2009 by LAZYTERRY

[Geekfreaklover]

I miss a decent piece of Stilton cheese and Bath Oliver biscuits, closely followed by McVities Digestive biscuits.

Someone said they missed smoked salmon, there's plenty available for 110 baht per pack in the Tesco/Lotus freezer section.

I think you can buy decent stilton and bath biscuits (or maybe it was Carr's) at Villa. The Danish Blue here isn't bad either.

[jackdanielsesq]

My list is a little distorted - what else is new - there are many things Thai that I miss when I am AWOL - that fabulous warm smile that only a fabulous Thai babe possesses, that they flash at one 24/7, very, very cold Chang beer, Thai ingenuity, hard work, courtesy, wonderful freedom to walk almost anywhere without fear - (caveat - without being completely dumb & drunk, obviously) - eating all those bugs and fabulous cold fresh fruit off the street carts - have never been sick in Thailand from the food - it is the freshest, tastiest in the world, Durian - love that stuff, sitting on the beach being served like a Lord, for less than a Dollar a dish, a beer, and being able to go for a dip without anyone running off with your stuff, bargaining with the locals, its always in good faith, has to be, to keep both parties happy, ..... the list goes on.

What I dont miss is the bad honky attitude I run into sometimes - but thats easy - you leave.

BR>Jack.

[Jingthing]

Thanks for sharing. Yes that is warped. Expats that like durian can go buy durian (I like it too!).

[jackdanielsesq]

In some fleapit in Singapore overnite, there was a sign prohibiting Durian??!! Say what!

They clearly have never smelled a good, ripe, Pattaya, North Naklua Rd, sewer, after about 10 days of steamy 35'C and no-rain!!

Now thats brutal - I never found ripe Durian offensive, but then again us el dente everything folks are like that.

Ohhhhh - and good sashimi, cold Sake!!

BR>Jack