The title does seem like a newspaper headline lol but i wanted something catchy to draw the point of the blog post.

I think for anyone who has visited the United States, the thing that comes to mind is the sheer size of everything! From bigger portion sizes and extreme eating challenges to super sized supermarkets.

My main focus will be on the bigger chains, but also mention a few ones i have also visited. When i was younger and 1st went to the states, i do not think i really had an interest in them. Getting older and becoming more of a foodie, as well as choosing to study catering, deffo increased my interest. To the point it is without doubt i will come back with extra luggage. You can of course get some American groceries online here from imported sites, but it is not the same as wandering around and discovering them all yourself.

Most recently i went with my partner to a family wedding in Indiana/Michigan/Vegas and my agenda was clear GROCERY SHOPPING! but i was reliant on my in laws to drive me to them. Big thanks to them though for taking me around, and showing me different places to eat and also grocery shop. If i watched a clip of myself walking on, i am sure i would have the look on me like i had just walked through the gates of Disneyland lol

The sheer vastness of these stores, which are huge! i could honestly spend hours in there, but with others i try to be as quick as possible and soak up all i see, photo and buy stuff. You come across some strange product names and also unusual flavours. They mostly go in the basket. I have been lucky to come across many stores like:

  • Walmart – cue the track you know the one!
  • Target including Super Target
  • K mart now defunct
  • Stater Bros in California
  • Martins in Michigan/Indiana
  • Meiijers
  • Krogers
  • Dollar tree/General/Family Dollar
  • Big lots
  • Trader Joes
  • Aldi Usa nothing like ours here
  • Burlington sells some groceries
  • Ross dress for less sells some groceries
  • TJmaxx
  • DDS discounts sells some groceries Florida
  • Bealls outlet?

When it comes to trips to the USA i definitely go in with a rough list of new stuff out, and leave some to discover. Like most of the world, prices have gone up so have to think if some things are worth getting. These items are mostly what my partner and his mom would call JUNK. Arent they the most carved though? From Crisps to Poptarts and Cereal. I do not mind paying for an extra case if i could not get these back home. There was a point when we did not even have Oreos over here in the Uk or Reeses Cups. So a lot more has come over here in the last decade, including American fast food chains like Wendys, Popeyes, Subway etc.

To some who hate grocery shopping, my over enthusiasm for shopping will not be understood. I have to admit when i am in the store i just wander around. Getting fresh bakery items is trickier as they are more perishable and need to be eaten quicker. I tried my best to have a variety of Danish and baked goods. Like Coffee cakes which contain no coffee!, but cakes you can eat with Coffee! Cinnamon Rolls, Cream cheese Danish and Donuts.

One thing that is lacking is good quality cheese! we are spoilt for choice here with European and our own Cheddar. Trying American Sharp cheddar, which for some reason is bright orange? it is just not the same, more like processed American cheese slices. I tried also Pub cheese spread and Monterey Jack which was good. Plus why does it have such a huge date on it till October and i got it in May! Also with Crisps or Chips as you might say the sharp cheddar flavour is different, and also Orange! I will say though the USA has soo many Philadelphia Cream cheese flavours: like Honey Pecan, Pineapple, Brown Sugar, Strawberry, Blueberry etc and even Cheesecake filling!

I wish i could have been able to bake something with them, i did get 2 to try on bread, i do not really eat it that way at home ever. Like with the Key Limes i saw and cool whip, wish i could have made a pie with them to see and taste the difference.

Another surprise but not really is lack of Tea!, as a British person i drink more Tea daily than Coffee. Going to the states i rarely did see any good Tea, my in laws did not have Tea or a Kettle! most homes seem to have a coffee capsule machine instead Keurig to be precise. So i went without Tea for 2 weeks and never drunk so much coffee before. I did spot some Tea capsules but looked a bit dubious. Did have Lipton Iced Tea but that it swimming in Sugar!

I am a coffee drinker too, and was excited to try the infinite number of Coffee creamers available. I got 2 Pistachio and Blueberry Cobbler by walmart. I sadly could not bring any back as they need to be refrigerated. Did bring back several packs of ground coffee though. I have since brought a coffee pod machine here, we do not have keurig brand here. I got a Nescafe dolce gusto machine. I also brought a few iced coffee drinks by Dunkin and when i was out. The difference is consumption of Coffee is apparent by the Mcdonalds menu. There are so many available whereas here we just now an iced coffee option.

I ordered a french vanilla iced coffee large from Mcdonalds on my flight back home, It was HUGE! so sizing in the states is much different than here, when comes to cup size and portion size.

One thing to also bare in mind is the price you see on the shelf, is not the price you pay as local tax has to be added.This is a problem if you only had little cash and do not know the rate, as it does vary state to state. If you are paying by card not as much an issue, however when you pay it sometimes asks if you want to leave a tip? for doing nothing but processing a payment, i do not think a tip is warranted. But tipping culture in the USA is different than here, where it is not much given.

There seems so much ground to cover literally! for topics and categories when these super centres often sell almost everything! The aisles are long and vast like the Cereal one and the Chips. I was not much looking really for American Candy or confectionery a few things like limited Reeses products and special Kitkats we do not have back come. We have a huge variety of Chocolate at home from Cadbury and Nestle and more. If you have ever tried a Hershey bar as a Cadbury lover you will know why they are not a thing here in the Uk. There are a lot of Chocolate Peanut butter candy bars, seems an American staple.

Buying something you have not had before, is either a hit or miss. I say it is plastic as in artificial tasting sorry Twinkies! or good like Ruffles Honey mustard chips soooo good. I am making my way through my suitcase, stuff is still in it from May! bit by bit from cereal to chips, candy, cookies and more.

prices do seem much steeper than they used to be, but that is inflation cost of living i guess. I always like to get value for money, and i always seem to stumble upon a clearance section or rail. No matter where i go in Target or walmart, stretches the budget further if there was one i set ! Also get a buzz out of getting a bargain. I think my partner would not stick around to wait or watch me and walk off somewhere. I got some sweet potato chips for 30c each in Big lots in a clearance trolley at front.

Different cultures and markets cater for different cuisine and you do wonder why we do not have some of the flavours or items at home. For one with the amount of sugar in cereals and soda, here in the Uk and our sugar tax it would never work out. Does make you crave them more though! Like PopTarts etc

I almost forgot to mention about SPAM, we only have the original here in the Uk. But in the US there are so many varieties like Maple, Teriyaki, Tocino, Turkey, Hot and Spicy, Jalapeno, Lite, Hickory Smoke, Bacon. Why we only got the plain huh? i have brought one of each besides lite back with me.

I try to regularly review my finds on my facebook and my instas @adamtriesit on instas and @adampastryguy not always the latest products out, like most do asap i do older ones and not just USA ones. As i love baking i try to incorporate some of these finds into my bakes for here and work.

SO here are some of the more unusual named products, i did make a reel on insta about a while back. You look and think what?

These images are just a snippet really of the things you can come across. So many good and not so good stuff. I will continue onwards with my sampling and documenting of the stuff i brought. I thought i would get down in words how it came to be, and the if you will initiation into the American Grocery stores experience as a tourist. I guess that is what makes it exciting about going on holiday and seeing foods you would not normally have or be able to buy.

Follow my reviews over @ adamtriesit and adampastryguy on insta or adampastryguy on facebook

Thanks for reading

Share your experiences of shopping in an overseas supermarket grocery store in the comments. The weird wonderful and more!