18 American Foods That People Living Abroad Say You Can't Get Anywhere Else (And They Miss Very, Very Much)

    "I'm an expat living in Finland. I miss bread, like soft bread that you can make a PB&J or grilled cheese with."

    American cuisine is often considered a mystery to those in other countries, but it can't be argued that there are some things you can get in the US that you can't get anywhere else.

    So, we asked members of the BuzzFeed Community who've moved out of the US to share the American meals and snacks they miss the most. Here are their responses:

    1. "When I lived in Europe for the last decade, I missed good Tex-mex the most — like what you get all across the southwestern US. Soft corn tortillas are impossible to find, no decent salsa — they've never even heard of green chili or tomatillo salsa. A taco or burrito would always have a pile of shredded lettuce, large tomato chunks, ground beef, and flavorless cream in it. No cilantro, lime, or onion on anything. Sad."

    2. "I'm an expat living in Finland. I miss bread, like soft bread that you can make a PB&J or grilled cheese with. Bread in Finland is super hard. It’s all made from rye and it’s so hard, the idea of tearing off a piece of bread like you would a baguette is inconceivable."

    3. "Bagels. Especially an everything bagel. Lightly toasted with cream cheese. And a cup of Dunkin Donuts hazelnut coffee to wash it down."

    4. "I live in the UK and I miss Tostito's salsa con queso on the regular, and Barq’s root beer. You can sometimes pick up a can of A&W at a store for like three times the price, but never Barq’s!"

    5. "When I was stationed in Asia, I went to sleep thinking about how much I wanted Americanized Chinese food."

    6. "My sister lived in Greece for a year and has been living in New Zealand for the past five years. Whenever she comes to the USA to visit she can’t get enough of Miss Vickie’s chips and the Buckee's gas station (we live in Texas)."

    7. "I Moved to the UK five years ago and I really miss boxed mac 'n' cheese and Girl Scout cookies. Also, graham crackers aren’t a thing here, so you can’t make real s’mores."

    8. "I'm from the US and recently presented at a conference in the UK. I had brought Reese's cups to pass out. After my presentation one of the attendees approached me and said she had been living there for 8 months and missed American Reese's, so I was able to give her the rest of the bag. Apparently the UK version just isn't the same."

    9. "Kraft mac 'n' cheese, or honestly anything with preservatives."

    10. "Although it is not a food, I really missed having ice in my drinks when I studied abroad. Even milk, which typically isn’t an iced drink in the US, was served at a warmer temperature, which I thought was so gross."

    11. "I live in Ireland and I miss true barbecue! I'm from the Kansas City area and we are KING of barbecue. Nothing compares! Also, salty snack foods! Where are they?"

    12. "Literally everything from Trader Joe's."

    13. "SO MANY THINGS! Duke's Mayo is probably my #1. No good Southerner can go without it. I also really miss Andes Mints and York Peppermint Patties."

    14. "American Garlic Bread."

    15. "Britain has some great food, but I missed a few American foods. Peanut butter there is just not the same, and Spanish oranges don't hold a candle to a good Florida orange."

    16. "I miss having a big bowl of Cheerios for breakfast."

    17. "Fried green tomatoes."

    18. "TACOS!! It’s nearly impossible to get decent tacos in England."

    Are there any American foods you miss now that you live abroad? Share them in the comments below!

    Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.