This is the last in our mini series on packing! If you missed the first couple of posts you can find them here: Packing Advice?! From us?! {Part 1} and Packing {Part 2} UAB.

Last but not least is a list of food items that I would tuck in the shipment if you can. Again, some people don’t have the space or weight to do this but if you do these these are things I always include when going overseas just in case we can’t find them or in our case now they are out of the budget.

~taco seasoning

~ranch dip packets

~onion soup packets- good for dips and roasts, etc

~lots of spices. Spices are pricey in the US  and can be hard to find or expensive overseas. Take an extra bottle of things  you use often just to give you time to hunt locally or mail them. Add extra of things like Cajun seasonings and Mexican seasonings!

~vanilla extract..and any other extracts you like to bake with.

~chili mixes

~cream of whatever soups….so even if your mom never cooked casseroles with cream of chicken soup there is something about being far from home that will occasionally make you crave an American casserole and somehow the Campbell’s gods have engraved it in our brains that such a casserole might include such a soup.

~salsa. you might be able to find some for a price or some that just doesn’t taste good but you will miss the good stuff! if you have the space bring some along!  We have learned to make different salsas but sometimes it’s nice to have some handy.

~Bisquick/pancake mix

~syrup (or bring some maple extract so you can make something similar!

~peanut butter, again you might not eat it much now but for some crazy reason when you can’t get it you crave it!

~chocolate chips or whatever baking things you like for holiday baking…instant yeast is a good one to take!

~cake mix/brownie mix….even if you normally do it from scratch throw a few in. On days when you are culture shocked by the inconvenience of life you will have a new appreciation for brownies that smell like home and you didn’t have to measure

~crystal light or similar drink mixes…sounds silly but sometimes lemonade or cranberry juice sounds so good and either can’t be found or…you guessed it, is super expensive. The individual packs are light for packing but will brighten a summer day abroad!

~liquid smoke (for all you Texan’s)…pack this one well! can you imagine your entire household smelling permanently like smoked meat?…Seth’s response to that question would be “but I like smoked meat”. Precisely why his involvement in minimal with the ziplocking!

~macaroni and cheese…I have heard you can even just buy the cheese powder now without having to buy the whole box. All you need is the yellow #5 right?!

*Remember to ask for your favorite family recipes! You will miss your mom’s home cooking and you might just have to learn to make all of it since you can’t pop over to moms house!    Even with this big list of things we would take I have to say mostly we have just learned to make most of the things we miss! While I would love to hop out to a restaurant to get a break from cooking I am glad that these 2 years in Switzerland have pushed me to learn so much with cooking. SO if you can’t take food items or if you forget something google what you miss and be brave enough to try something new!

*Don’t whatever you do become a hoarder!!! Share the treats with others you know are missing home! Trust me, they taste better when you share them.

Of course when you go back stateside be prepared to crave things that you learned to love overseas!! I am sure we will be on the hunt for fondue and Swiss chocolate just like we searched for ajiaco and arepas when we left Colombia!

If you aren’t packing and moving or going overseas consider sending a package to a friend abroad with some of these goodies above. you will make their day and give them a taste of home!