There are no two ways about it, studying abroad in Europe is hella awesome. The Insta-worthy views, the casual weekend trips to different countries, the sights, the coffees and croissants…. the list goes on. But many would agree that there are two, three or fifteen types of food that they’re missing from the good ole U S of A…here are seven that your fellow abroad Denisonians are missing most.
1. Bacon, Egg, and Cheese
Gif Courtesy of theodysseyonline.com
The GD BEC…it’s one long-distance relationship that just isn’t working out. We miss your crispy bacon, your gooey cheese, and your egg over-medium almost as much as we miss our beds. You’re either A. Entirely unavailable because Europeans don’t believe in anything “heavy” for breakfast (whatever that means) or B. Imitated, never replicated, American bacon over European Bacon. Please don’t judge us if we make a BEC detour to Village before we make our way up the Hill.
2. Goldfish
A Costco specialty and a half. To say Goldfish are underrated is a serious understatement, and to all of the haters out there, we’re not sorry that we’re missing our nearest and dearest childhood friend…and Huffman salad topper. Sorry Europeans, the gourmet Brie and Buffalo Mozzarella is #dank, but sometimes we need something a little more #processed and #flavorblasted. Let’s get real – we’d be lying if we said that we don’t dream of spooning with the behemoth of a container (I call big spoon!).
3. Chick-fil-A
Photo Courtesy of thestamp.umd.edu.
‘Murica. Our bodies are more than likely thanking us for taking a brief hiatus from deep fried chicken and waffle cut fries, but our brains can only handle a certain level of withdrawal. For reasons we cannot entirely explain, Europeans love their KFC, but many of us can’t get ourselves to betray good ‘ole CFA even if it means jeopardizing our attempt at living quazzi-Euro lifestyles. We’re not even mad that Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays anymore…we just want our golden nugs and secret sauce, STAT. Bring on the holy pilgrimage to Columbus.
4. JIF Peanut Butter
We never thought the urban legend of the European Peanut Butter Famine could ever be possible, but alas, reality has struck us like a roundhouse kick to the face. Our apples, sandwiches, celery sticks, and spoons are sad and lonely without their creamy counterpart. Going from endless bowls of PB in Huff & Curtis to a day-long goose chase to find a four ounce jar of sad peanut mush takes a toll on us abroad students, and we promise we’ll never again take for granted a life sans-peanut allergy.
5. Skinny Pop’s 6-cup Serving Size
Maybe it’s the satisfying saltiness, maybe it’s the crunch, maybe it’s the ability to eat half the bag in one sitting…all we know is that we can’t wait to see those Skinny Pop crumbs on our face in the reflection of the computer screen when we’re waiting between Netflix episodes of “Friends.” We admire how #trendy and #forward Europe is, but it is most definitely slacking in the guilt-free snacking department. 10 points for the U.S.
6. Homemade Mac ‘n Cheese
Now we’re just starting to sound like degenerates….but we can’t help bus miss the nostalgic smell and taste, especially on those days where home feels extra far away. As the winter months creep up, the more we’re ready to take a serving of piping hot goodness to the face. We could go in depth about how much we miss the crispy corner pieces, but, unfortunately, this isn’t @foodporn.
7. Chipotle
Photo Courtesy of BuzzFeed.com
It’s no surprise. We know where every guy is heading once he steps off the plane home from Europe, and most girls will probably be not two steps behind them. Think you’d never miss going to Newark for Chipotle? Think again. We’re even excited to hear that “guac is extra,” and we’re 100 percent willing to pay the price… burrito bowl with brown rice, a little of both beans, chicken, fajitas, pico, cheese, sour cream, lettuce, and GUAC for the lady behind the keyboard.