Everyone knows that one of the biggest perks of studying abroad is getting to experience a different country’s cuisine, but there will be times when you just want American food.
While the grocery store Taste of America is a homesick expat’s dream, boasting the likes of Hershey’s, Pepperidge Farm, and Pop-Tarts, regular Spanish stores also offer a decent number of American products for those days when you just need Oreos.
Ben & Jerry’s
Photo by Eva Reynolds
Cheap? No. Worth it? Hell yes. Extra points if you find a store that has the cores.
Peanut Butter
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Okay, Capitán Maní isn’t American, but I would sooner try it than spend €6 of Jif at Taste of America. I don’t know how I feel about its claim to being “the original peanut butter” though.
Candy
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Found: Skittles, M&Ms (regular and peanut), Kit-Kats, and Snickers. Lacking: Reeses’. Substitution: Kinder chocolate.
Oreos
Photo by Eva Reynolds
For some terrible reason, the many varieties don’t include double stuff. Also, the packages are smaller… boo.
Bacon
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Jamón is amazing, but sometimes you just need the Oscar Mayer.
Chips Ahoy
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Literally the only chocolate chip cookies you’ll find in Madrid.
Cereal
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Rice Krispies, Cheerios, and Honey Smacks, plus a good number of European knock-offs should do the trick.
Condiments
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Americanize your meals with Heinz ketchup, Hunt’s BBQ, Tabasco, or Hellman’s mayo.
Baking Mixes
Photo by Eva Reynolds
You’ll be hard-pressed to find Betty Crocker, but there are plenty of American dessert mixes so you don’t have to convert your home recipes to metric.