France has no shortage of delicious food products and great brands. Let me say that right off the bat. But France doesn’t have everything this American desperately needs. Yes, I know I don’t live in America so I shouldn’t expect every product under the sun — and I don’t! — I just expect a select few to make their way over, like the selection I wrote about last time and the ones below. I wish these select few existed here and didn’t require emptying your wallet on Amazon to ship from the other side of the ocean (that’s if international shipping is even offered at all). Until then, this gal can dream…
More brands that need to come to France!
Brands that need to come to France
WB Kitchen
If you’re on a bar kick and looking for something new, head to Whole Foods and pick up something yummy from WB Kitchen. I saw these bars and cookies on a blog and had to try them. Chewy and healthy tasting, the brand’s cookies are a great option if your sweet tooth strikes mid-afternoon. With flavors like Peanut Butter and Maple Pecan, you can’t go wrong. The texture is kind of like a Larabar and if you follow a paleo diet, these are perfect for you! They also have the delicious ONA Bars which are sweetened only with organic, non-GMO honey and are dairy and soy free. Check ’em out!
Kodiak Cakes
Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day and it’s not out of the ordinary for me to eat a second breakfast for dinner. Out of all the breakfasty goodness out there, pancakes are my favorite — hands down. And when they come with extra protein that doesn’t taste gross? Even better. I first discovered protein-packed Kodiak Cake Power Cakes pancake and waffle mix on Shark Tank and knew I’d have to try it. But many products you find in the US are hard to come by in France, so what’s any pancake-loving expat to do? Beg family members to run to Target and ship a box in her next care package. The box pictured above is my second box and it lasts about one week in my house. Just add water. It’s reasonably priced and the pancakes taste great. Kodiak Cakes = My new fave.
Fit 365
This is the one protein shake that I come back to time and time again because they taste that good — and I don’t say that lightly. Fit 365 has two flavor options, vanilla and chocolate, and none of the junky ingredients that you find in other protein shakes. They mix well with fruit in the blender or on their own. My fave? With a banana and a little peanut butter mixed in. I’ve tried other brands but they can never measure up. Vegan, gluten-free and a truly delicious taste make this top shake worth the price. I can’t get enough of Fit 365 shakes — really.
Oregon Chai
I love coffee but I’m a sucker for a chai tea latte. Unfortunately, they aren’t super popular in France and since Starbucks (my go-to for chai tea lattes) is nowhere to be found here, I’m facing major withdrawal. (But I found THIS the other day and it was like Christmas.) If I could pick up Oregon Chai concentrate at the grocery store, I’d be a happy camper and could make my lattes at home. One day….
Libby’s Pumpkin
This stuff is ubiquitous this time of year in the USA and I never knew how much I missed Libby’s canned pumpkin until I couldn’t get it anymore. Yes, I know I can buy a pumpkin at the supermarket and mash up my own pumpkin puree but it’s just not the same. Two thigns happen: It takes forever and doesn’t come out right or I make so much that I forget it’s in the fridge and it starts growing mold. Canned pumpkin is extremely versatile, has a long shelf life and best of all, it’s EASY. I use it in soups, pies, smoothies and more. And love confusing French people when I use it in desserts (since it’s a vegetable in French culture). So Libby’s, please, please come to France so I can stop paying 6 euros per can to get it here.
Zuke’s
My list isn’t complete without healthy dog treats for Dagny. I have absolutely zero luck finding healthy, mini, low-cal dog treats in France. And grain-free always helps since she is a dog after all and doesn’t really need corn or wheat in her diet. Brands like Zuke‘s just don’t exist here and I know other dog owners would become fans of brand if they started selling across the Atlantic.
When I’m in California I always hijack my dad’s coffee from Peet’s and drink it with Silk vanilla soy creamer. I also go for guilty pleasures like chex mix and peanut butter (I know we can get that here but the price is ridiculous!) and many familiar favorites from Trader Joe’s, like vegetable chips and chocolate covered pretzels. I also miss affordable options to buy things like chia seeds in bulk, and Amazon free shipping! I also usually go to DSW and buy shoes because there is a bigger variety at lower prices than we have in France. I’m totally with you on the pumpkin puree! One of my expat friends here uses butternut squash as a replacement for pie and says it’s even better than pumpkin, but I’m always jealous when I see all the pumpkin recipes popping up on Pinterest in the fall.
Yes, yes, and yes. Everything you said! Don’t even get me started on the creamer situation here. I’ve only been able to find single serve Gloria’s brand condensed milk something or other that doesn’t even taste good. So wish they had non-dairy creamer options or just some flavors or variety! I managed to find 500g of chia seeds on the French Amazon, reasonably priced, and am actually eating them in my oatmeal as I’m typing. 😉 And DSW!!! LOVE THAT PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh, man! I love that all of the things you chose are these healthy good-for-you type things. I’m over here going:
Where’s the chile rellenos smothered in queso? How do I import my favorite restaurants? Can a girl get some Chick-fil-a PLEASE?!
I also randomly miss cheese here, which is the opposite of what anyone would think. Pepper jack and that ilk are cheeses I would use daily and so far I haven’t found one that is a good replacement, even in a country with 300+ choices! That’s probably user error though.
Also, totally in agreement about DSW, it’s magical!
Glad you liked my list, Shelby! I think they’re all healthy-ish things because that’s where I feel the French market has a ways to go. We have a natural food store here called Biocoop but it’s a joke compared to Whole Foods. I asked for chia seeds a few months ago and they looked at me like I was asking for alien brains or something. Totally hear you on the cheese! I love fancy cheese as much as the next gal, or French-style cheeses, but give me some pepperjack!!
Hi, i’m french and i discover your blog last week and i really love it ^^
Concerning food, you made me very curious : what is chia seed ??!! Something i know but with another name ?
one google search later : NOP, it’s’ graines de chia’ ^^” never heard of chia..
Apparently it’s something we can find in France (more and more) in organic store. You can find it also in “Grands Frais”, don’t know if there is one near your home.
And for Shelby : i look for Pepper Jack sellers in France… Looks very hard to find. But seems there is one store in Paris who sell Monterey Jack (maybe the pepper version too) : “Epicerie Anglaise de Paris” (10e arrondissement).
Anyway, continue your work here, you’re doing a great job ^^
Have a nice Day =)
Hi Lionel, so nice to hear from you! Yes, chia seeds are called graines de chia in French and they have become very popular in the USA as add-ins for smoothies, oatmeal and even chia pudding. Great source of omega-3s and other nutrients. I was shocked health food store workers hadn’t even heard of them! Thank you for the suggestions on where to buy and so happy you enjoy the blog!
Thanks Lionel! I live in Paris and will definitely be checking that store out!!
I grow my own pumpkins and butternuts and enough that we have them all year round, they keep well so why do I need tinned?
As for Chai tea latte I could not agree more. We used to buy it here in pods for our coffee machine and it was yummy, suddenly a couple of months back they discontinued it . Grrrrrr. I have just looked this recipe up and as it is a 5* I am going to give it a try.
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/chai-tea-latte
Have a good week t’other Diane
This sounds even easier 🙂
http://www.food.com/recipe/starbucks-chai-tea-214056
That’s awesome that you garden and have your own produce! I kill plants haha. The canned pumpkin is so convenient though. So simple to just open up and add to a smoothie or dessert. I think I’ll try your recipe, thanks for sharing!
I have to say, I really love your health food posts! I, too, am a Quest bar addict and refuse to give up my habit (thank you, iherb!)
I’ve been thinking about trying Kodiak cakes since I see it in a lot of healthy eating videos on Youtube but I’m having a hard time finding a site that will deliver to France. Is the taste similar to regular pancake mix?
Also, which sites do you normally order your health food from? I love iherb but lately I’ve been getting clobbered with the frais de douane when I order from them :/
PS I love that Dagny get’s her own healthy treats 😉
Thanks so much, Jenny. Health-related stuff is a huge focus of my life so I try to incorporate it a little bit here and am so happy you enjoy the content.
Absolutely try Kodiak Cakes, but the protein-packed variety so you get that extra boost. The first time I made them, I used milk and an egg thinking the flavor would suck and that I needed to help it along but actually just adding water (there are several options) works perfectly. The taste and texture are identical to “regular” pancakes. There’s no protein-y flavor or aftertaste. I can’t recommend Kodiak Cakes enough. Getting hungry thinking about it! (I ran out a few weeks ago)
I unfortunately can’t help you find a place in France. I have family ship me stuff and rarely order from French sites. When I do I use Amazon.fr although the selection is limited and for protein stuff I use optigura.fr.
And yes, doggies need to be healthy too! hahaha
I am in Austria, not France and I agree wiht you on the canned pumpkin. I can get it at an expat shop here or from the British version of Amazon but it is so expensive. (I miss the god old days when you could check 2 bags insead of 1 on the int’l flights and I bought mine on visits home and lugged it back.) So many people say to use fresh– and I do use fresh for things such as soups, risottos, etc.– but fresh just does not make my baking for my beloved pumpkin bread come out right. And I got some of the parents in the kindergarten class I used to teach in as well as in my kids’ School classes buying the stuff at the Import store once they tried the pumpkin bread and wanted to make it themselves (great way to sneak in some veg!)
Yup, I really took my canned pumpkin for granted in the US and now when I pay like 5 euros/can, I make sure I scrap out every last bit and then let Dagny lick the can clean. I’ve tried fresh too but it’s a pain to chop and cook and then puree (and then clean up) and as you said, the texture isn’t exactly the same, nor is the taste (different variety of pumpkin in Europe I think). Not that the French ones aren’t good, it’s just around the holidays I like to make things that I grew up with. Love baking with pumpkin — super healthy.
And additionally for Food I wish Larabars and Kind bars would come over here. In Austria I have to send a snack along to school each day and such things would be practical. In addition the 100% fruit sticks/rolls– Annies’s and such– also great for school snacks (I stock up when in the US), especially in the cooler months when there isn’t as much good fresh fruit. Some of my kids’ friends have tried them and like them and their parents have asked me where to buy them and would happily buy them if available locally. (And in fact one dad had a business trip to the US and the mom had a bunch shipped to him to bring back.)
I also wish that chocolate chips were more common. Yes I can and do chop up chocolate bars but it is not the same.
You can get KIND on Amazon I believe but agreed that the French marketplace is really lacking in its selection of healthy bars. As you mentioned, French people like this stuff and I feel if a few US brands managed to set up shop here, they’d do really well!
And don’t get me started on chocolate chips. The ones I find are always mini and the “bag” is like a tiny little sachet that makes 2 cookies. And for 3 euros! I want a Costco here so badly!