Brits Expats Crave Comfort Foods From The Home Country

British expats miss ginger biscuits the most!

Homesickness seems to be more acute in British expats than in any of their worldwide counterparts, according to both online retailers and specialist stores in favourite expatriate destinations. The latest must-haves from the old country are crunchy ginger biscuits, topping the sales lists over and above such delights as chocolate bourbons, shortbread and mini Jaffa cakes. According to a spokesperson from British Corner Shops, it’s a comfort thing, with expats seeking out goodies to which they feel a sentimental attachment.

Other favourites include tonic water, jelly babies, spaghetti hoops, Cumberland sausages and mince pies, popular all year round. The USA is the online store’s strongest export market, with Brit expats craving the nostalgic comfort foods rather than becoming attached to their sugar-heavy, fattening American equivalents. Out of the ten most-exported British foodstuffs, biscuits of various shapes, sizes and flavours comprised almost half, with Australia, Germany, France and Holland also destinations for huge quantities of the sweet treats.

It’s not that British expatriates don’t fall in love with aspects of their local cuisine, as it’s almost impossible to resist fine French cooking and gateaux, German sausages, Italian pizzas and fresh Mediterranean seafood concoctions, it’s just that none of these admittedly delicious meals remind them of their childhood, when everything seemed possible and the world was safe. Starting a new life in today’s fractured world is a challenge, with traditional treats such as ginger biscuits a reminder of times when everything was predictable and quintessentially British.