Missing your favourite British foods, drinks and everyday essentials since moving to America? You’re definitely not alone.
One of the surprising things about moving from the UK to the USA is how much you miss the little things — your favourite tea, the chocolate you grew up with, proper biscuits, Marmite, Bisto and all those familiar products you never thought twice about in Britain.
The good news?
You don’t have to give them up.
⭐ But Where Would I Actually Start?
If you’ve recently moved from the UK, you probably don’t need 100 things straight away.
Some British products are more important than others — especially those little everyday favourites that you genuinely miss once they’re no longer sitting in your kitchen cupboard.
So, before we get into the full list, here are the eight British essentials I’d personally reorder first.
⭐ The 8 British Essentials I’d Reorder First
If you’ve recently moved from the UK and are wondering what you should actually order first, these are the British staples I’d put at the top of my list.
They’re the everyday favourites that can make a surprisingly big difference when you’re settling into life in America — especially when you’re missing the familiar tastes and routines of home.
☕ 1. PG Tips
For me, a proper cup of tea is one of those little things that instantly feels like home. PG Tips is a British cupboard staple and one of the first things I’d look for after moving to America.
🧂 2. Marmite
Love it or hate it, Marmite is unmistakably British. Spread it on toast, add it to a cheese sandwich or keep it in the cupboard for those mornings when you’re craving something that tastes like home.
🥫 3. Heinz Baked Beans
Because sometimes you just need beans on toast. 🇬🇧 Heinz Baked Beans are one of those simple British staples that can be surprisingly comforting when you’re living thousands of miles from home.
👉 Shop Heinz Baked Beans on Amazon
🍪 4. McVitie’s Digestives
A cup of tea just isn’t quite the same without a biscuit. Digestives are one of those everyday British favourites that I still love having in the cupboard.
👉 Shop McVitie’s Digestives on Amazon
🧂 5. Colman’s Mustard
If you love a proper roast dinner, sausages or a good ham sandwich, Colman’s Mustard is one of those little British cupboard staples worth having around.
👉 Shop Colman’s Mustard on Amazon
🥤 6. Ribena
Ribena is one of those tastes that can take you straight back to childhood. Whether you remember it from school lunches, family picnics or simply having it at home, it’s a lovely little taste of Britain to have in the cupboard.
🥣 7. Weetabix
There are some breakfasts that just feel very British, and Weetabix is definitely one of them. It’s an easy everyday favourite and one of those things you might not realise you miss until you can’t find it in your local supermarket.
🧈 8. Crumpets
Toast them, add plenty of butter and you’ve got one of the simplest British comfort foods there is. Crumpets are especially good for those mornings when you want something that reminds you of home.
👉 Find British Crumpets on Amazon
🛒 My British Amazon Collections
Want to browse by category? I’ve grouped some of my most-requested British favourites into separate Amazon collections to make finding them a little easier.
🍪 British Food, Snacks & Pantry Favourites
From biscuits and chocolate to tea, squash, crisps and pantry staples, this is where I’d start when you’re craving a proper taste of home.
👉 Shop my British Food, Snacks & Pantry Favourites on Amazon USA
🧴 British Beauty & Personal Care
Looking for No7, Soap & Glory, Radox, Simple and other familiar British beauty and personal-care favourites?
I’ve pulled these into their own dedicated collection so they’re much easier to browse.
👉 Shop my British Beauty & Personal Care Essentials on Amazon USA
🧼 British Laundry & Cleaning
Missing the cleaning and laundry products you grew up with? I’ve created a separate collection featuring British household favourites that are available in the USA.
👉 Shop my British Laundry & Cleaning Essentials on Amazon USA
🎄 British Christmas Favourites
Christmas just isn’t quite the same without a few familiar British traditions. From Christmas crackers to seasonal treats and decorations, I’ve gathered my favourites here.
👉 Shop my British Christmas Favourites on Amazon USA
🏠 British Home & Everyday Essentials
👉 Shop British Home & Everyday Essentials on Amazon USA
☕ British Tea & Breakfast Essentials
No matter how long you’ve lived in America, nothing quite replaces a proper British breakfast.
American tea can taste very different, baked beans aren’t quite the same and some of our favourite breakfast staples aren’t something you’ll automatically find at your local US supermarket.
These are some of the first things I recommend looking for when you’re building your new American kitchen.
☕ Yorkshire Tea
A classic for a reason.
👉 Shop Yorkshire Tea on Amazon
☕ PG Tips
Another British tea cupboard staple.
☕ Tetley
If Tetley is your family’s tea of choice, you don’t have to give it up just because you’ve moved across the pond.
☕ Twinings
A great option for anyone who likes a wider variety of teas.
🥣 Weetabix
There are some British breakfasts that simply can’t be replicated with American cereal.
🥫 Heinz Baked Beans
Perfect for beans on toast, a full English breakfast or a quick lunch.
👉 Shop Heinz Baked Beans on Amazon
🍞 Crumpets
Toast them, add plenty of butter and pretend you’re back in Britain.
👉 Find British Crumpets on Amazon
🧂 Marmite
Love it or hate it, it’s one of the most recognisably British foods around.
☕ Want to browse everything?
👉 Browse my British Tea & Breakfast favourites on Amazon
🍫 British Chocolate You Can Buy in America
One of the biggest surprises for many Brits is discovering that American chocolate tastes different.
Whether it’s the recipe, ingredients or simply nostalgia, sometimes you just want a proper British chocolate bar.
These are some of the favourites I look for.
🍫 Cadbury Dairy Milk
The classic.
👉 Shop Cadbury Dairy Milk on Amazon
🍫 Galaxy
Smooth, creamy and unmistakably British.
👉 Shop Galaxy Chocolate on Amazon
🍫 Maltesers
A British chocolate cupboard isn’t complete without them.
🍫 Flake
Perfect crumbled over ice cream — or eaten straight from the wrapper.
👉 Shop Cadbury Flake on Amazon
🍫 Wispa
If you’ve been craving that bubbly chocolate texture, this is the one.
🍫 Cadbury Buttons
A favourite for children and adults alike.
👉 Shop Cadbury Buttons on Amazon
🍫 Crunchie
Honeycomb and chocolate — what’s not to love?
🍫 Double Decker
Another classic British chocolate bar that’s worth adding to the next order.
👉 Shop Double Decker on Amazon
🍫 Aero
That bubbly texture is hard to replace.
🍪 British Biscuits & Snacks
Tea just isn’t the same without something to dunk.
British biscuits and crisps are some of the things expats often miss most because American alternatives don’t always taste quite the same.
🍪 McVitie’s Digestives
A British biscuit cupboard essential.
👉 Shop McVitie’s Digestives on Amazon
🍫 Chocolate Digestives
Even better with chocolate.
👉 Shop Chocolate Digestives on Amazon
🍪 Hobnobs
Oaty, crunchy and very difficult to stop eating.
🍊 Jaffa Cakes
Technically a cake, obviously. 😉
🥔 Walkers Crisps
Salt & Vinegar, Cheese & Onion, Ready Salted… I’ll take all three.
👉 Shop Walkers Crisps on Amazon
👹 Monster Munch
A nostalgic favourite that can be surprisingly difficult to replace.
👉 Shop Monster Munch on Amazon
🥔 Hula Hoops
Perfect for snacking — and yes, putting them on your fingers is still allowed.
🧀 Mini Cheddars
Another classic lunchbox and snack-time favourite.
👉 Shop Mini Cheddars on Amazon
🧀 Quavers
Light, cheesy and extremely nostalgic.
🍬 British Sweets & Confectionery
If you’ve got children growing up in America, introducing them to some of the sweets you remember from your own childhood can be such a fun way to keep a little bit of British culture alive.
Some favourites include:
- Rowntree’s Fruit Pastilles
- Wine Gums
- Percy Pigs
- Jelly Babies
- Smarties
- Sherbet Lemons
- Refreshers
- Drumstick Lollies
- Love Hearts
- Flying Saucers
- Rhubarb & Custards
- Black Jacks
- Fruit Salads
👉 Browse British sweets and confectionery on Amazon
🥫 British Pantry Essentials
Sometimes it’s the smallest ingredients that make the biggest difference.
You can make an American kitchen work perfectly well, but when you want to cook a Sunday roast, shepherd’s pie or a proper British comfort meal, having these familiar ingredients in the cupboard makes life much easier.
🍲 Bisto Gravy
A Sunday roast essential.
🧂 HP Sauce
Perfect with a full English, bacon sandwich or sausage roll.
🧂 Branston Pickle
A British classic with cheese, sandwiches and Ploughman’s lunches.
👉 Shop Branston Pickle on Amazon
🧂 Colman’s Mustard
For roast beef, sausages and anything else that needs a proper mustard kick.
👉 Shop Colman’s Mustard on Amazon
🥣 Ambrosia Custard
For trifles, puddings and all those British desserts.
👉 Shop Ambrosia Custard on Amazon
🍯 Golden Syrup
One of my favourite British cupboard staples.
Use it for flapjacks, pancakes, baking and desserts.
🧊 Oxo Cubes
Perfect for adding that familiar flavour to British-style cooking.
🥫 Worcestershire Sauce
Another cupboard staple that’s useful for everything from shepherd’s pie to marinades.
👉 Shop Worcestershire Sauce on Amazon
🧂 British Sauces, Spreads & Condiments
These are the products you don’t necessarily think about until you’re standing in an American supermarket wondering why nothing tastes quite right.
Look out for:
- HP Sauce
- Branston Pickle
- Marmite
- Colman’s Mustard
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Horseradish Sauce
- Mint Sauce
- Salad Cream
- Brown Sauce
- Golden Syrup
🛒 Want them all in one place?
👉 Browse my British pantry favourites on Amazon
🧴 British Toiletries & Personal Care
Food isn’t the only thing many of us miss after moving from Britain.
There are certain everyday British bathroom products that become surprisingly nostalgic.
If you’ve ever stood in an American drugstore thinking, “Where is the stuff I actually use?”, you’ll know what I mean.
🛁 Radox
A proper Radox bath is one of those little luxuries that can instantly make you feel at home.
🧴 Soap & Glory
A British beauty favourite and a lovely way to add a little UK nostalgia to your bathroom.
🧴 No7
A classic British skincare brand.
🧼 Imperial Leather
Another familiar British bathroom staple.
👉 Shop Imperial Leather on Amazon
🚿 Original Source
If you’ve missed those distinctive British shower gels, this is one to look out for.
👉 Shop Original Source on Amazon
💄 Want more British beauty?
I’ve put together a separate guide covering British skincare, toiletries and beauty products you can buy in the USA.
👉 Read: British Beauty Products You Can Buy on Amazon USA
🏠 British Household Essentials
It’s often the little things that make an American house feel more like home.
A familiar cleaning product, your favourite washing products or even a hot water bottle on a cold evening can bring back that comforting feeling of home.
🔥 Hot Water Bottle
One of my favourite British comfort items.
👉 Shop Hot Water Bottles on Amazon
🧽 Fairy Liquid
A British kitchen classic.
🌸 Lenor
If you’ve ever missed the smell of your favourite British laundry products, this one is worth looking for.
🧺 Comfort
Another familiar British laundry favourite.
🧹 Flash
A classic British cleaning cupboard staple.
👉 Shop Flash cleaning products on Amazon
🌬️ Air Wick
Familiar scents can make a surprisingly big difference when you’re settling into a new home.
🎄 British Christmas & Seasonal Favourites
Christmas can be one of the times when being away from Britain feels most noticeable.
If you’re trying to recreate a little bit of a British Christmas in America, look out for:
- Mince pies
- Christmas pudding
- Christmas crackers
- Cadbury Christmas chocolate
- Quality Street
- Terry’s Chocolate Orange
- After Eights
- Twiglets
- Pigs in Blankets seasoning
- British gravy
- Cranberry sauce
- Christmas sweets
👉 Browse British Christmas favourites on Amazon
Tip: Seasonal British products can sell out or become much more expensive as Christmas gets closer, so don’t leave your shopping until the last minute.
🇬🇧➡️🇺🇸 Just Moved to America?
If you’re reading this because you’ve recently moved from the UK to the USA, welcome! ❤️
I know from experience that settling into American life involves a lot more than just packing boxes.
There are bank accounts to open, healthcare to figure out, credit to build, insurance to arrange, schools to navigate and a million little everyday things you don’t think about until you’re actually here.
I’ve created a free UK → USA Moving Planner to help you keep track of everything.
📋 Moving to America?
Grab my free UK → USA Moving Planner and work through your move step by step.
💙 Make Your American Home Feel Like Home
And if you’re already settled in America but still trying to make your house feel more like your home, I’ve got a guide for that too.
👉 Read: How to Make an American Home Feel Like Home
From British products to familiar foods, decorating and those little comforts from home, sometimes it’s the small touches that make the biggest difference.
💭 What British Product Do You Miss Most?
Living in America has been an incredible adventure, but there are still certain British products that make life feel a little more familiar.
For me, it’s those everyday things you never really thought about in the UK — until suddenly you couldn’t pop into Tesco and grab them.
Whether it’s:
☕ Yorkshire Tea in the morning
🍫 A proper Cadbury bar
🥫 Beans on toast
🧂 Branston Pickle with cheese
🍲 Bisto with Sunday dinner
🛁 A Radox bath
🔥 A hot water bottle on a cold night
…these little comforts can make a new country feel a little more like home.
What British product do you miss most?
Let me know — I’m always looking for new British favourites to add to my collection!
🛒 Browse All 100+ British Essentials
I’ve brought together 100+ British foods, drinks, toiletries, beauty products and household essentials in one place so you don’t have to spend hours searching Amazon individually.
🇬🇧 👉 Browse My Complete British Essentials Amazon Storefront
You Might Also Like
👉 British Beauty Products You Can Buy on Amazon USA
👉 British Foods Americans Think Are Weird
👉 Signs You’ve Lived in America Too Long as a Brit
👉 Amazon Essentials Every Brit Moving to the USA Needs
👉 How to Make an American Home Feel Like Home
💙 A Note from Life Across the Pond
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This doesn’t cost you anything extra, but it helps support Life Across the Pond and allows me to keep creating helpful guides for Brits living in or moving to America. Thank you! 🇬🇧❤️🇺🇸
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