Packing food … | Debbie's Caribbean Resort Reviews Forums

	Must confess that I’m one of those boring make-it-from-scratch people. But, I love #stormchips! Guess I’m one of those boring people as well. No shame in admitting it. Ok, so what are #stormchips? Sounds like something you make out of those mountains of snow you got hit with recently.

	In my house there is the dispute over Lays BBQ chips, and Lays Old fashioned BBQ chips; quite the conflict when a storm is brewing.

My God! I just looked back at what I wrote yesterday, and I can’t believe I spent so much time on something as trivial as a condiment. But sometimes I get worked up over trivial stuff. Guess that’s a sign of old age. — Well, it’s a sign of something.

Anyway, the idea of watering down ketchup isn’t something new, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it happens at some resorts. But that’s not down to the quality of the original Spanish product. I remember a restaurant in the small town of South Bugtussle, Alberta that used to water down the ketchup. And it was Heinz ketchup, or at least in a Heinz bottle – a crusty looking one at that. Mom and Dad would stop there for lunch on the way to visit Grandma in East Mooseknee. As I was just a kid, I wondered why the ketchup for my hamburger was so bad compared to the stuff we got at home.

	Hawkins cheezies, the little bags, so good with beer in the afternoon. Generally don’t eat them at home so it’s our vacation treat! When we’re cycling we always have Clif bars and a couple of bags of peanuts for quick energy. There is no way I’m gonna eat a peso pizza and then try to ride with a stomach full of dough!

	The ketchup and mustard on Cayo Largo are from Argentina. The mustard isn’t bad. Ketchup is a bit watery and bland. OK if you forgot your Heinz in your room. Do we have some Australian friends who always take vegemite?

YVRck – you raise a good point. I’ve been dealing with type 2 for years (about 17) and I always travel with several small snacks including granola bars, trail mix and Werthers candies. Never really thought about this as traveling with food before now, just bring them out of habit. Most of the time half comes back with us but it sure is handy when you actually need it, like the last AC flight we were on…

	My storm chips have to be bbq kettle chips….love the hawkins cheesies, also…I’m gonna pack a few small bags. Got my 70% cocoa choc bars. Also taking a tin of cashews. We leave in 5 days..so I’m in last minunte shopping mode…I gotta stop reading this post….too many munchie ideas.

yes….chocolate.

We usually bring one or 2 bars of high quality chocolate, often sea-salt infused bars for that in the room mid afternoon pick-me-up.

Happy to see that my post was taken in such positive way. If this has been on TA, I would have been called an arrogant resort-racist for making some genuine questions about this type of travel.I guess it comes down to if people have it in them to change their eating habbits. Me, the six months of the year when I am not in Cuba, I drink red wine with dinner just about every night. I need blue cheese at least once a week. The older and nastier looking, the better. Have a serious thing for Indian food and if I don’t get curry at least two times a week I start shaking. Also need a big juicy, red steak preferably at least once a week. Oh, and there’s a huge bottle of Heinz in my fridge. It can last me a year probably, but it’s there. The other six months, I probably share a bottle of red wine with someone 8would be another foreigner of course) two or three times in total, I never eat blue cheese, forget eating Indian food or anything with curry, no steaks, Spanish ketchup might happen.And yes, I miss some stuff sometimes. Most of all Indian food and a quality steak. But that’s part of being in another country, part of travel. I refuse to bring my home habbits with me as long as local habbits don’t actually kill me.And I’m talking about off-resort Cuba. And I’m talking about half a year. So I simply can’t grasp if a person can’t live without foods from home for a single week, maybe two. A month as well. And at a resort of all places with almost all the foods being imported from your home country, neighbor country or a country with more or less the same type of products as your home country. I don’t get it. Appreciate all the replies, but still don’t get it.I can only recall three things to put in my mouth I have brought to Cuba in the past 6-7 years. Fake sugar, as someone mentioned, makes sense if you’re trying to cut down on sugar or for health reasons. Never seen fake sugar in Cuba. Nicotine gum, not available either, again health reasons. The third item is a huge bag of quality Indian curry that I brought over years ago. It still sits unopened in my kitchen. Because in the end, I never got around to make curry chicken as planned. Because it doesn’t fit in with Cuba. I guess my taste buds and cravings and eating habbits have started adapting to wherever I am. I don’t have any urge for red wine either while in Cuba. Half a year, don’t even think about it. As soon as I leave Cuba I can’t live without it. In the end, while I enjoy a quality meal sometimes in Cuba, I guess I mainly see food the way most Cubans I know see food: As fuel. Something you eat when the body tells you it needs energi, something to burn. I don’t have to sit down three times a day and eat all my favorite foods in order to survive. And I am really happy that I don’t have to. People in our part of the world, we go way too nuts over something as basic as food. Cubans laugh when I tell them that a lot of foreigners have food as a ‘hobby’. They see programs about food, read books about food, sit at dinners and talk in detail about food and cooking, even post photos of the food they eat on facebook. Cubans laugh at me, sometimes with a laugh that says ‘I don’t believe you, but fun story anyway’.Big difference here probably being. If I go from ‘Cuba’ (defined in this instance as being everywhere in Cuba outside of resorts or hotels) to a resort then what is available at a resort is a display of food from another world, in this instance a world 17 levels above the one I come from when it comes to variety and quality. If you go from Canada (or UK or whereever) to a resort, I guess you’re stepping down several levels. One day I should try flying straight from the first world to a Cuban resort to see how I react to the food there. Just like some of you should try spending a good amount of time in off-resort Cuba to see how you react when you see the amount of food at even a 3 star resort. That would be an eye-opener, and I promise you you wouldn’t care if the ketchup there was from Heinz or from Spain.

Thanks for the interesting replies. I think most of you are completely nuts, but at least you are nuts who can argue your cases quite well 🙂

Are there any rules (TSA // Cuba Customs) on packing food? I did do a search but the results weren’t very detailed.I’m taking my own teabags and hubs wants to take a jar of mayo and, maybe, peanut butter.Do we need to leave foods in original containers? For instance, I’m planning on putting the teabags in a quart ziplock so they’re not in the big box — which takes up more room in the suitcase.

Any hints/tips would be appreciated.

We seem to have managed to take this waaay far from anything useful to Benni. (Not being critical, as I contributed to that just as much as anybody else.) Benni is not going to a resort, but doing some independent travel. So a lot of my comments about ketchup and stuff aren’t really relevant to the original question. I just wanted to say, even though we are having some fun here, I hope Benni is not put off that we have gone on and on like this. And, also that as per the first couple of replies, Benni, you should be fine.

But, I hope the discussion can carry on. It’s often quite interesting how these conversations can take so many twists and turns, so that even if it departs from the original question, we can still get some insight into what other people think.

I need blue cheese at least once a week. The older and nastier looking, the better.

🙂

Mrs. CJ and I love that stuff, DT. I once found some in the back of the fridge, and she said, "That’s been there a long time. I don’t even remember when we got it. Do you think it’s OK?"I told her, Well, it’s mouldy and it stinks! Yep, it’s OK."

Nothing like it 🙂 At least yours was in the back of a fridge. I once found some in the back of a cave, delicious. The older, the mouldier, the smellier the better…But I refrain in Cuba. Why? Because it’s not there.

(Well except once in a blue moon in a supermarket for the rich in Miramar, but at $80 for a tiny slice I can keep my cravings under control.)

	On the contrary! I learned a lot from the posts — plus had a few giggles! You’re such a good sport Benni!Let me wish you the most incredible Cuban adventure ever, regardless of whether you’re taking some food with you or not. Can’t wait to hear all about it when you return. Safe travels!

Yeah Benni: didn’t I say that your enthusiasm has added life to this forum. Here is a Texas gal going to Cuba for 6 weeks with a Hubs who likes to make lists as independant travellers! They are both going to have such a great time, their insides will curl with laughter; they don’t know what they are in for! We should give Benni a new award for making – me at least – a constant user of Debbie’s. She has humour and as I said enthusiasm that I haven’t felt for a while. Thank you Benni! Do you need some CUCs to get you started. I won’t have much time to get them to you in NFLD but I can try! Or you can drop my place in Ontario and pick them up.

Awww, gee! You guys are great!! I’m just being me — a crazy redheaded ex-Texan, now a newbie Newfie.I plan on keeping in touch, when I can, while we’re gone. Most likely will just be short ‘hello’ type posts.When we get back, I’m going to write up our adventures on a blog and will post the link here in the forums. Those who are interested can read it.

((HUGS))

Many thanks …..

And just a thought ….with the length of time you are going…. casa or resort is not an either or situation….many resorts will let you purchase a night or 2 right at the front desk if they are not full.

	Benni, if you think you might want a night or two at an AI just to take a break, I would look around the Lobby first, see if you can locate the Cubatour desk, check with them , they should be able to get you a better rate than at the front desk.

	Thanks for the suggestion, and the info! CubaTour desk? Lobby? Where will I find those — at the hotels // bus stations?

	Thanks for the suggestion, and the info! CubaTour desk? Lobby? Where will I find those — at the hotels // bus stations? Yes, in the lobby area of the resorts/hotels and most often tucked away in the corner. Once you enter the lobby, stop and take a close look before going to the front/reception desk.

YVR is right. At a place we once stayed at (I can’t even remember the name) I wanted to buy some postcards; not to mail because they would never get here. But I couldn’t find any, the front desk pointed me to an area that was hidden behind a wall – when I found them, I learned things I didn’t know about. Cubatour is your friend. Really small paladars/hotels may not have those kiosks but you can find them in every town in Cuba. Great time to talk to locals and get a feeling for Cuba. Don’t forget to bring a Spanish/English dictionary with you so you can understand each other.

	The Rack rate (the rate posted on the back of your hotel room door, here) at resorts can be double, triple and more, over the rates through Tour Operators. You could probably call Selloff or similar in Canada from Cuba, and buy a couple of Hotel only, days for half the Rack rate.

Awesome thread Benni, I always travel with loose teabags, green tea lately. Just throw them all in a large ziplock, I include part of the box or container label in the bag to keep things simple for customs. You folks are going to be in Cuba for awhile, I’d suggest to take as many snacks and even real food as can be fit in your luggage. Surprising how a handful of gummibears, cashews or even a can of favorite sardines can brighten the whole day. Other than in large cities you are unlikely to find any of those where you are going.

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