if im self catering i allways take my own bacon cheese ham,i took it all to lanzarote christmas and lots of other things too. ive never had any problems bit like the cigarettes really if you get stopped you may loose them its pot luck

hi i always take cooked meats bacon sausage butter cheese and but i put them in my case just before we leave as its cooler in hold baggage and less hassle

One think I would like to point out re putting meat, dairy etc in hold luggage is think about what would happen if your case went astray for a few days. It really would not be a very pleasant picture on opening up the case and finding it crawling with maggots!

I really find it hard to understand people that take all their favourites from home. Most things are now easily got abroad unless you are really out in the sticks.

Remember, too, that some countries ban you from taking in meat products.

Pippa

Two links you should look at.

This covers what you may bring into the UK.

http://www.food.gov.uk/foodindustry/imports/imports_advice/personal_imp/

This from the official Spanish Tourist website;

http://www.spain.info/TourSpain/Informacion+practica/Consejos+Practicos/Requisitos/0/Que+productos+puede+introducir+en+Espana.htm?Language=EN

You also need to consider that whilst it might say on the website you can take something into a country that it can quickly change.

Personally we stopped taking stuff with us long before we stopped going self catering. All my wife takes is her sachets of cappuccino and a travel kettle.

fwh

I had a feeling that meat and dairy products were a problem in some countries. Not worth flouting the law in my opinion.

Even if self catering abroad I take very little in the way of foodstuffs. If it is going to be late when we arrive then I might take some tea, coffee, biscuits and a couple of small packets of cereal for breakfast. I know some people think that what you buy abroad is not the same as what you get at home but nowadays that really isn't the case - British products are widely available if you are prepared to pay more for them. Personally I go for the local produce which is always much cheaper and usually just as good.

Pippa

I agree Pippa, I wouldn't like to take a chance. And now I am thinking of a stinking case crawling with maggots - yuk

I never actually take anything with me, there isn't anything I am so desperate for on holiday that I can't live without for a couple of weeks. I always go for local produce too, after all that is why I go away to get away from Birtish life for a week or two.

Kedi

Do you remember those Heathrow Terminal 5 bags that spent most of last summer in a shed in Milan? Can you imagine what they would be like if they had perishable food in them - they could have walked home on their own!!