foreign travel with dairy?

[CloudBee]

We're headed to the Bahamas and although we're getting groceries delivered to our condo as we'll have a toddler with us, I also went to pack a few items in our bags.  I'm blown away by some of the prices, and these things won't spoil if they're out of the fridge a few hours.

- cheese (block or bag of shredded cheddar)
- cream cheese
- butter

Will I be asked to declare these items?  Can I go from NY to Nassau with them?  A gallon of milk is going to cost us $12, so I would be thrilled if we could bring our own butter and cheese!

[pearl]

I would splurge a little and not worry about bringing butter in your suitcase.

[dexteroni]

omg. Consider this an MM intervention. Do not bring your own butter on vacation. lol.

[nsl]

Nonononono. Spend the money on fresh groceries when you get there.

[CloudBee]

Placing a single stock of butter in a ziplock bag is a 30 second exercise that will save me from the inflated cost AND from having to buy an entire pound of butter, guys!

[Balki.Bartokomous]

This is why ML makes fun of us, you know.

[CloudBee]

Aug 25, 2014 22:00:20 GMT -5 nsl said:

Nonononono. Spend the money on fresh groceries when you get there.

We are getting fresh produce, meat, milk, eggs, and bread. What I have listed above would be easy peasy to toss into my bag mess free, save $20+, and keep me from having to buy larger sizes we wouldn't use up in the short span of our trip.

Am I making sense?

Just tell me if I'm allowed! lol

[CloudBee]

Aug 25, 2014 22:03:13 GMT -5 Balki.Bartokomous said:

This is why ML makes fun of us, you know.

Screw that. This is why my portfolio is doing so well.

It's also about convenience as much as it is about savings in this instance.

[dexteroni]

Aug 25, 2014 22:05:23 GMT -5 CloudBee said:

Just tell me if I'm allowed! lol

No one knows because no one brings their own butter on vacation! If you're really going to do this, check with an authority.

[fortmyersbride]

We've gone to Nassau yearly and never paid that much for milk. Perhaps the grocery delivery service is jacking up the price?

[CloudBee]

Aug 25, 2014 22:07:35 GMT -5 dexteroni said:

Aug 25, 2014 22:05:23 GMT -5 CloudBee said:

Just tell me if I'm allowed! lol

No one knows because no one brings their own butter on vacation! If you're really going to do this, check with an authority.

Ok. Now I'm embarrassed.

[thinkofthesoldiers]

Aug 25, 2014 22:06:54 GMT -5 CloudBee said:

Aug 25, 2014 22:03:13 GMT -5 Balki.Bartokomous said:

This is why ML makes fun of us, you know.

Screw that. This is why my portfolio is doing so well.

It's also about convenience as much as it is about savings in this instance.

Your portfolio does well because you save $20 on vacation on butter?

And really, couldn't you have just googled this? And saved everyone thinking you are a weirdo?

[CloudBee]

Aug 25, 2014 22:09:09 GMT -5 fortmyersbride said:

We've gone to Nassau yearly and never paid that much for milk. Perhaps the grocery delivery service is jacking up the price?

FoodStore2Go is who has been recommended and the company I keep finding online.

$11.19 for a gallon of whole milk!

Almost $7 for a half gallon.

[fortmyersbride]

Aug 25, 2014 22:10:58 GMT -5 CloudBee said:

Aug 25, 2014 22:09:09 GMT -5 fortmyersbride said:

We've gone to Nassau yearly and never paid that much for milk. Perhaps the grocery delivery service is jacking up the price?

FoodStore2Go is who has been recommended and the company I keep finding online.

$11.19 for a gallon of whole milk!

Almost $7 for a half gallon.

Damn. That's crazy. I want to say we usually pay $6-8/gal, but DH is usually the one who takes the shuttle or taxi to the big grocery store. If you're buying from the sundries store or the local convenience mart, you'll probably run into similar prices. I do remember eggs, cheese, and bread being rather expensive at the sundries shop.

[CloudBee]

Aug 25, 2014 22:10:40 GMT -5 thinkofthesoldiers said:

Aug 25, 2014 22:06:54 GMT -5 CloudBee said:

Screw that. This is why my portfolio is doing so well.

It's also about convenience as much as it is about savings in this instance.

Your portfolio does well because you save $20 on vacation on butter?

And really, couldn't you have just googled this? And saved everyone thinking you are a weirdo?

It's not the single act, but the mindset. We splurge often. But damnit I don't want to buy a pound of butter if I can bring a stick.

Google failed me after my first search because my question was too broad. I figured someone here might know.

Not weird.

[CloudBee]

Aug 25, 2014 22:14:55 GMT -5 fortmyersbride said:

Aug 25, 2014 22:10:58 GMT -5 CloudBee said:

FoodStore2Go is who has been recommended and the company I keep finding online.

$11.19 for a gallon of whole milk!

Almost $7 for a half gallon.

Damn. That's crazy. I want to say we usually pay $6-8/gal, but DH is usually the one who takes the shuttle or taxi to the big grocery store. If you're buying from the sundries store or the local convenience mart, you'll probably run into similar prices. I do remember eggs, cheese, and bread being rather expensive at the sundries shop.

Can we get eggs, milk, bread, and basic fruit within very reasonable walking distance of the Atlantis condos?

[hamster]

I want to know if @shoegal travels with butter in her suitcase.

[fortmyersbride]

Aug 25, 2014 22:16:51 GMT -5 CloudBee said:

Aug 25, 2014 22:14:55 GMT -5 fortmyersbride said:

Damn. That's crazy. I want to say we usually pay $6-8/gal, but DH is usually the one who takes the shuttle or taxi to the big grocery store. If you're buying from the sundries store or the local convenience mart, you'll probably run into similar prices. I do remember eggs, cheese, and bread being rather expensive at the sundries shop.

Can we get eggs, milk, bread, and basic fruit within very reasonable walking distance of the Atlantis condos?

Walking distance, no. But there is a daily shuttle around 9-10am for maybe $5pp to a good sized grocery store with a nice liquor store next door. DH usually takes the shuttle the morning after we arrive and stocks up on fruits, veggies, bread, meat, and snacks for the kids. Sometimes we'll go back mid-week to restock.

I've noticed a lot of people grocery shop on the taxi ride from the airport. Problem with that is you have to be arriving around check-in, they won't store your perishables till your condo is ready.

[tacokick]

I've seen stores in resort towns that sell single sticks of butter like near the yogurt. Couldn't you just steal some from the hotel?

That said, you can but you have to check it because it is considered a soft liquid/solid or some nonsense. As would the cream cheese. And things like peanut butter.

Oh, I see it is a condo.

[Balki.Bartokomous]

Aug 25, 2014 22:06:54 GMT -5 CloudBee said:

Aug 25, 2014 22:03:13 GMT -5 Balki.Bartokomous said:

This is why ML makes fun of us, you know.

Screw that. This is why my portfolio is doing so well.

It's also about convenience as much as it is about savings in this instance.

I hope you're joking. But I don't think you are.

My portfolio is doing well, too, and it's not because I get great deals on dairy.

And, food poisoning outside of the country doesn't sound convenient or MM.

[h]

This thread is hysterical.

My first thought was "eh, just take some pouches and emergency snacks for the baby and eat all your meals out." Shows you how MM I am.

[fortmyersbride]

Oh and I do see a lot of Costco Kirkland brands snacks by the pool when we're there (trail mix, other single serving stuff). I've definitely been inspired to bring some favorite non-perishables for the kids to snack on when we go back.

[hbomdiggity]

I have no words

[thinkofthesoldiers]

Aug 25, 2014 22:37:21 GMT -5 fortmyersbride said:

Oh and I do see a lot of Costco Kirkland brands snacks by the pool when we're there (trail mix, other single serving stuff). I've definitely been inspired to bring some favorite non-perishables for the kids to snack on when we go back.

Oh but what about sticks of butter and tubs of cream cheese? Do you see those sitting around the pool with crazy people trying to pad their portfolio?

[starlily]

No. Don't do this. Just don't.

[audette]

I'm going to admit, it sounds ridiculous to bring butter and cheese on a trip like this... And I say this as someone that usually brings some granola bars/trail mix to handle jetlag-induced hunger at weird hours.

Anyways, many countries restrict soft cheeses (It's supposed to be for non-pasteurized cheese, but some inspectors don't know the difference, and just say "soft cheese"), so the cream cheese is a no-go for many places. I would not expect shredded cheddar to keep for long enough (ew!), and while butter might survive the trip, I'd be leery about being able to keep it from staining clothes in my luggage. And dealing with the staining from a stick of butter that has melted all over my clothes is much more expensive than dealing with buying a pound of butter, even at jacked up grocery prices...

[kimibrighteyes]

please dont do this

[emilyinchile]

To answer the underlying question, look up the customs rules for the Bahamas to find out restrictions and what you would have to declare.

[tacokick]

I also want to point out I do not travel with dairy to vacation!! I did some work for the Dairy Board and I had to fly with it. In an cool pack.

[Balki.Bartokomous]

On second thought, I bet your cheese will be extra delicious incubated by socks & underwear.