Moving to America - any food tips?

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  • TheGoodEmu
    TheGoodEmu Posts: 31 Member
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    Maybe I am getting to basic here but this is a link to what our food labels look like: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nutrition-facts/NU00293

    Not sure if the NZ equivalent is, but if you have labelling that works its percentages/recommendations differently, it may be good to familiarize yourself now. :-)

    Also, not sure if you have Subway or Panera Bread there, but both are great sandwich franchises where you can keep things pretty healthy.

    Good luck!
  • BonnieandClyde29
    BonnieandClyde29 Posts: 1,026 Member
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    There's a lot of fresh seafood if you live anywhere by the water, and markets, if it is more inland than be prepared for a lot of fast foods, walmarts, winndixies, and publix- Publix has the best food choices but runs a little more expensive...I live in cocoa beach FL. and I'm a native Floridian lol, just becareful there are A LOT of processed foods here especially in cheese and meats!!!
  • BonnieandClyde29
    BonnieandClyde29 Posts: 1,026 Member
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    What part of florida are you moving too?
  • CharleePear
    CharleePear Posts: 1,948 Member
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    I lived there for a while, I would suggest NOT shopping at Costco, personally I found it safer to hit the organic places. It's not as expensive as New Zealand on the whole anyway even when you shop there. Buy cheese only in Delis cos it's disgusting there in most places (sorry americans NZ is a dairy country we are dairy snobs). I second cooking everything at home from scratch, cos there are additives in things that say they have none. The Farmer's Markets are fun if they have any where you will be. Meatwise, just go organic. I am not sure what that other guy was saying about bottled water but I found it rediculously cheap over there in comparison to here, but I reckon just get one of those purifying jugs that filter the water as you pour. The World Market has some things that you might miss there, so you don't have to go without completely. Yeah so whole foods, clean eating, lotsa water, you'll be right!

    PS Makeup is super duper cheap there! Have fun!
  • VBnotbitter
    VBnotbitter Posts: 820 Member
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    hahaha stink. NZ is way better eh. their bread is full of sugar. GM is the norm. meat fillers made out of offal + antibiotics + other chemicals don't need to be labeled by the FDA.

    florida is famous for oranges tho! good luck!

    Actually she wasnt being snarky or saying NZ was better. Just asking a question.

    Anyway OP I lived in Ohio for a year from Australia and on a lowish budget. It is fairly easy to eat "healthily" in the US and still do it from normal grocery stores, you dont have to go to the specialist whole food stores which I found a bit too expensive. The bread is slightly sweeter but you get used to it. I liked Panera (?spelling) bread which is a big bakery chain. Remember they have different names for some veggies and it helps to learn them before you go to avoid confusion in the stores. I found that Americans in general have a preference for sweeter flavours - not a criticism just an observed difference - but give it a go and you might find you get used to it.


    wait..... what?

    Apologies might have misinterpreted your response as having a go at the OP for asking, obviously I was wrong. "Misconstrued tone on the internet" problem
  • Nicky_W
    Nicky_W Posts: 5 Member
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    There are some awesome tips there! Thanks heaps guys! I'm going to Orlando, and I have been told that there is a lot fast food there. Awesome to have some things to look out for! :)
  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
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    Don't be a python's meal, I heard there are a lot of pythons in florida.
  • VoodooAborisha
    VoodooAborisha Posts: 147 Member
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    Hello! I have lived in Alabama, Tennessee, Oregon, Denmark, the UK, Italy, and I know how hard it is to find healthy foods, especially down south in the USA.

    Here are the 3 things you can do to eat healthy in the DEEP SOUTH:

    1. See where the closest "Whole Foods" market is. This place has almost EVERYTHING, and even if it is not close to you, you can go there 1 - 2 times a month and stock up. I don't know where you are going to live, but I have found 4 of them online in Florida for you - their website lists their stores at: https://wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/list/state?page=5

    Whole Foods Markets in Florida:

    1020 Alton Road
    Miami Beach Florida 33139
    United States
    Phone:
    305.938.2800
    Store Hours:
    8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Seven days a week.
    ______________________________________

    1451 1st Street
    Sarasota Florida 34236
    United States
    Phone:
    941.955.8500
    Store Hours:
    8am to 9pm Monday to Saturday, 9am to 9pm Sunday
    _____________________________________________

    2635 State Road 7
    Wellington Florida 33414-9372
    United States
    Phone:
    561.904.4000
    Store Hours:
    8am to 10pm Monday to Saturday, 9am to 9pm Sunday
    ________________________________________________

    Whole Foods Market
    1989 Aloma Ave
    Winter Park Florida 32792
    United States
    Phone:
    407.673.8788
    Store Hours:
    8am to 10pm seven days a week
    Map & Directions
    More info about this store

    2. See if your town or surrounding towns has a privately owned "health food store." Most towns of any size have one, and depending on the owners and size, it might have quite a lot of healthy food.

    3. Be picky and read all the labels at all the regular food stores (Winn Dixie, Food World, etc.) and you will soon find a repertoire of passable items you can eat.

    Hope this helps - message me if you have any questions.
  • arrseegee
    arrseegee Posts: 575 Member
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    American bread is sweet and sugary, so if you like your Vogels or even TipTop then you're going to have to get it at organic stores. Food is cheaper in the USA but also has a lot more junk in it, so you will pay similar costs to food in NZ if you look for and stick to organic stores. I've heard from Americans that NZ supermarkets are like big organic stores anyway!
  • VoodooAborisha
    VoodooAborisha Posts: 147 Member
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    Buy cheese only in Delis cos it's disgusting there in most places (sorry americans NZ is a dairy country we are dairy snobs).

    Yes, after living in Oregon where we had the Tillamook cheese factory, and in the UK where we have all the lovely stiltons and strong cheddars and things, I can't really stomach the average American cheese section in a grocery store, where it is considered exotic if they have a "mild" cheddar or even *gasp!* some blue cheese.

    I don't know if they have it in the whole foods markets in FL, but the one in Oregon had a specialty cheese section where we could get anything from British stilton to Spanish manchego. Also it's worth looking, if you are in a big city, there are sometimes specialty cheese shops, particularly if there is a large international community in town.
  • gina_nz_
    gina_nz_ Posts: 74 Member
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    Don't eat anything with high glucose corn syrup in it :D
  • RosaliaBee
    RosaliaBee Posts: 146 Member
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    Ah, I recall watching King Corn the documentary about how high fructose corn syrup was gradually introduced into virtually all processed foods in the states, including supposed staples like bread.

    Might be worth a look for the OP:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY3wBsncI2c
  • Nicky_W
    Nicky_W Posts: 5 Member
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    Ah, I recall watching King Corn the documentary about how high fructose corn syrup was gradually introduced into virtually all processed foods in the states, including supposed staples like bread.

    Might be worth a look for the OP:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY3wBsncI2c

    Thanks for that! Opened up a whole lot of other interesting videos whilst this one was loading too! Will definitely watch. Thanks :)
  • Myhaloslipped
    Myhaloslipped Posts: 4,317 Member
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    Cut the portions in half when you eat out. American portion sizes are insane.
  • BrainyBurro
    BrainyBurro Posts: 6,129 Member
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  • kelly_e_montana
    kelly_e_montana Posts: 1,999 Member
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    It's true. They try to hide corn fillers and high fructose corn syrup in tons of processed foods because we are a huge producer of corn. That's probably why things taste sweeter. Watch out for that. Read the labels.
  • padams2359
    padams2359 Posts: 1,093 Member
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    Stay away from any food that can be handed to you in your car!

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