American Snacks Not Found in Canada
The United States is so close to Canada that it almost seems like one big country. However, if you actually LIVE in Canada, you will realize there are some huge differences...like American foods! (And Canadian foods!) There are so many American Snacks not found in Canada plus lots of staples too. (List updated May 2023)
I mean we have free health care, lots more social liberalism but we don't have nearly as many food choices (except ketchup chips...we get ALL of those).
Canada has come a long way in the 15 years I've lived there (how did that happen? It seems like I just moved here.) but there are still a lot of American foods that you can't really get in Canada unless you find them at a specialty store or they appear for 5 minutes in the third month of the blue moon only to disappear never to be seen again.
One morning, while I was enjoying my Jimmy Dean sausage biscuit, I thought "Hmmm... I wonder what everyone else brings back to Canada when they visit the US. I wonder if I'm missing anything."
So I did what I always do when I have these burning questions. I asked my Facebook friends what they bring home. Here is the list (with affiliate links in case you are going to the US and want to order on Amazon.com so you don't have to shop around).
Some items require refrigeration but I am making my list like I could bring ANYTHING home without worrying about refrigeration or weight. Also, why do so many American snacks not found in Canada come in the form of junk food? Things that make you go "hmmmmm".
And I am not saying that Canada "should" have these. It is simply a list of items that you might want to grab if you are in the US and want to bring something back from your trip that you can't get here.
American Foods that Have Recently Come to Canada
Every time someone reads this list, they let me know if something is wrong (telling someone they are wrong on the internet makes some people very, very happy). Here are a few foods that recently became available on shelves in Canada. I am leaving them in this article because you never know how long they will be available. Many, many products appear on Canadian shelves only to disappear soon thereafter.
- Rotel - If you want to make easy and delicious queso dip, Rotel is a MUST. Rotel is now found on Canadian grocery shelves! Queso lovers rejoice. Now if only Velveeta was easier to find and not priced as if it included gold as its first ingredient.
- Candy - Word on the street is that you can find some of the candy bars I list below at dollar stores in Ontario. Since I don't live in Ontario, I cannot confirm or deny this fact. We in Alberta, are candy barless and sad. Also, many candy bars have the same name in the US and Canada but are, in fact, not the same. Some examples are Zero bars, Mars bars and Smarties. So don't just go by the name because that is not the full story.
- Oreos - Few things epitomize the difference between the US and Canada than Oreos. In Canada, we get regular Oreos, double stuff and maybe golden. That's it. In the US you get Hot Cocoa Oreos, Mystery Oreos, Red Velvet Oreos, Birthday Cake Oreos, Peanut Butter & Jelly Oreos, Jelly Donut Oreos, Dunkin Donuts Mocha Oreos, and more. Crazy! Some of the special flavours have arrived in Canada but as I've mentioned with so many things, they are often for a "limited time only". So if you see them, GRAB THEM.
American Snacks You NEED to Bring Back to Canada Next Time You Visit
- Bugles - After Covid, the company who makes Bugles decided that Canadians no longer needed to be able to access the world's favorite finger hat.
- Little Debbie Snack Cakes - Up until last year, Little Debbie Snack cakes were available in Canada with a much smaller offering than in the US. Now, they have pulled out of the market so no more Christmas Tree Cakes for us. Sob.
- Jimmy Dean Bulk Sausage - Jimmy Dean is, in my opinion, the best breakfast sausage out there. Unfortunately, you can't get it in Canada. We have been known to bring back 25 pounds when we drive to Montana. It freezes well and it makes the best sausage and cheese balls EVER. In a weird twist, you can buy Jimmy Dean frozen breakfast sandwiches (which include the sausage) but not just the sausage. Crazy, right?
- Yogurts and Cottage Cheese - Yes we have both in Canada but the US has many more options. One that many people love is Fage brand yogurt as well as Breckstones Cottage Cheese. I've had both and nothing in Canada compares.
- BBQ Sauces - We have many more options these days but there are still some that can't be found here. One of my favorites is Big Bob Gibson's White BBQ Sauce while a reader mentioned the Jack Daniels brand of bbq sauce and marinades.
- Gluten Free, low carb and low sugar products especially those made with Stevia. There is just much more selection in the US for these diets.
- Cherry Coke Zero - For years you couldn't get any of the Cherry Cokes in Canada. They've changed that and you can get the full-sugar variety. However, I prefer Cherry Coke Zero. Unfortunately, you can't get that north of the border. Also try Vanilla Coke, Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper, Orange Vanilla Coke Zero, Pepsi Nitro, A&W Cream Soda and Cherry 7-Up. Cherry Coke Zero and Vanilla Coke have shown up in Canada but they are not always available. Let's see if they decide to keep supplying Canadian fans long term.
- Sugary Cereal - I know, I know...it's not really GOOD for you but who cares. The cereal aisle in the US makes the Canadian version look pale in comparison. May I suggest: Count Chocula, Cinnamon Pecan Special K, Fruity Pebbles and Cookie Crisp. If you love Boo Berry and Count Chocula, you can sometimes find it around Halloween. And even not so sugary cereals are sometimes hard to find such as Corn Chex.
- Pimento Cheese - Funny thing is, I didn't really like pimento cheese growing up. Now, I love it and buy it every time I go to the US. I love it slathered on saltine crackers. Yum! Price's is my brand of choice. Don't cheap out. You will regret it when you get icky fake cheese (as opposed to delicious fake cheese). I recently realized it is amazing on a ham biscuit!
- Easy Cheese - Speaking of fake cheese. You can not get aerosol cheese in a can in Canada. Who knows why. Oh, the nostalgia of spraying mounds of cheese on Wheat Thins. Delicious!
- Instant Grits - Ok, this is a new one for me. I've finally developed a taste for grits and you can't really get them in Canada. Though I can hear my Granny telling me that regular grits are WAY better than instant.
- Anything Tillamook - Tillamook cheese, yogurt and ice cream have a cult-like following. Unfortunately, they are only available in certain areas of the US and require refrigeration. However, if you can swing it, bring some back!
- Candy - It's interesting how different the candy aisle is between the US and Canada. When my brother and sister were younger, I would always bring them Coffee Crisp, Crunchie and other candy bars you can't get in the US for a treat. Now, I sometimes bring candy back to Canada from the US that I can't get. Like what, you ask? Well, for a start Zero bars (and NO these are NOT the mint bars with the same name in Canada), PayDay, Almond Joy and Mounds (NOT Bounty..it's not the same), Goo Goo Clusters, Whatchamacallit, 100 Grand, Butterfinger (which you can find sometimes in Canada but not always) and more. ALL THE CANDY!
- Moon Pies - I know what you are going to say. "But Canada has Wagon Wheels!". Yeah, they are not the same. If you decide to snag some Moon Pies, make sure to get the single-decker ones. They are much better than the double-decker ones. I prefer the standard issue, chocolate moon pies. the other flavors are ok but the chocolate single decker is the very best.
- Coffee Creamer - Again, maybe not the healthiest thing but I'll admit that I am addicted. My favourite is the Almond Joy flavour. It is really, really good. My second favourite is Coldstone Creamery flavour. Yum!
- Oreos - Few things epitomize the difference between the US and Canada than Oreos. In Canada, we get regular Oreos, double stuff and maybe golden. That's it. In the US you get Hot Cocoa Oreos, Mystery Oreos, Red Velvet Oreos, Birthday Cake Oreos, Peanut Butter & Jelly Oreos, Jelly Donut Oreos, Dunkin Donuts Mocha Oreos, and more. Crazy! Some of the special flavours have arrived in Canada but as I've mentioned with so many things, they are often for a "limited time only". So if you see them, GRAB THEM.
- Candied Jalapenos - I learned to love these living in Austin. They are amazing on crackers with cream cheese or on your ham sandwich. Really...I think you could eat them on anything.
- Anything from Trader Joe's or Target. Let's face it. We love stores we don't have. I suggest peanut butter stuffed pretzels from Trader Joe's and many of my friends swear by the "Everything But the Bagel" seasoning. Yum!
- Rudy's BBQ Sauce and rub - We love this peppery bbq sauce that we fell in love with in Austin, TX. It is a must-have when we make a brisket.
- Spices - Take a turn around the spice aisle. You'll find all kinds of spices and spice blends not available at your local store. My friend Shan recommends Lawry's Garlic Salt.
- Chik-Fil-A Sauce - This mix of honey mustard and barbecue sauce is delicious as a dip for chicken fingers or fries. A friend brought us a bottle and it is delish!
- Chips - Like breakfast cereal, we have a lot of the same options in Canada that they have in the US but they definitely have MORE. Plus, they have things like Funyuns which we don't get. Also, if you are in the South, try Zapps chips. They are super crunchy and delicious. My favourites are the Voodoo flavour (kind of a sweet bbq).
- Cake Mixes - I'm beginning to feel like a broken record! Check out the cake mix and frosting aisle when you visit a store in the US. They have many, many more flavours than we do. In fact, you can get one of my favourite cake mixes, German Chocolate and you can't get it in Canada.
- Self-Rising White Cornmeal Mix - the only kind of corn muffin mix you can get in Canada is SWEET. It is not my favourite. I can make my own skillet cornbread from scratch but man, cornmeal mix makes it so much easier. Plus you can't get white cornmeal here. It is all bright yellow. I used to bring back 2 or 3 5-pound bags of White Lily Cornmeal mix every trip. I got such weird looks from customs officials. They obviously don't know what they are missing.
And food isn't the only thing people bring back.
Many suggested I have a look at yarn, fabric, clothing and shoes. Let's face it, the options and varieties are better for almost everything in the US versus Canada. In short, if you are a shopper and want to try new things, head to the store when you visit the US.
Make sure you bring extra bags when you visit the US and save at least one of them for all the American snacks not found in Canada! Going the other way? Make sure to buy these yummy Canadian products to take back to the US.
My mornings would not be the same without Jimmy Dean and coffee creamer lol! And Cookie Crisp...yum. 🙂 Not good for me, but yum!
@Jen Duncan, I know this was posted awhile ago but Jimmy dean’s everything is now at Walmart just saying lol
Walmart where?
@James, he still can't get Jimmy DeN here in Canada & I miss it the most, from when I lived in South Texas for 6 years.
Just moved to Toronto. Do you ever have any issues bringing Jimmy Dean sausage into the country or any other items?
Nope and I always disclose!
@Margaret Davis, you can get Jimmy dean’s everything at Walmart now I go back and forth to the US every week for work and my kids are asking me to get them stuff we don’t have here there isent really much left that we can’t get in Canada anymore
Again….where? In western Canada (at least Alberta) there is no Jimmy Dean anywhere other than the breakfast sandwiches in the freezer at Costco.
@Merry Kuchle, I've found them at Co-op around the deli/bakery and Giant Tiger in the freezer section - theyre sold individually so if you blink you'll miss them. In truth, depending on where you find them, they cost almost as much going through the drivethough at Tim's or McD's ($2.50-$4 each)
@Laurie, I don’t buy the sandwiches. The only Jimmy Dean thing I want is their bulk 1 pound sausage packages. I know that is not the same for everyone. I just don’t eat freezer meals. So when I say “Jimmy Dean” here, I mean the sausage.
Add King's Hawaiian Rolls to your grocery list.
Good one! Those are so tasty!
The have those at my grocery store save on foods in western Canada ! I just saw
Them !
your list is delightfully accurate. My Canadian husband always remarks about the number of Oreo varieties that the States offers.
& OMG ROTEL!! <3 <3 it drives me batty that this is impossible to find. I was hoping that this was only a Quebec problem. French fried onions are also non-existent in Quebec (nobody there seems to be into green bean casserole??). taco sauce is also difficult to come by. In the states, I could probably get it at a gas station.
They have JUST started carrying Rotel at Superstore here in the west. Of course it is triple the price that you can get it in the US but at least it is there.
Rotel is at Walmart in Canada for almost same price!
Rotel is now available in MB, just in the last few months so keep an eye out for it!
I just bought some at No Frills yesterday! So glad it FINALLY is available here!
I just went to the US yesterday to buy cereal. Only cereal. Why don’t they have the same cereals in Canada? My kids were so excited. Cocopuffs, cookie crisp, fruity pebbles, trix and a unicorn cereal for my 4 year old.
Right? I just want some is the options!
corn chex are always a favourite for my husband.
It's the amazong yogurt flavors I'm driving over for tomorrow. The Chobani greek pineapple and mango and the yoplait creamsicle are some of my favorites. It"s been a while so I'm excited to find some new flavors!
Stacies Cinnamon pita chips! Chex mix! And all the different string / cheese sticks are amazing too. I just find the USA has so much more variety than we do. Oh and Im hoping to find Olive Garden salad dressing!
I agree! It’s the variety that is the kicker. I love cereal X. Here they have 2 options...in the US they have 10. I also love the yogurt flavours there. Oh and Breakstones cottage cheese. I can’t even eat Canadian cottage cheese.
100 grand chocolate bars, orange vanilla coke zero, whatchamacallit, limon lays chips, biscuits and gravy lays chips, ice cube gum, jack Daniel's marinade and BBQ sauces, cheesecake jello, banana cream jello, reese whipped cream, combos
@james, Milky Way chocolate bars
Super glad you have this posted because I'm sending a snack swap to a friend in Ontario and I needed ideas of what to send.. only problem is, she doesn't really like chocolate/sweets. So I'm making a list of savory snacks!
I’m glad it is helpful! Your friend is lucky to get such a yummy package in the mail.
I am in canada and ive seen all the chocolate bars you said we don't have, not every store sells them but i have seen then in the dollar store here, also for the oreos ive seen Red Velvet,birthday cake,double stuffed chocolate,mint, golden, so we got a few different ones.
wish we had the cereal like trix and fruity pebbles we use to have those here when i was a kid,sucks that they are gone now.
Weird. I haven't seen them at any store? I guess you just have good luck. *shrug*
@Tony, the different m&m’s I have noticed we don’t have in Canada there are 3 kinds here that’s it in the US there is a whole shelf with 10 different kinds but ya all the chocolate bars are the same
The chocolate bars are definitely not “all the same”
Salad dressing!! My god, it drives me crazy about how little variety there is when it comes to salad dressing in Canada. As a Midwesterner, I need access to 7 different kinds of ranch dressing at all times otherwise I go a little nutty. And tahini goddess dressing is amazing on roasted veggies!! Also, there's so many options for vinigrette! Where's THAT?! I'm Quebec it's just a limited selection Kraft + a few fancy store brand dressings. No Newman's. No Ken's. No Drew's. I guess that I have seen Briana's once or twice. But still. They put it on the bottom shelf because they don't want you to see it. Because of you did buy it and try it, you'd start importing salad dressing from US trips like I do.
You are so right!
Zero chocolate bars can be found in DOLLARAMA..
I keep looking but haven’t found them. What Area are you from?
I have had zero chocolate bars, here in Ingersoll, Ontario canada, dollerama store. Tried one and yummy:)
I’m so jealous. We don’t get them st the dollar stores in western Canada. 🙁
I have 100% seen them at Dollarama in calgary.
Which candy bars?
@GAIL DUNLOP,
Those aren't the same Zero bars.
VELVEETA! I love making queso and its so hard to find/stupid expensive in Canada.
So true!
@Mrs.P, I am bringing some 2-lb. packages to my friend in northern Ontario since they're only $8.39 apiece here in the states. Personally, I don't use the stuff because my mom used it way too much while I was growing up. Can't stand it! I wish I could get peameal bacon here in the states though. You'd think it would have spread through border communities by now... but no. After marrying my Canadian husband and trying it, I had to learn how to make it myself!
Pea meal bacon is SO GOOD!
WHATCHAMACALLIT!!! chocolate bars are the best! I also load up on biscuits from the refridgerator section (pilsbury) and corn bread mixes, they even have gluten free 🙂
I also live in Alberta and I have seen Caramel M&Ms around for years. Same with Count Chocula, although it's only available around Halloween. Same with Oreos; Birthday cake oreos are a staple in grocery aisles that I've been in, and I've seen plenty of limited edition flavours in my local Sobeys, including: cinnamon roll, smores, red velvet, carrot cake, and hot cocoa. That's in addition to the flavours of oreo thins: lemon, mint, pistachio, coconut, and mocha.
I think it depends on where you live. Also, this post was first written 3 years ago so things come and go.
I live in NS and we have pretty much everything on this list junk food wise and I could go into most stores to find it. A little disappointed with this list.
Lucky you! Almost all of them you can’t get in Alberta.
GIRL!! I am not sure where in Alberta you live but in edmonton we have so many of these on this list. Safeway sells like 10 different types of oreos, and german chocolate cake mix, cheez-its are everywhere, as well as almond joy, and mounds.
I live in the middle of nowhere. But most of the things have appeared quite recently. And also, I need to come to Edmonton for candy bars!
Merry, your Granny is absolutely right - instant grits and quick grits cannot compare to the real thing, which do not take that long to cook anyway. I'm originally from Georgia, and I know my grits!
And you CAN get grits in Canada - Bob's Red Mill brand is very good, and they come in both white and yellow.
And BTW, I totally agree about Jimmy Dean sausage - it is the best anywhere. I have some every time we go back to Georgia to visit (I live in Nova Scotia now). Never thought of trying to bring any home because I thought Canada Customs might confiscate it.
But just this morning I found this wonderful Web site that has recipes for making several varieties of your own Jimmy Dean copycat sausage. Haven't tried any of the recipes yet, but the lists of ingredients sound great. Check it out:
https://www.budget101.com/recipes/3886-copycat-jimmy-dean-breakfast-sausage/
Oooh! Thanks!
In Canada we do get a lot of the flavours, for example Oreo, they just aren't on the shelves at all times, they come as limited editions, then go, then come back, then go again. Remember, Canada has all of it's own products PLUS American products, we can't sell all of America's flavours plus our own Canadian products, just imagine how full our shelves would be. We get America's basic flavours and the most popular and some that come and go as limited time. Unless it doesn't sell, like Koolaid as of late. We used to get most of Koolaid, now we don't, the packets don't sell here anymore, or the powder period. It also depends where you live, if you live in a small town or city there is less, if you live in like Toronto there is more.
Agreed but the cereal aisle in a smaller town/city in the US is often triple the size of one here. We have way less products even when you add them together.