I would have posted sooner, but they were working on something in our neighborhood and managed to knock out the Internet and phone service for everyone who has our service. It put a real damper on my school work and my freelance work and I’ve been playing catch-up ever since!
For us, living outside of the United States is amazing, but you always miss things about home, especially the food. Going without our favorite meals just isn’t an option for us, so we’ve found ways to either substitute food we can’t find or we’ve found where we can get it. Check back for updates, because I’ll be talking a lot about what foods/ingredients are available in Germany (or at least, which ones are available in Frankfurt) and where to find them.
When I look around the Internet, I find a lot of posts asking where to find American ingredients. In Frankfurt, people will tell you that the Galeria at Konstablerwache has a real “American food”. Some will send you to Real. It’s true that these places have some American food, but each has a very small section with just a few options. Both places have virtually the same choices. These ingredients may change, but here’s what I’ve found at each place:
Galeria:
Crisco
Macaroni & Cheese (not Kraft, but an off brand)
Cake mixes
Cake frosting
Jack Daniels Mustard
Baking soda 
Real:
Strawberry Poptarts
American syrup
Baking soda
Hellmann’s Mayonnaise
Brownie Mix
Off-brand macaroni & cheese
Refried beans
Keep in mind that the above lists are just some of the items I’ve found there and are only to the best of my memory. You can find baking soda in some grocery stores, but it’s not something I find to be readily available. The other source for pure American brands is Amazon.de. Unfortunately, you end up paying a lot, because it’s imported. I don’t think you save money by order from Amazon. You can just as easily have an American friend or family member go shopping for you and have it mailed here.
Amazon.de has a variety of things available. You’ll find everything from cereal to chips, candy and other odds and ends. I know I’ve seen Bisquick available at one of the two stores, but I can’t remember if that was at Real or Galeria. Neither store has a very big section, so if you’re not going there for something specific, check out the Galeria. Real takes a little bit more time to get to and it’s much easier if you have a car.
If you’ve spent any time in Germany, you’ve probably come to realize that finding good Mexican food here is pointless. You have to make it at home. We’ve managed to make some very good Mexican food on our (of course, it helps that Tony is a trained chef and that I love to cook and experiment). Rewe stores are excellent for some Mexican ingredients, but you’ll be hard pressed to find anything that’s truly spicy here. We buy the “hot” salsa and end up adding jalapeno sauce to it to spice it up a bit. You’ll find taco seasoning mixes, soft tortilla shells, refried beans and salsa at stores like Rewe. Some large Rewe’s have Ortega spice mixes. Personally, we prefer to mix our own. There are a lot of good recipes on the Internet (and we plan on compiling a Mexican e-book to offer on here soon). I save old jars, wash them out and use them to store my homemade spice mixes. This mini Pesto jar has what’s left of the last taco seasoning mix I made. 
Do you have a question about where to find something? Ask me and I’ll do my best to answer!
windedgypsy 
Enjoyed your sharing of your life in Germany. I think you could write another one about restaurant choices. For example, can you get American classics like hamburgers and fries? Maybe in Hamburg, ha! Anyway, I’ve missed your wicked sense of humor and look forward to your posts.
That’s a good idea! In fact, I planned for restaurants to be one of my future blog posts, so maybe I’ll do that next! ME? Wicked sense of humor? I’m touched. I hadn’t realized anyone missed how deranged and twisted I can be. *sigh* You people are so lovely. I love it that my crankiness is so entertaining for people – – it entertains me too! : ) Thanks for stopping by!
Your vey right about finding real Mexican food here in Germany. The same thing goes for Japanese food. I hope you still enjoy living here though.
Yes, it can be very difficult to find authentic ethnic/foreign food in Germany. As one friend pointed out, even if the menu appears to be authentic, the recipes have been changed to suit German styles/tastes, so it never tastes right. We do enjoy Germany, but would sure like to have better food options! : )
I found a recipe from a reputable source recently that was for Bisquick, so you can make your own. (THen take that and make your own Red Lobster’s cheddar biscuits! Best ones I’ve ever made, and last time I went to RL, decided I preferred these. Go figure.) Didn’t realize there were so few choices there as we buy so much from the Int’l Conglomerate that owns Nestle’s…United something I think it’s called? What do you find you miss the most? Jimmy Buffett’s Cheeseburger in Paradise???
Hello! I’m pretty sure I’ve seen Bisquick around, but it is simple to make. In Egypt, I used to buy a pre-made pancake powder mix for super cheap and modified it, but since we’ve been in Germany, I found an AMAZING recipe and it tends to be a family favorite on Sundays in our home! I’ll post it one of these days, because it is so good. We’ve either found places to get the food we want or we’ve learned how to make it ourselves! I also used to make the RL cheddar cheese biscuits at home and love those! : ) I miss a lot of fast food. I REALLY miss finding good Mexican food for when I don’t want to cook, but we miss Skyline Chili (we used to make it at home all the time!), Sonic burgers and cheddar cheese tots, P.F. Changs and Wedny’s!! : )
Hoping for the Bisquick recipe, as I am afraid to bring it back from the States. Is there a comparable German product?
does anyone know if and where canned pumpkin can be purchased in Frankfurt?
If you can’t find it at any of the stores I mention in my posts, your best bet is to order from Amazon. Come to think of it, I never found it when I was there. I ended up trying to make my own. It didn’t work out too well, but I blame it more on the recipe than the pumpkin stuff.
Can you get American toiletries in Frankfort Germany, toothpaste, shampoo?I will be going there in July. What souvenirs should I be looking for? Thanks!
You can get some things. You might see some familiar body soaps, shampoo/conditioner and toothpaste, but I would recommend bringing as much as you can. You definitely can’t find some deodorants there (I never found Secret). You’ll find some cool souvenirs on the Berger Straße (in Bornheim – Bornheim Mitte stop on the U-bahn) and the Konstablerwache. The Frankfurt Zoo is pretty cool too. Are you visiting for a short time or living there for a while?