Top 12+ things Americans living in the UK miss most about the US
The US is known as being the land of the free, the home of the brave and of course the place of huge portions, huge cars and some of the most famous celebrities in the world. Many people who have moved to the US from the UK have already highlighted the things they miss from Blighty - such as the chocolate, cheese and other aspects of British life. But with over 166,000 Americans permanently residing in the UK as of 2021 (according to figures from Statista), it's no surprise to learn that they also miss things from back home. Read on to find out the food, drink and general aspects of life that Americans in Britain miss the most once they cross the pond... (Picture: Getty Images)
1. Mexican food
One of the most-missed things, based on the folks online, has to be Mexican food - of course you can get it in the UK in abundance but according to US expats, our tacos and tortillas aren't cutting it. 'It’s nearly impossible to get decent tacos in England,' said one person on BuzzFeed. Meanwhile, over on Reddit a user admitted they missed: 'Mexican food or BBQ that isn't either insanely expensive or some ridiculous gimmick' (Picture: Getty Images)
2. Coffee creamer
Coffee might have become part of the culture in the UK - but over here we're more accustomed to drinking it with a splash of milk on top, whereas creamer is the go-to topper in the US. And those who've moved to the UK admit they miss it. Blogger Chelsea Lambert, aka The Portable Wife, says: 'If you like to splash a bit of flavored Coffee Mate into your morning coffee, I’m afraid you’ll have to give it up or pay 2-3 times the US price to get it from places that sell American foods. Creamer is a distinctly American product, so it’s no surprise you won’t find it in the UK. Here, we add milk to our coffee' (Picture: Getty Images)
3. Iced drinks
If you're originally from the US, you'll be used to the concept of your drinks in restaurants and cafes often being more ice than drink - but many folks have admitted missing their iced drinks once they set foot in the UK. 'Although it is not a food, I really missed having ice in my drinks when I studied abroad. Even milk, which typically isn’t an iced drink in the US, was served at a warmer temperature, which I thought was so gross,' one person said on BuzzFeed. It's worth noting that the practice of putting ice in drinks in the UK dates back to Victorian times - when it was imported from the US and Canada as regarded as a luxury item among those who could afford it (Picture: Getty Images)
4. Kraft Mac n'Cheese
The UK might have embraced mac and cheese in recent years - you'll see it popping up on an awful lot of menus these days - and there's nothing like a big steaming bowl of the cheesy pasta on a cold day. But for some US folks, it's not the same as their very own Kraft Mac and Cheese in a box. 'I moved to England, and I desperately miss Kraft mac & cheese,' an expat commented on BuzzFeed. 'You've never lived abroad if you haven't smuggled a whole suitcase of the stuff home' (Picture: Bloomberg via Getty Images)
5. Window screens
UK citizens know that summer - such as it is in this country - brings with it insects, and that opening the window for some cool air on a hot day is an invitation for all the local wasps, bees, flies and mosquitos to drop in for a quick buzz round. In the US, window screens are ubiquitous to keep the bugs at bay - which is why so many US folks living here miss them. Reddit user Muste02 said: 'The lack of window screens here really bothers me. I rarely open my window to keep the bugs out but the girls I live with will open every window and leave the back door wide open and it fills the house with flies' (Picture: Getty Images)
6. Trader Joe's
We might have our fair share of supermarkets in the UK, with Tesco, Asda and the like allowing us to stock up on more than just the weekly shop - but one thing we don't have is Trader Joe's, a super-popular US chain which sells its own brand groceries and other products (in much the same way as M&S used to). Unsurprisingly, US expats miss it. 'I miss Trader Joe's,' IntoFloss said on Reddit. 'It doesn't help that I follow Trader Joe's accounts either' (Picture: Getty Images)
7. Salads
Yes, we know we have salads here, but some US expats have stated that our lettuce leaf and tomato combos don't hold a candle to the salads back home. ldnpuglady said on Reddit: 'I’ve been here over two decades and at this point all I really miss is a decent salad at a restaurant. Why can’t they figure this out here? It’s either no dressing at all or overly vinegary soggy iceberg leaves with unripe everything. And that’s if it’s even on the menu. No I don’t want rocket and Parmesan either. I want a big chopped salad with loads of veg and vinaigrette and avocado and maybe salmon.' Fellow user april8r agreed, saying:'Omg I can’t with the salads here. It’s like someone heard about a salad once and tried to recreate it' (Picture: Getty Images)
8. Giant American-style fridges
They might be pretty ubiquitous in the US, but in the UK, huge American-style fridges - especially those which have their own ice dispenser - aren't nearly so common, and it hasn't escaped the notice of those who've moved across the pond. Speaking on Fodor's Travel Guide forums, one expat said: 'The main thing I missed was a large US refrigerator - which won't fit in your carry on - nor probably in the cousin's kitchen - but I learned to cope' (Picture: Getty Images)
9. Friendly people
OK, so American's aren't saying we don't have friendly people in the UK, but many of them do miss the concept of sparking up a random chat in their home town. Reddit user tomahawkedhearts said: 'I miss feeling like I could strike up a conversation with anyone if I felt like it. I have unfortunately picked up the habit of hanging my head when walking around as eye contact here almost only happens when you're talking to someone. You see everyone else even in London staring down at the floor' (Picture: Getty Images/Image Source)
10. American-style Chinese food
Once again, while we may have Chinese food in abundance in the UK, it's pretty different from what our friends across the Atlantic are used to, with many saying they miss the US-style dishes once they're living over here. a_winged_potato said on Reddit: 'When I was in England the Chinese food I had there was ALL so disappointing. I tried 3 places that locals had recommended to me and they were all awful. When I got home after the 6 weeks I was there my mom asked what I wanted for dinner when I got home, and all I wanted was greasy American Chinese food' (Picture: Getty Images)
11. Things being open 24/7
While many places in the UK are now open a lot later than they used to be, US citizens setting up home in the UK still find themselves missing the 24-hour culture that exists there. Taking to Reddit, agnes238 said: 'Living in the UK, I missed the convenience of going to target at 8 pm on a Sunday and getting everything I needed - basically you could hit up a few big stores and be covered and they were opened late'. Meanwhile, AmericanHistoryXX also flagged the convenience of life in general. 'I think part of that is just knowing where to find things instinctively, because there are super Tescos and Asda and things around. But just knowing exactly where you need to go to get something is huge' (Picture: Getty Images/Tetra images RF)
12. American-style fast food
Been out for a burger and chips recently? There's no shortage of that kind of food over here - yet Americans living in the UK will tell you it's just not the same as back home. 'I lived in London for a couple of months, and what I missed most was good 'ol greasy, fatty food,' one former resident commented on BuzzFeed. 'Nothing compares to a juicy American burger with a big side of fries smothered in ketchup or BBQ sauce with a large drink'. Another expat said on reddit that brunches just weren't the same here either. 'Ridiculously sugary and fatty brunches - country fried steak, eggs and cheese, stuffed French toast, alllll that good stuff' (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
