What can you get in Canada but not the US?

March 9, 2012 10:46 AM

Cool, useful, or delicious things to bring back to the US from Canada that are only available in Canada? All ideas welcome (except things like maple syrup, which although abundant in Canada are available in the US too).
posted by agent99 to grab bag (72 answers total)

Local / Regional craft beer. There is bound to be some good stuff... what part of Canada?
posted by utsutsu at 10:48 AM on March 9, 2012

Cuban Cigars!
Kraft Dinner as opposed to Kraft Macaroni & Cheese?
posted by Grither at 10:48 AM on March 9, 2012

Butter tarts. Nanaimo bars. Both freeze pretty well for air travel. Wine gums. Coffee Crisp candy bars (ymmv on the "delicious" part).
posted by ldthomps at 10:50 AM on March 9, 2012 [1 favorite]

Cadbury chocolate is pretty common in Canada, but kind of a specialty in the US.
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 10:51 AM on March 9, 2012

A bag of milk.
posted by bondcliff at 10:52 AM on March 9, 2012 [2 favorites]

Vancouver, but will be in Toronto in a couple of months, so recs specific to either of those regions welcome too.
posted by agent99 at 10:53 AM on March 9, 2012

French Toast Crunch cereal :)
posted by smitt at 10:57 AM on March 9, 2012

You can get some codeine-based products (Tylenol?) OTC in Canada. French wine is also cheaper up there.
posted by mkultra at 11:00 AM on March 9, 2012

Ketchup potato chips?
posted by barc0001 at 11:02 AM on March 9, 2012 [1 favorite]

Kinder Eggs are illegal in the US, so uh, enjoy them while you're there. Mint Aero candy bars are good, but fragile!
posted by soelo at 11:02 AM on March 9, 2012 [1 favorite]

Cuban Cigars!

Illegal.
posted by Mister Fabulous at 11:03 AM on March 9, 2012

Totally ketchup potato chips, old dutch if possible.

re: bags of milk, I know that was sorta jokey, but they arent available everywhere! I have never, never seen one in the meatspace.

for BC beers, maybe some Red Racer. We only get a few varieties of their stuff here in the prairies, but it is delicious.
posted by utsutsu at 11:05 AM on March 9, 2012

OTC drugs? Aspirin with codeine! Methocarbamol-based muscle relaxants! (robacicet and robaxical, iirc)

And I think you can get decongestants that haven't been nerfed the way many US versions have.
posted by rmd1023 at 11:06 AM on March 9, 2012

Many varieties of candy. Even stuff that's notionally available in the US may be better there. Frex, Cadbury stuff that's imported from Britain instead of made by Hershey.

Ketchup chips.

English-style baked beans.

Kraft peanut butter.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 11:07 AM on March 9, 2012 [1 favorite]

All-Dressed Potato Chips.
posted by marylynn at 11:16 AM on March 9, 2012

Real smarties. US smarties are apparently a completely different sort of candy.

Real smarties

Ketchup chips are kinda gross but some people like them and I suppose they're unusual enough to be interesting.
posted by randomnity at 11:21 AM on March 9, 2012 [2 favorites]

Aspirin with codeine!

If you ask the pharmacist for 'AC&C', he'll get out the 'aspirin caffeine and codeine' for you.
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 11:27 AM on March 9, 2012 [1 favorite]

SMARTIES. (like M&M's but way better)
All-dressed chips.
Oreos.
Kit-Kats, Mr. Big, Coffee Crisp, Crunchie, Crispy Crunch.

I miss having a Canadian boyfriend. He's the one that got me hooked on all of these...
posted by rachaelfaith at 11:34 AM on March 9, 2012 [1 favorite]

In case of any confusion, I know some of these are also available in the US, but the Canadian versions listed are much better.
posted by rachaelfaith at 11:35 AM on March 9, 2012

Cubian Rum

Habana Club is fairly common everywhere in the world, except of course the US
posted by wcfields at 11:40 AM on March 9, 2012

Bagged milk is an Ontario (and maybe east too) thing. No bagged milk in the West.

Kit-Kats are the same in Canada as in the US; only the packaging colours differ. Same with "Reese" (Canadian) vs "Reese's" (US) peanut butter cups.

Toronto has the best Trinidadian food that you'll find outside of Trinidad, but most doesn't travel well. This never prevents my partner from picking up a boneless chicken roti (light pepper) and two or three doubles for me from Island Foods (King and Dufferin) for me when he's in The Big Smoke.

Pick up some 49th Parallel or Origins coffees in Vancouver.
posted by ethnomethodologist at 11:53 AM on March 9, 2012

Off topic: can you tell me where these Trini places are or give specific recs? (Of course, I hail from Brooklyn, which has some fierce rotis of its own, but still, would love to try some in Toronto if possible)
posted by agent99 at 12:03 PM on March 9, 2012

Beer is difficult, but not impossible to transport. I know this because I carry Steamwhistle lager from Toronto to points south. Buy cans if you can to reduce the weight... This and camping/fishing are the only times I approve of not buying bottles.
posted by Heart_on_Sleeve at 12:04 PM on March 9, 2012

The single malt from Glenora Distillery in Cape Breton is interesting and delicious, and I've never seen it in a US liquor store.
posted by Sidhedevil at 12:09 PM on March 9, 2012 [1 favorite]

Cold medicine with pseudoephedrine is easier to get in Canada than the US, I believe.
posted by thermonuclear.jive.turkey at 12:15 PM on March 9, 2012

Tomato Kraft Dinner.
posted by elsietheeel at 12:15 PM on March 9, 2012

If you don't live in a part of the US where you can easily get them, buy cheese curds!
posted by crush-onastick at 12:20 PM on March 9, 2012

We (Canadians) also have MEC which is a lot like REI. As it should be; the former was modeled after the latter. At any rate they both carry a lot of stuff from the 'big' outdoor brands but their store brand stuff is, obviously, quite different. Lifetime membership costs $5. I buy some of their stuff religiously.

I've found that bison tends to be much easier to get here than south of the border.

Outside of import/export and drug scheduling oddities there's not much that will be terribly different. We sell cough syrup with codeine (usually have to ask the pharmacist, don't usually need a prescription) you sell dry ice at the butcher's. The best deals are likely to be things that aren't sold in the states because there simply isn't a market or the hassle is too much of a PITA. Local food & beverages as already mentioned spring to mind.

There's probably more useful information in the "what do I do when I'm there" category.
posted by mce at 12:28 PM on March 9, 2012

Hawkins Cheezies
Hickory Sticks
posted by fimbulvetr at 12:28 PM on March 9, 2012

My Canadian husband runs a greymarket side business in smuggled Canadian snack cakes: Vachon Ah Caramel and Dare Whippets.
posted by workerant at 12:30 PM on March 9, 2012 [2 favorites]

Summerland Fruit Syrups are pretty awesome, and can be found in every grocery store.
posted by KokuRyu at 12:31 PM on March 9, 2012

I can't recall, is soda in Canada still predominately made with sugar or have they made the switch to HFCS as well? If it is still sugar not only will it taste different (perhaps better depending on your taste) but you'd be able to sell it to friends or soda-snobs at a mark-up.
posted by edgeways at 12:41 PM on March 9, 2012

Not just ketchup chips, but also dill pickle, all-dressed, and any other variety that looks appealing to you. YUM.

Presidents' Choice products (available at Zehrs or Loblaws -- may only be in Ontario?). All sorts of tasty things.

Swiss Chalet dipping sauce (for chicken).

Wine gums.

Coffee crisp, Crunchie, Wunderbar, and other chocolate bars.
posted by cider at 12:44 PM on March 9, 2012

Aero bars!
posted by iguanapolitico at 12:55 PM on March 9, 2012

Also our Mountain Dew is caffeine free.
posted by thermonuclear.jive.turkey at 12:59 PM on March 9, 2012

I always ask people to pick up a bottle of Vichy Capital Soleil sunblock for the pale Misterben. He hates goopy U.S. sunblocks and prefers the Vichy formula, but it contains an ingredient that is not approved by the FDA. There's also a variety of maple-leaf shaped cookies he likes, but I don't know what they are called.

Last time I was in Vancouver, I also picked up some Lise Watier cosmetics for myself.
posted by matildaben at 1:00 PM on March 9, 2012

Tim Hortons coffee. It's more 'Canadian' than maple syrup. And it's good. And if you have any Canadians you can serve it to, they'll love you forever. It's available in some places in the US, but not many.
posted by kitcat at 1:02 PM on March 9, 2012

My American friends love it when I bring Fuzzy Peaches down, and 2nding Aero bars, especially mint.
posted by sputgop at 1:08 PM on March 9, 2012

When I lived in Chicago, I was the Coffee Crisp connection for a lot of my friends.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 1:17 PM on March 9, 2012

Purdy's Chocolates.
posted by Rash at 1:22 PM on March 9, 2012

Also, Taiga coats and jackets (but it looks like their stuff is available through Amazon).
posted by Rash at 1:25 PM on March 9, 2012

I send my American friend a 24-pack of Kinder Bueno every winter. It's pretty hard to find in the US and shouldn't be as illegal as Kinder eggs since there are no toys.
posted by daelin at 1:28 PM on March 9, 2012 [1 favorite]

Aspirin with codeine!

Piggyback: does anybody have clear guidlines on how much of this is legal to bring back into the States for personal use (number of pills/doses)? The US customs page isn't very clear.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 1:44 PM on March 9, 2012 [1 favorite]

edgeways: mainstream soda's are all HFCS here. You can't even get the "throwback" products that are in the states currently. You can only get real sugar soft drinks from the smaller brands, Jones, etc.
posted by utsutsu at 2:01 PM on March 9, 2012

When I was a lad, going to scout camp on the Canadian border in North Dakota, we would paddle across the lake to buy Mackintosh's Toffee.
posted by Bruce H. at 2:54 PM on March 9, 2012

Lindt Chocolates. One of my nephews craves them and I guess they're hard to find in the US.
posted by deborah at 4:03 PM on March 9, 2012

Just read this question aloud to my Canadian wife and she yelled "HP Sauce!"

So that's apparently A Thing.

(Nthing Coffee Crisp and Aero bars.)
posted by BitterOldPunk at 4:04 PM on March 9, 2012 [3 favorites]

Ketchup!! I don't know what is wrong with American ketchup (HFCS, maybe?) Anyways the regular Heinz Ketchup in Canada is sooooo much better. Though you run the risk of never being able to go back to the US version.
posted by saradarlin at 4:31 PM on March 9, 2012

I love not just Canadian candy, but the British imports which are much more available in Canada. In particular, while you're in Vancouver, I'd recommend going to the Candy Aisle on 4th (2083 West 4th Avenue). It's near Granville Island, if you're going. My favorites are Dunbar's Ginger and Fry's Orange cream. I also always stock up on Labello's chapstick (at any drugstore), but that may just be my quirk.
posted by Margalo Epps at 4:33 PM on March 9, 2012

Red Rose Tea. (If you were in the Maritimes, I'd have suggested King Cole, and given you my address to send it along to as well.)
posted by Space Coyote at 4:43 PM on March 9, 2012

> There's also a variety of maple-leaf shaped cookies he likes, but I don't know what they are called.

Either Dare Maple Cookies, or Mr Maple. They're good. We usually bring a half dozen boxes down to the US for random gifting.
posted by scruss at 4:43 PM on March 9, 2012

No bagged milk in the West.

Check your local Safeway they've been selling bagged milk under the Lucern name since I was a kid living in Vancouver in the 70's.
posted by squeak at 5:53 PM on March 9, 2012 [1 favorite]

2nding Cheezies. If you're used to Cheetos (which are way too salty IMO), you might find Cheezies a bit disgusting at first, but you will be completely addicted by the third bite.

Ringolos! Hickory Sticks!

On the non-junk food front, how about a Hudson's Bay blanket? (Warning: They cost $400.)
posted by Sys Rq at 5:53 PM on March 9, 2012 [1 favorite]

My Canadian husband loves Canadian Corn Pops.
posted by Maarika at 6:01 PM on March 9, 2012

Coca-cola is made with regular sugar instead of HFCS in Canada. So much better.

Those of you who have mentioned Smarties may not be aware that they changed them a couple of years ago to all natural colors, so they kind of taste crappy now.
posted by wabbittwax at 6:30 PM on March 9, 2012

Coca-cola is made with regular sugar instead of HFCS in Canada. So much better.

Sorry, no. The Canadian label reads, "sugar/glucose-fructose." That means they put sugar in it sometimes, and glucose-fructose (i.e. HFCS) other times. Sugar: Passover (which, FYI, is very soon); HFCS: The other 51 weeks of the year.

It's exactly the same as the American stuff. Always has been.
posted by Sys Rq at 6:57 PM on March 9, 2012

And it's only some Canadian cola that uses real sugar on Passover. Most years you can only get one of Coke/Pepsi with real sugar, and it's only the bottles with the yellow caps. Anyhow, you can get the same stuff in the US, at least in neighbo(u)rhoods with a lot of Jewish folks.

I vote for Smarties and Aero bars.
posted by vasi at 8:17 PM on March 9, 2012

Kind of weird, but I believe the Harry Potter books have different covers in Canada.
posted by oceanjesse at 10:14 PM on March 9, 2012

Proper Rose's Lime Juice for gimlets, made with sugar rather than corn syrup.
posted by Scram at 10:44 PM on March 9, 2012

Citrus Trident. I always stock up on this whenever I go to Canada.
posted by SisterHavana at 12:05 AM on March 10, 2012

The Canadian label does indicate that Coke contains either glucose/fructose or sugar and I suppose the choice is made by each bottler. Anyway after many years of frankly dangerous Coke consumption on both sides of the border and side by side comparisons I can assure you that Canadian Coke is not the same as American Coke. Get yourself a can from each country sometime and try it.
posted by wabbittwax at 2:18 AM on March 10, 2012

Kind of weird, but I believe the Harry Potter books have different covers in Canada.

Terry Pratchett's books too. For some authors Canada gets the British editions.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 3:01 AM on March 10, 2012

Kit-Kats are the same in Canada as in the US; only the packaging colours differ.

Kit-Kats in the US are made by Hershey with a lower grade of chocolate and come in bars of three rather than four. The Canadian Nestle Kit-Kat is worth trying as the taste is much richer.
posted by niccolo at 3:27 AM on March 10, 2012 [2 favorites]

Ice wine, not limited to Canada but much easier to find.
posted by The Whelk at 9:32 AM on March 10, 2012 [1 favorite]

You can get Ketchup/Dill Pickle chips in the US. Not Old Dutch, but the Lays ones, definitely. I know this due to my own obsession with the Dill Pickle ones, which I found in Louisiana, Kansas, Vermont, and in one small truck stop in central California, for which I made a couple of road trips. There are crazy other flavors in Canada you can't get in the states, though - like Fries and Gravy, or General Tsao Chicken (yes, flavored potato chips!) or BBQ Wings flavor, or whatever. Canada also has a better selection of cheese (and it tastes better, more flavorful) than what I found in the states. I don't think Fantino & Mondello stuff is available in the states, and if you love parmesan and/or salami, they make a parmesan covered salametti that is to die for.

Kinder Eggs - definitely, as with Cadbury stuff, which others have said - it's available in the states, but hard to find, and Kinder eggs are outright banned. I can second the muscle relaxants mentioned above - after we moved to Toronto from the US, I was surprised to find over the counter muscle relaxants that actually worked.

On the other hand, if you want to bring back stuff Canada has done badly, you could pick up some Oreos. Seriously huge difference between Canadian and US ones. Bleah.
posted by routergirl at 10:41 AM on March 10, 2012

Are you driving or flying? Because bringing back loads of ultra tasty food stuff is a lot easier if you're driving. If you're driving, and keeping in mind that most of these are probably technically illegal to bring into the US:

-- unpasteurized cheese: take your pick of any of the bazillions of local or imported types. (iirc, in the US you can only buy unpasteurized cheese aged more than 60 days or so.)

-- mangosteen, and other fruits that are difficult or impossible to find in the US. When we lived in Toronto, we usually took our US friends on a wander through Chinatown and they always found stuff they couldn't get at home.

-- bitter almonds. Okay, this is really only if you're interested in making something that involves bitter almonds; if you are, you'd better pick some up in Canada. They contain cyanide, or something similarly unpleasant, and consuming even a smallish number raw -- like maybe 50? -- is supposedly deadly. I think they're illegal in the US for this reason. But they're also delicious, when used properly (e.g. in making amaretti, or your own orgeat syrup).

-- from Toronto, bring back some Kozliks mustard

-- and yeah, Cuban rum, cigars, etc are all widely available (but definitely illegal to bring back to the US, or technically even to buy while abroad).

-- you will find ice wines in far greater abundance & variety than in any liquor store in the US (particularly if you go visit some of the wineries in Niagara), so by all means pick some up if you're into that sort of thing. (I love it, and really miss it now that I live in the UK.)

In general, I found it also a lot easier to get random English or European things in Toronto than in almost anywhere in the US. It's like a halfway point between the US and the UK or something; you can get most (though certainly not all) things you find in either UK or US supermarkets. So if there is something you crave from the UK, you might look for that too.

Basically, just go to Kensington Market, Chinatown, and/or St. Lawrence Market in Toronto and have a look around.

Oh, also: have some wings at Duff's for me. (I seriously prefer them to the ones you can get anywhere else on the planet, excluding the original Duff's in Buffalo.)
posted by chalkbored at 10:43 AM on March 10, 2012

(fwiw you can get Old Dutch dill-pickle chips in the upper midwest at least, in the US) Need some?
posted by edgeways at 10:48 AM on March 10, 2012

Papineau biscuits. [Link to French language website.]
posted by yellowcandy at 4:34 PM on March 10, 2012

J.M. Fraser's shaving cream: cheap-ish and pretty darn good.
posted by wenestvedt at 1:31 PM on March 12, 2012

niccolo said: "Kit-Kats in the US are made by Hershey with a lower grade of chocolate and come in bars of three rather than four. "

I grew up in the US, and have always loved Kit Kats. In my 30-mumble years there, I never saw a US Kit Kat with only three bars. I can't speak to the grade of chocolate, but I'm curious where you found these 3-barred Kit Kats, because it sounds like an anomaly.
posted by routergirl at 9:24 AM on March 13, 2012

Thrills gum (tastes like soap!)
posted by fimbulvetr at 12:43 PM on March 13, 2012

Ice Apple Wine is lovely. The waiter who introduced us to it said it isn't exported. Apple ice wine is similar to a good late-harvest---very sweet and perfect with fois gras or cheeses. And you can get it at the airport so you don't have to lug it around.
posted by WyoWhy at 1:23 PM on March 13, 2012