Hi,
We are getting ready for our DS to attend college in Canada. Can he bring some favorite foods and soda into Canada? We are new to this whole experience so any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
lots2do

are we talking about for the ride up there, or enough for his first semester?

I think that the only thing they might give him trouble about is if he took plants. I am not sure about anything else.

We were thinking about some things to tide him over for the first semester but don't want to break any rules!

Or, I should say a few things to get him started...

Call them, all you have to do is call the Canadian border and ask them. When I drove truck they never asked me about any food items, they did a full xray of my truck and trailer. However, it is harder to get back into the US then it was to get into Canada!

It is usually a lot easier to cross into Canada than it is coming back into the US. We have crossed many times, but never with a car load. This site answers a lot of questions and gives you a lot of information about what to bring and what has to be declared. Where will you be crossing the border?

http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/publications/p...-eng.html#s2x1

don`t think it would be a problem....unless it is alcohol, plants, animals....my sis-in-law often goes across for groceries....wouldn`t it be the same!!

Oh my goodness, when I moved from Calif to NY, when I went from Detroit,into canada I had my truck packed well, the boarder patrol when threw my truck with a fine tooth comb.they don't care how neet you pack, by the time they were done what a mess and they don't clean it up either.
food items were not an issue

Years ago my cousin who is from Iowa was driving to Alaska through Canada on his honeymoon. He was stopped at the border. He had to mail his gun back home to his Mommy.

Thank you for this site. I forwarded it to DS who can barely talk to me about all of this.

Thank you all. He is going with my hubby and crossing from Maine. I'm just trying to be careful and also looking to do something with my slightly anxious feelings about this transition!

I have heard from people crossing into the United States that the custom agents took all their food. So please check before so you do not waste your money.

They take fruit and some foods when coming back into the US. Canadian border patrol is much more relaxed.

I know produce and firewood are a problem. With the way things are these days, it's best to really look into this to avoid any delays or problems.

It depends on the food, really. Citrus is a big deal, but if it's processed or packaged in any way, they don't really care. I go over about once a week to get groceries, get my mail, send a letter to my husband. Jam is ok, strawberries aren't. Pets sometimes need proof of vaccinations. Here's the short list of food that I tend to get in the US just because of prices:

Tex-Mex style food is largely, and sadly, unavailable. Velveeta to make Queso is $16/lb. No joke. Dairy in general is much more expensive - Milk near me is pushing $5 a gallon. Tortillas, refried beans, etc are hideously expensive (yay $3/can!)

Meats are pretty much the same. We don't have Oscar Meyer, but we do have Schneider's, and it's pretty much the same stuff.

If you want unsweetened Iced Tea, you need to order a hot tea and a glass of ice. No joke - unsweetened iced tea, much less cold-brew tea bags - is unavailable everywhere I've ever looked in this country..

That being said, there are some things which are marked the same, but do not taste the same. Which baffles my husband, and makes cooking an adventure. Ranch dressing tastes different in Canada. We don't know why. At all. It just does.

We tend to have a smaller selection of products, as well. So we'll have the basic Campbell's soup, like chicken noodle, but not the wonky flavours.

I'm going to go ahead and assume that the study visa is all worked out, hopefully with the help of the school - That's the biggest concern, and you may get flagged "over" just in order to deal with that. (I'm Canadian - American (This is the first time I've ever actually said that - the paperwork came through on friday!), My husband's American, my dad's Canadian, my Mom's American, and border crossings are sometimes no problem, but before my paperwork came through, they were also sometimes quite the adventure.

Good luck, welcome to Canada, and if you've got any more questions, don't hesitate to PM!

When we crossed over into Canada in July, the only things they seemed concerned about were alcohol, tobaco and firearms.

Don't know if its still the same as it was Wash to BC, but we used to go to the US for groceries. No meat or produce allowed was the only condition. (about 40 yrs ago!)

Thank you, all, - we are one day closer to departure day. I expect things are going to get a little frantic around here! (I will stay calm, I will stay calm) :)

Just be sure whoever goes has their proof of UScitizenship. We never had any problems entering Canada. It's always been the return trip into US. One of our children was adopted from a foreign country. Apparently the US thinks blond haired people enter Canada to kidnap foreign born children-duh. Yet friends of ours who all have black/dark brown hair never got stopped entering with their child who was adopted from the same country as our child. We have never had any issues with food, but never brought fresh produce into US from Canada. I recommend you call and ask. Also our USCustoms stops were always in Niagara Falls area and they seem to stop people there alot more often than some of the other crossing locations.
Your son will be fine.
Kat

Never been to Canada. This has been interesting to read. I assume you know you now need a passport to cross back and forth.

2 things - when they are asking you the questions at the border, they are more interested in your reaction than your response. They are looking for nervous people and will then wonder why you are nervous. So stay calm!

DH and I got stopped at border once and car was searched. As we sat in the waiting room and looked around, I noticed all the men who were being searched had facial hair. Profiling? scruffy = criminal?? Who knows?

They said the reason we were searched, we had been through some drug areas, like Texas. Like the drug fairies had put drugs in our car when we weren't looking, lol!!
We were driving a little old VW car, someone driving a big RV who had the same itinerary would not have been searched, IMHO.

I guess it doesn't mean anything to them that you have gone all 60 years of your life with no arrest record. Everyone is a suspect.

I passed the calm suggestion along. They went up last year to check out the campus and didn't have any problems. This is just a mom who is a little nervous thinking ahead. (Probably doesn't help in a way that I can't go this time but on the other hand, probably better for me in the long run).
Yes, everyone has their passports and I have one as well so that I can go sometime, too. I'd love to see the area, have heard that it's pretty.

taking packaged food into Canada is fine but dont take any fresh food or plants and no more than 3 bottles off alcohol.(not texas mikys or beer kegs) they are to big :D he will be fine the Canadian border gard dont bother americans they just like to hassel law abiding Canadian citisens just because they travel to mexico in an old truck.

Or to Santa Fe in an old car.... *sigh.*

Update: All is well. Crossing took a long time due to paperwork but they didn't check the car at all. Skype is a truly wonderful invention - spoke to him today! He seems really happy and that makes me really happy!