Life abroad seems wonderful and carefree only at first glance. In reality, every day is filled with longing for their home. Find out more about the products that Ukrainian refugees abroad lack the most

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Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, more than 6 million Ukrainians have moved abroad. Almost 4 million of them live in Europe. However, despite the geographical proximity, their gastronomic habits are different from Ukrainians.

RBC-Ukraine conducted an interesting survey among refugees and found out what foods they miss abroad.

Thus, Ukrainians miss the following products the most:

- Buckwheat;

- Herring

- Pickles;

- Milk;

- Sweets;

- Condensed milk;

- Dumplings;

- Cheesecakes;

- Bread;

- Condiments.

In the previous article, we talked about 15 dishes that you should definitely try in Ukraine.

Poland

Ukrainians in Poland miss dumplings. In this country, only dumplings with meat and dumplings are sold. There is also a great lack of pickles. Some stores sell pickles, but the taste is not comparable to Ukrainian ones. The refugees could not find sauerkraut in any store.

Another “rare” product is white bread in the form of a loaf. In Poland, gray bread is most commonly sold, and white bread is only available in the form of toast.

However, it is lard that Ukrainians long for the most. Theoretically, you can even find it, but it tastes like plastic. Traditional Ukrainian Easter cake is impossible to find, so you have to bake it yourself.

You can learn more about the new requirements for obtaining a residence card in Poland here.

Germany

Ukrainians say that you can find Eastern European products in Germany, but Ukrainian products are rare. Buckwheat is available, but its price is very high and it is not always easy to find. Sour cream is not available here, as well as the usual liquid yogurt.

One of the survey participants said that he especially misses marshmallows and Ukrainian bread, which is not available in local stores. Even borsch is served in restaurants without sour cream, which significantly changes its taste. Lard is also completely different here. In general, the taste of food in Germany is different, it is more salty, and the choice is much smaller.

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Portugal

One of the survey participants shared that after moving to Portugal, the biggest surprise was the lack of dairy products familiar to Ukrainians, such as kefir, cottage cheese, and sour cream. The local “queijo” does not match the taste of cottage cheese, and canned sausages have an almost “paper” flavor. There is also no buckwheat, wheat or barley cereals in Portugal. The main side dishes here are rice, pasta, and potatoes.

The woman also faced difficulties when looking for flour and baking soda. The absence of dill was especially unusual. In Portugal, it is not used at all.

Fortunately, Ukrainians can buy the usual products at the Mix Markt store, which sells herring, mackerel, cereals, milk, pickles, and even Ukrainian-made cakes. However, the prices for these products are very high. A big disappointment was the availability of goods from aggressor countries, as well as unpleasant situations with Russians who often shop at this store. Ukrainian refugees do not buy such goods for reasons of principle.

Spain

Refugees note that there is no cottage cheese in Spain, which can be found only in specialized stores with “Slavic” goods. Ryazhenka, kefir, and glazed cheeses are completely unknown here. While sour cream is available, herring and smoked mackerel are not, and can only be found fresh.

The usual buckwheat is especially lacking, and you have to look for it in health food stores or order it online. Barley and semolina are also not easy to find. In Spain, rice, couscous and quinoa are preferred. The situation with honey is also unusual: only liquid honey is available, and there is no candied honey. Even fresh beets are sold mostly boiled or canned.

Some Ukrainians also report shortages of condensed milk, green onions, and Red Poppy candy. The lack of cottage cheese makes it difficult to make favorite syrniki, as ricotta does not have the right texture.

The Netherlands

Emigrants say that it is almost impossible to find the usual Ukrainian cereals in the country: buckwheat, wheat, or millet. They can sometimes be purchased in Polish stores or in outlets run by immigrants from the former Soviet Union. However, even these products do not always meet expectations in terms of taste.

The situation is similar with sauerkraut. Cabbage has a completely different flavor, and cucumbers for the traditional Olivier salad are also disappointing - everything is pickled and sour. You can find dumplings and pelmeni, but their taste leaves much to be desired. Ukrainian sweets are especially lacking: marmalade slices, marshmallows, gozinaki, and toffee are in real short supply here.

Black bread in the Netherlands is delicious, but you won't find an analog of Borodinsky even in bakeries. Therefore, Ukrainians often bring such products from home. Despite this, there is always fruit in the Netherlands, even out of season, at affordable prices. Products are carefully checked, so there is no room for low-quality or “plastic” food.

Cheeses deserve special attention - their taste and quality are amazing. The milk is also very tasty, but there is no usual sour cream here. Instead, there is a large selection of yogurts, curd masses and natural ice cream. Meat is expensive, but of high quality, and semi-finished products are made from natural ingredients.

Earlier, we told you that temporary protection in the Netherlands may be canceled for third-country nationals who left Ukraine after the outbreak of war.

Denmark

Refugees in Denmark miss salted herring the most. In local stores, you can only find herring in a sweet marinade, which is not suitable for the traditional Ukrainian dish “Herring under a fur coat.”

Another challenge was buckwheat - only green buckwheat is sold in Denmark, and regular buckwheat can only be found in Arab stores.

Dumplings sometimes appear in Lidl, but it happens rarely, so you have to make them yourself. As for cheese for syrniki, it is also difficult to find.

Ireland

In supermarkets, it is difficult to find familiar products such as lard, liver, or pickles. Instead, they are presented in Polish, Moldovan, and Lithuanian stores, where you can also buy pickles, tomatoes, meat by weight, and semi-finished products.

As for fish, there is no tilapia in Ireland, and salted fish has a sour taste due to vinegar. Sausages are mostly sold in slices, and whole sticks are rare and often of poor quality. Buckwheat is available only in specialized Polish or Moldovan stores.

Spicy condiments such as horseradish or mustard are difficult to find. Instead, local condiments have a sweet taste with the addition of cumin. Smoked meats, such as bacon, wings, or chicken ears, are also not available in regular stores. Beets are sold in a vacuum and often have a sour taste due to vinegar.

Irish sweets are different from Ukrainian ones. Jelly candies on agar and marmalades, which are less sweet, prevail here. Refugees say that in Ukraine, candy by weight is much tastier. In Ireland, however, there are always fresh vegetables, regardless of the season, although it is difficult to find such familiar products as sorrel. As for teas, fruit varieties prevail here.

Norway

In Norway, finding products familiar to Ukrainians is a real challenge. Beef liver can only be found frozen, and only in one store. Ukrainians also miss salted fish, because here it is sold only in preserves with spices and cloves and has a sweet taste.

As for buckwheat, it is not on sale at all, and locals do not understand what kind of cereal it is and how to eat it. Beets are also not available in all stores, which makes it difficult to prepare familiar dishes. Sauerkraut in Norway is sold with caraway seeds, so it is not suitable for vinaigrette.

France

Local stores offer mainly milk, cream, and yogurt, and cottage cheese can be found only on farms by agreement with the owners. However, this cheese does not always meet expectations.

There is a particular shortage of kefir, sour cream, dumplings, chicken liver, mackerel, kvass, and even cottage cheese for syrniki. You can make sauerkraut yourself, but it's expensive - a head of cabbage costs about 5 euros. Buckwheat, although rare, can be found in eco-stores if you look hard enough.

Earlier, we told you how to get a residence permit in France after the termination of temporary protection.

Hungary

There are no Korean-style canned tomatoes and carrots here, and the local sauerkraut tastes significantly different from Ukrainian. It is also difficult to find seasonings for borscht.

Cakes in Hungary have a completely different taste, although the choice in pastry shops is quite large. Dried meat and fish are very expensive here. At the same time, dumplings can be bought in the Ukrainian MultiCook chain, and buckwheat is available in regular stores.

Slovakia

In Slovakia, it is difficult to find mackerel, herring, or tarantula, which are usually available in Ukraine. Also, the choice of sweets is very limited: there are few sweets, and only Milka chocolates prevail.

Cheeses and sausages in Slovakia have a completely different taste, and their quality is not up to the level that Ukrainians are used to. Semi-finished products, such as dumplings, stuffed cabbage rolls, or chebureks, are practically absent in regular stores. They can be found only in Ukrainian stores, but the prices for such goods are very high.

We remind you! Next year, Ukrainian refugees can count on financial support in many countries around the world, although the conditions and amounts of assistance vary significantly from country to country. Read more about which countries will continue to provide support for those planning to move abroad.

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