Why expat Thanksgiving is hard, and how a US care package fixes it
If you're an American living abroad, Thanksgiving is the year's hardest holiday to recreate. The turkey you can probably find. The cranberries, sweet potatoes, and basic vegetables too. What you can't find: Stove Top stuffing mix, Libby's canned pumpkin pie mix, Pillsbury crescents, French's fried onions for the green bean casserole, Reese's Pumpkins for dessert, and all the pumpkin-spice limited edition snacks the US releases for the season. We ship the items that make a US-style Thanksgiving actually feel American. Pumpkin spice Pop-Tarts, pumpkin spice Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios pumpkin spice, Stove Top stuffing, Libby's pumpkin pie filling, Pepperidge Farm stuffing cubes, Trader Joe's pumpkin-everything seasonal lineup.
Thanksgiving-specific items we ship
The expat Thanksgiving care package concept
$100 Thanksgiving essentials
Stove Top stuffing (2 boxes), Libby's pumpkin pie filling (2 cans), French's crispy fried onions, Pepperidge Farm stuffing cubes, 1 pumpkin spice cereal, Reese's Pumpkins, pumpkin spice Pop-Tarts. The "I can actually make Thanksgiving dinner" kit.
$200 Thanksgiving feast
Everything above + Pillsbury crescents (refrigerated dough — note shelf life), instant mashed potatoes (Idahoan), Heinz turkey gravy, cranberry sauce, plus full pumpkin-spice snack lineup (Trader Joe's pumpkin cookies, Cheerios, M&Ms Pumpkin Spice). The all-in expat Thanksgiving box.
$300 entertaining-for-guests box
The above + Costco bulk Reese's Pumpkins, bulk pumpkin pie filling for multiple pies, Halloween-leftover candy for guests, US-only beer alternatives (root beer, ginger ales), bulk seasonal snacks. For an American expat hosting other expats.
Top Thanksgiving brand picks (beyond pumpkin)
- Stove Top Stuffing Mix — Kraft. Shelf-stable. The cornerstone American Thanksgiving side. Not available in UK / UAE / Brazil / Korea / Japan retail.
- Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin (canned) — for pumpkin pie. The pumpkin variety in Libby's is specific to American canned pumpkin; international "pumpkin" cans use different varieties.
- French's Crispy Fried Onions — for green bean casserole. The American original.
- Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing Cubes — alternative to Stove Top.
- Idahoan Instant Mashed Potatoes — for fast sides.
- Heinz Turkey Gravy — jarred, shelf-stable.
- Ocean Spray Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce — canned, US recipe.
- Reese's Pumpkins + Halloween leftovers for dessert tray.
- Pumpkin Spice Pop-Tarts for breakfast morning-of.
- Mexico, Canada: by mid-November (UPS 3–5 days)
- UK, EU: by Nov 14–15 (DHL Express 5–8 days)
- UAE, Saudi Arabia: by Nov 16 (FedEx 4–7 days)
- Philippines, Korea, Japan: by Nov 12 (DHL/USPS 5–10 days)
- Brazil, India, Colombia: by Nov 10 (DHL 7–10 days)
Common expat Thanksgiving requests
- Embassy and diplomatic households hosting US Thanksgiving in countries without grocery support
- American expats in Asia recreating the holiday with kids — Stove Top + pumpkin pie filling are the must-haves
- Friendsgiving boxes for groups of mixed-nationality friends celebrating American Thanksgiving
- International students who want a taste of home during the holiday — see our student care packages
- American military families deployed in non-US bases
Pair with our expat snacks page for ongoing care, or Halloween candy for the lead-in holiday.