The 11 things you love to buy from a supermarket on holiday

The Holy Grail: local crisps

By far the most popular suggestion, you simply cannot beat those sharing-sized bags of crisps. On the beach, by the pool or just laid on your bed after a day of exploring, you just can’t recreate the feeling of demolishing a full packet by yourself. You’re on holiday, who cares.

There was a lot of love for Lay’s (the holiday equivalent of Walkers), and when it comes to the funkier flavours you get abroad, oregano was hailed as one of your favourites along with paprika. Some cheesy variations cropped up too, as well as the meaty Ruffles. Our mouths are watering.

The king of refreshments: Fanta Lemon

There just isn’t another drink that screams holiday as much as a Fanta Lemon. Yes, you can get them here, but it’s not the same.

There were endless shouts for this cold, tangy refreshment of dreams in the comments. It makes you wonder why European supermarkets bother selling anything else. Where’s the love for a cola?

Water (the bigger, the better)

As it turns out, a lot of you seem to be quite sensible. Or is just that lugging bottles of water back to your room is such a holiday tradition that you’ve grown to love it.

Either way, water was absolutely among your priority items. The question is, do you go for multipacks of 1.5 litres (and probably spread the empties around your apartment over the course of your holiday) or sacrifice your fingertips to haul one of those huge five-litre barrels back. These are important questions.

Local booze, of course

This one came as a huge surprise. Alcohol? On holiday? In the sun?

Of course we’re joking. This was the banker, the one that really gets your holiday kickstarted. We were proud to see many of you are keen to sample the local beers and wines as soon as you touch down.

Standing under the air-con with your hands on your hips like you’re making a life-or-death decision, when you’re really just choosing between a bottle of Mythos and a fruity rosé - that’s a peak holiday moment.

Plenty of you also mentioned mixers for your duty free spirits - we hear and respect that too!

Brits can’t go without milk, coffee and tea bags

Go a week without a cuppa? Not if you’re British. Whether your hotel is stocked up or not, we get the vibe that a lot of you need a more substantial supply to keep your cravings in check.

Tea bags or coffee were at the top of the agenda for several people, as well as milk for your endless consumption of hot beverages. Well, we’re assuming the milk is for hot drinks? Unless you lot are chugging local milk by the gallon as a holiday refreshment…Fanta Lemon, watch out.

Fresh fruit for the health kings and queens

There’s something about fresh fruit from a supermarket abroad that hits slightly different, and loads of you agreed.

You wouldn’t give the bananas and apples a second glance at home, but as soon as you’re in the sun, the idea gets that little bit more appealing - and you end up leaving with handfuls.

The more exotic fruits are always tempting too. You’re not sure if you even like grapefruit, and carrying a gigantic watermelon home is going to be a pain, but you’re buying them anyway.

Fruit juice like orange and pineapple were also getting plenty of mentions.

For the preppers: sandwich ingredients

There seems to be a lot of you who have got your act together. Who’s got the energy to be making their own sandwiches on holiday?

As it turns out, quite a few people. In fairness, it saves a bit of cash and you can probably make yourself something better than you’d get from the local cafe.

Meats and cheese were at the top of the list for several of you - while “baked beans” were a priority for one person (!?) - along with fresh bread and baguettes.

Put that all together (and throw some crisps in for good measure), and you’ve got yourself a rather delicious lunch for the beach or by the pool.

Well-deserved pastries and sweet treats

Like fruit, pastries and sweet treats are a bit more attractive when they’re sitting looking at you in a foreign supermarket.

Croissants and donuts were put forward in our comments, along with your standard chocolate and sweets. And rightly so. There should be no dieting on holiday and you deserve a tasty snack after a long day laid in the sun.

Some of you like the different varieties you can get abroad, while others enjoy things being just like home. “Cadburys chocolate fingerez, they're exactly the same 🤣😎,” one comment said.

Ice-creams and icelolly(.com)s

We’ll excuse you for the terrible pun (a few of you couldn’t help yourself). But yes, an ice-cream or icelolly is a no-brainer when you’re on holiday.

Sliding the freezer door across in the supermarket is like opening a box of treasure. You’ll be rummaging frantically through looking for your favourite or a local ‘delicacy’.

But do you get a box for the freezer in your room, or just get a single for the walk? What a lovely decision to make.

Cigarettes (who needs food and drink anyway?)

A handful of you named cigarettes as your number one purchase. Forget the sandwiches and crisps. Priorities.

Whether this is a treat while you’re on holiday, or just a mandatory sample of the ‘local’ produce, we don’t know. But we can only imagine that having a smoke on the balcony is an unmatched experience.

There was a more sophisticated user who goes for a Cuban cigar instead. How boujee.

Cat food...?

And finally, there was one comment which caught our eye among the 500+ we received.

Yes, there was one user who named “cat food” among their priority items for the supermarket on holiday. We can only imagine why. Is it for feeding the strays? Is it a treat for a pet back home? Are the prices abroad simply that good that you have to stock up?

But there it is. What a way to round off our list of the things you buy first from a supermarket on holiday.

What do you reckon? Was there anything we missed that you love to buy? Let us know by commenting on our Facebook page.