Singapore Expats

We will be moving to Singapore early next year and have a few questions that I hope you all can help us with.
The first question is: Can we easily import processed food for personnel consumption? On other assignments we would load up the luggage with Hamburger helper, Kraft macaroni and cheese, Chef boyardee ravioli etc. Mostly stuff for the kiddos that is very easy to make and that we could not get in whatever host country we were in.
We would also have food items shipped to us from time to time. Is this possible in Singapore?
Singapore seems to be a little more strict when it comes to food.
I have checked the The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) website and havnt found much on the subject.
All information will be greatly appreciated.

Calmday wrote:The first question is: Can we easily import processed food for personnel consumption? On other assignments we would load up the luggage with Hamburger helper, Kraft macaroni and cheese, Chef boyardee ravioli etc. Mostly stuff for the kiddos that is very easy to make and that we could not get in whatever host country we were in.

There's absolutely no point in bringing mac'n'cheese into Singapore, everything you could possibly need -- including all your favorite American brands -- and then some is available here.

Singapore seems to be a little more strict when it comes to food.
I have checked the The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) website and havnt found much on the subject.

In theory, there are some pretty generous limits on what you can bring, but my experience has been that in practice, Customs doesn't care at all about personal use quantities of food: at checkpoints they only look for booze, cigarettes and drugs. Not sure what they'd think about a containerful of canned ravioli though

Thanks for the info. I’m sure that I will have more questions but for now the search button is helping a lot.

There are very few retrictions on food, the few are mainly temporary and due to well publicised food safety scares or alcohol, tobacco and drugs.

However, significant quantities, even if for personal consumption, are likely to attarct a 7% GST, ie sales tax.

Thanks BooneC

Our previous assignments were in Okpo S. Korea, Angola and Brazil. It was very difficult to find anything recognizable or anything that was pre processed that could easily be prepared. Because of this we kind of got into this hording state of mind. It’s nice to hear that western brands are available in Singapore.
Everyone that I work with who has spent time there says that the food is great and that after we figure out what is what we won’t want the American stuff.

jpatokal wrote:

Calmday wrote:The first question is: Can we easily import processed food for personnel consumption? On other assignments we would load up the luggage with Hamburger helper, Kraft macaroni and cheese, Chef boyardee ravioli etc. Mostly stuff for the kiddos that is very easy to make and that we could not get in whatever host country we were in.

There's absolutely no point in bringing mac'n'cheese into Singapore, everything you could possibly need -- including all your favorite American brands -- and then some is available here.

Singapore seems to be a little more strict when it comes to food.
I have checked the The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) website and havnt found much on the subject.

In theory, there are some pretty generous limits on what you can bring, but my experience has been that in practice, Customs doesn't care at all about personal use quantities of food: at checkpoints they only look for booze, cigarettes and drugs. Not sure what they'd think about a containerful of canned ravioli though

Ok we have been here a while and are having trouble finding this kind of stuff. Any pointers would be appreciated.

Try Cold Storage and The Marketplace supermarkets. Failing that, they sell everything at Mustafa.

Jasons at Orchard Towers. Market at Tanglin Mall. Carrefour at Suntec City.

Even Fair Price (a chain for locals) has Skippy, Betty Crocker cake mixes, Aunt Jemima pancake mix, and so on. Don't know about Mac & Cheese (as homemade is SO much better) but I wouldn't be surprised to find it as well.

Can find Kraft Macaroni & Cheese here even at NTUC's (my son's weakness). I won't touch the stuff though.

I agree with SMS.

Living in Singapore you have a unique opportunity to give up on all the processed food crap as there are so many other options available. Rushing to a supermarket to pick up some synthetic junk can be done anywhere, but why do it here when you have a myriad of possibilities available?

With small children, prepackaged food that they like and are familiar with makes life easier on Mom as we have never been able to train ourselves to be comfortable with domestic help.
I could personally eat spicy regional food every day for the rest of my life.

Check out the food courts over here, they are absolutelllllly EVERYWHERE and they churn out not just spicy local stuff but lots of different things. You can even get things to go...

Calmday wrote:With small children, prepackaged food that they like and are familiar with makes life easier on Mom as we have never been able to train ourselves to be comfortable with domestic help.
I could personally eat spicy regional food every day for the rest of my life.

As a parent, it is our responsibility that we raise the children to the very best that we can. Parenting is a serious business. Nobody every said parenting was or should be "easier". We never had a maid. Instead, we arranged our lives around our children.

sundaymorningstaple wrote:

Calmday wrote:With small children, prepackaged food that they like and are familiar with makes life easier on Mom as we have never been able to train ourselves to be comfortable with domestic help.
I could personally eat spicy regional food every day for the rest of my life.

As a parent, it is our responsibility that we raise the children to the very best that we can. Parenting is a serious business. Nobody every said parenting was or should be "easier". We never had a maid. Instead, we arranged our lives around our children.

Thanks for the lecture you old goat. All I asked for was an answer to a simple question. A mod on here told me that I "could get ALL of my American barnds and then some". Now Im just asking where.
If I ever feel like I need parenting advice I will go to a pro. Not a message board.