FOOD:

NJ has a wide variety of vegetables, fruits and meats (though beef is not as easy to come by during the summer) available all year long.  Flour and sugar are also available.  All the families have apartments with kitchens and do most of their own food preparation.

If you get tired of Chinese food you can always go to McDonald's or KFC or one of the several nice western hotels or Restaurants  in town.(Hilton, Holiday Inn, Sheraton, Jin Ling Hotel, New York-New York, Henry's Home Kitchen, Swede And Kraut)

Diet Coke is also in abundance and is being spread to many stores thanks to the persistence of one of the web designers.

We now have access to many western foods,  meat and cooking supplies through a company called City Shopper.  They deliver to Nanjing every Friday and accept visa for payment.  Their inventory changes monthly but this service has been a great help in preparing western food.

Some needed essential items that you might want to bring or have shipped are:

  1.  Vanilla, cocoa, baking powder, maple flavoring (for making syrup), yeast and lots of COFFEE (instant coffee is available).
  2.  Spices, every kind that you will need to prepare the recipes you usually make. (Some are available in NJ but they are expensive.)
  3.  Tupperware.  (Something like that is available there, but not as good.)
  4.  Swiss Army Knife or Leatherman tool to use when traveling. (Genuine Swiss Army knives and multitools are available here.)
  5.  Measuring cups & spoons, muffin tins or foil muffin cups
  6.  A favorite paperback cookbook such as:  "Joy of Cooking," "Betty Crocker," "More for Less", "Whole Foods for Whole Families" or your own recipes.
  7.  Sauce packet mixes (spaghetti, taco etc.)
  8.  Popcorn, Jell-O, pudding, Kool-Aid, powdered sugar, cereal
  9.  A good insulated cup with a top for coffee (like the ones from a convenience store).
  10. 2 Thermometers: one to hang outdoors, one for indoors.

There is a school cafeteria. Also, there are many inexpensive and good Chinese restaurants close by. Return to first page.