Cheerios

Can you walk into a grocery store and walk out with a box of Cheerios in Europe? Nein, not a chance unless that store happens to be one on a US base or in Iceland. You can walk out with a box of Corn Flakes, but not Cheerios. You may ask "Why not?" Here is the official explanation from General Mills, the maker of Cheerios (apparently due to marketing rights).

This is a much discussed topic among expat parents of young children in Europe. Kids from North America don't like the local variant. There are stories of some local expat parents befriending acquaintances who have access to the US facility near Heidelberg, all for getting a steady supply of Cheerios (and perhaps some friendship as a bonus).

My inlaws arrived in town two days ago, and brought with them two huge boxes of Cheerios. Gabe and Jocelyn were ecstatic.