The craving for a proper box of Kraft Mac & Cheese or a Thanksgiving turkey kit does not end at the border. Here is the practical playbook expats use to get American products overseas without surprises.
Direct international shipping: retailers like iHerb and Amazon's Global Store ship many US products internationally with shipping calculated at checkout. Not every item qualifies — look for the 'ships internationally' marker on each product.
US forwarding services (MyUS, forward2me and similar): you get a US address, buy anywhere, and the service repackages and ships the consolidated box. Best for mixing items from multiple stores, but add a consolidation fee and slower delivery.
Local import shops: US product stores in the UK (American Fizz, American Sweets) and specialty importers elsewhere buy in bulk — pricier per item, but no customs hassle and fast delivery.
Duties depend on the destination country and the item's tariff classification — not on what you paid. Food items are usually low-duty or duty-free under personal-import thresholds, but the country's VAT/GST applies above a value threshold, and some items (alcohol, certain processed foods) have specific rules.
Use the destination country's customs site or the USITC HTS search to check classification before ordering. Sellers rarely include duties in the checkout price — that's a common surprise.
International small-parcel rates from the US start around $35-80 for 1-2 lb boxes to most regions via USPS Priority Mail International, scaling with weight and zone. Forwarding adds per-package fees. For heavy holiday hauls, buying locally from an import shop often beats shipping costs.
The estimator on this page gives the indicative USPS band for your parcel — use it to decide whether the shipping is worth it before you fill a cart.