Food from your country!

PLEASE READ THIS DESCRIPTION CAREFULLY BEFORE JOINING AND CHECK WHETHER YOU FULFIL THE REQUIREMENTS! THANK YOU!

Hello and welcome to 2016!

Lots of people take it as a new year's resolution to try out more things - and exactly that is what we'll get a chance to do in this swap!

We will send each other a parcel with food (and maybe drinks) that represents the eating culture in our country. I've made the swap Europe only for now to see how it works out - and also because I'm sure that it won't be too hot for food parcels this time of year. If it goes well I will consider an international version.

The aim is to make it possible for our partner to eat one day in the spirit of [insert your country here]. So each of us will buy at least 2 items for every meal of the day. So, 2 food items for breakfast, 2 food items for lunch, 2 food items for either afternoon tea or a quick snack inbetween and 2 food items for dinner. That's a total of 8 food items in the parcel! The food should be as local and "typical" as possible - that means also, if you have a culture of "lunch" being just a salad or a sandwich and only dinner being a warm meal or vice versa - let that show in your choice of food! It's also okay to send food that is not typically produced or grown in your country, if it is typically consumed in your country! For example: We Germans drink insane amounts of coffee, but obviously have to import from elsewhere.

To explain such habits please add a letter of at least one A4 page (only front) about food culture in your country.

Now, for some rules: All food items must be full packages, sealed, new and with a use-by-date that will not be reached while the parcel is on the way to your partner. It is allowed to send typical drinks, but please max. 2 out of 8 and not both for the same meal of the day. One of the meals should be a full warm meal - obviously you can't send fresh products and need to pick only two items, but think of something your partner can make and send them two of the things which are needed for that and the recipe! Lastly, send one surprise item that has to do with food in your country! Maybe a mug if you come from a tea-drinking country, a cheese grater if you come from somewhere were a lot of pasta with parmesan is eaten ... think of something fun! This surprise should cost ca. 5 €.

I know, food has different prices all over Europe, so I won't set a price limit, but obviously everybody has to follow the rule to send full packages and not single items out of a package. Here are some suggestions what to send:

Breakfast: tea, muesli/cereal, spreads, honey, jam, coffee

Lunch: Pasta, pesto, savoury spreads, crispbread

Afternoon tea/snack time: crisps, chocolates, cookies, cake, coffee, tea

Dinner: cooking spices, pasta, rice, cooking sauce, special condiments, chutneys ...

These are obviously just suggestions and represent my idea of what the meals of the day look like! Think of your own list, but this gives you an idea of what is acceptable to send. It goes without saying: please check that the items can't go bad in the mail! That is most important, because who would want to open a parcel with mouldy food??? Also, please pack everything well, rather use too much bubble wrap than too little. If everything arrives smashed or broken, it won't bring joy to your partner either.

This swap is for open-minded people and while it's always nice to check profiles and see what people like, this swap is mainly sender's choice. It becomes too difficult to find typical things for your country and at the same time check for every dislike of your partner. Plus, we all want to try something new, don't we? HOWEVER: everyone can put max. 3 things he/she doesn't like into the comment section! When partners are assigned, please go there and check what your partner doesn't like. These things shouldn't be included in the parcel. For example, I'm a vegetarian, so I put "meat and fish" into the comment section.

IF YOU'RE EXTREMELY PICKY OR HAVE A LONG LIST OF ALLERGIES, PLEASE DON'T JOIN!

I will allow only people residing in Europe and only ONE PERSON PER COUNTRY! Please state your country in the comment section so people will know what is already taken. You need to have a rating of at least 4.98 and must have completed 20 type 3 swaps. Sorry to the newbies: this is just too big a swap to take any chances.

Sooo? Any more questions? If not, have fun exploring! And to sum it up, here's a list of everything that has to be in the parcel:

• 8 food items (max. 2 drink items)

• 1 A4 letter about eating culture in your country

• 1 recipe for a typical warm meal

• 1 surprise related to food/drinks in your country worth 5 €

EDIT //: Someone pointed out that instructions on the food items might be only in your native language and not in English or a language your partner understands. If that's the case, please add a translation on a sticky note or something like that so your partner knows how to do it and doesn't end up with the tea bags up in his nose. :D Just kidding, when it's obvious or the product doesn't need any cooking/preparation you can of course leave that out.

EDIT 2 //: I can't stress this enough: this swap requires full packages!!! That means no single tea bags, but a whole package of tea bags, no single cookies, but a whole package of cookies ... and no.tiny samples, but full size products like you would buy them for yourself in everyday life. Thank you!