Craving your favourite food or treat from back home? Expatica writer, Anna Dilemna comes to the rescue with a comprehensive list of online shopping options for expats.

It's often not until you move abroad that you realize just what you value most about your home country. In my case it turned out to be Kellogs Pop Tarts and Reeses Peanut Butter Cups.

Who knew?

Of course there are many advantages food-wise to living in Switzerland. Where else can you find such an amazing variety of cheese and chocolate? There are around 300 different varieties of Gruyere cheese alone!

But one of the biggest challenges for many of us is being able to find those special items from back home that can give life that sense of familiarity and comfort we all need from time to time.

Here is a list of online shopping sites I have compiled that should help hungry homesick expats to fulfill those cravings.

Unless I have stated otherwise, all the sites are in English (or have an English language option). I hope you find it helpful.

• Britshop is an online retailer, importing a variety of packaged food from the UK. Their aim is to bring a taste of home to expats living in Switzerland and of course to anybody else who craves our well-known brands. Website: www.britshop.ch
  
  
• Taste of America: For everything from Cheerios to Stouffers stuffing and marshmallow fluff, try www.tasteofamerica.ch
  
  
• American Market Food Store: Here you'll get a range of foods to satisfy your cravings, including Pop Tarts and Mexican food: www.americanmarket.ch

• My Expat Shop: A huge range of British products including organic foods and pharmacy/ toiletry items are available at http://www.myexpatshop.com/storech/catalog.php

• Naturally Orkney: Real British bacon and sausages, made in Switzerland, will satisfy any British carnivore. Visit www.naturally-orkney.com 

• The Cheese Club: This unique society is based in the mountains of Eastern Swizterland and run by an English/ Swiss couple who really are passionate about their cheese. Although they are based in Switzerland, they say their products have a strong English flavour and they also provide cheeses from all over Europe. See www.cheeseclub.ch

• The London Store: Despite the name, this site does not just provide English products, but food and beverages from across the world - from New Zealand and Australia to the US to South Africa. There is even Ben and Jerry's ice cream! You will have to pay for courier shipping or pick up the goods at their Zug store: www.londonstore.ch

• Jim's British Market: More than 1500 British food products are available here, including chilled items such as cheese and meats and all the familiar food stuffs and non-food items that you would expect to find in a supermarket in the UK, from Branson pickle to Hellman's mayonnaise and Bovril: http://www.jims-british-market.com/

• The Aussie Shop: What do Australians eat? Check out this site to find out! There is a wide variety of Aussie foods and beverages, including, of course, Marmite: www.aussieshop.ch