You’re not allowed to bring fresh dairy products into China. This includes things like milk, cream and eggs.
There’s a risk of contamination and disease when dairy isn’t produced or stored correctly. And that’s why the Chinese authorities don’t want you bringing it in.
But what about cheese?
Well, definitely don’t bring a block of fresh cheese into China. Of course, you could declare it, but it’s likely to be binned.
Hypothetically, if you wanted to bring a processed block of cheddar (the type that doesn’t require refrigeration) in your checked luggage, you’d probably be fine.
Chinese airport food inspections are lax. Besides, they’re more interested in the highly prohibited stuff, like fresh or live animal products.
But if it were me, I would err on the side of caution and not bring any kind of cheese or prohibited foodstuff into China.
You can find cheese in large Chinese supermarkets, so you can buy some once you arrive. Just don’t expect a wide range or brands you have at home.
Small Chinese supermarkets don’t sell cheese, because fresh dairy isn’t a big part of the local diet.
For a massive dairy eater like me, I found the lack of good cheese to be one of the hardest things about moving to China.
Good cheese aside, you’re going to have an amazing time over there. And when you return to your own country, you’re really going to appreciate cheese even more!
Next, see my #1 travel tip for China below or read all of the tips here.
My top China travel tip
All major foreign websites and apps are blocked in China, so if you want to use hotel Wi-Fi then you’re going to need a virtual private network (VPN) on your phone.
You can refer to the best VPN for China for my personal recommendations on the ones that work in China. Or, tap on the button below for the one I recommend the most:
Just make sure you download the VPN before you arrive in China, otherwise you’ll be stuck!
Bringing food into China
Here are some commonly asked questions about bringing other foods into China:
You can also ask me any questions in the comments area below.
Main image credit: Alana Harris on Unsplash.