Lusaka - Post Report Question and Answers
What household or grocery items do you wish you had shipped to post?
Good baking chocolate and chocolate chips are high on the list. The commissary does stock chocolate chips, but they come via container and have often melted and resolidified into a solid block. I also miss convenience foods: prepackaged salads, frozen chicken tenders, quality frozen pizza, that sort of thing. Every meal requires a full cooking-from-scratch event, and that gets old, even though we like to cook. The pools get cold, so a pool cover is helpful. Bring any large furniture, patio furniture, play equipment, bikes or kid supplies you might need; these are hard to find or very expensive locally. Electronics are not available here or they're expensive. If you want a new laptop or ipad or phone, get it before you come, with the caveat that power surges can fry stuff. We lost an expensive espresso machine and a brand new TV when we arrived. Kids clothes and shoes are not readily available here, so we stock up every time we're back in the US. Same goes for shampoo and condition, first aid supplies, and other personal care items. No electronics through the DPO, so if you need an ipad repaired or a new phone, get it before you come. We also do our Christmas shopping over summer break, and usually bring back one whole suitcase of stocking stuffers and remote-controlled doodads that won't make it through the DPO. Bring any holiday items (decor, costumes, fake trees, lights, etc.) as those aren't really available locally. I'm glad we invested in a high-quality fake Christmas tree before we came here. - Feb 2026
DPO for kids snacks and household items. Ingredients are not always listed locally. - Apr 2025
We have access to US mail so I'm able to get things shipped, but if I didn't - electronics, mostly, because quality items are more expensive here and inexpensive items are really low quality. - Mar 2022
Anything that's hard to find and/or super expensive here: almond butter, Heinz ketchup, canned soups, soy sauce, shampoo and conditioner, high-quality chocolate, body wash, good toilet paper, salsa. - Dec 2021
We ship paper towels because we can't seem to find ones here that don't disintegrate as soon as you touch them. - Feb 2018
I order so much more through Amazon than I have ever done at any other post. As my kids and husband really enjoy cereal, I wished I had shipped more varieties of cereal from Trader Joes, maple syrup and peanut butter (although, I manage to get the syrup and peanut butter through the DPO). - Nov 2017
Between the commissary, DPO, and local market, we haven't really needed much else. - Jan 2017
Nothing really, I've been able to get almost everything I've needed and can order from the States when necessary. Packages come rather quickly to the DPO. - Jun 2016
Since we have DPO and many items available in the commissary or on the local market, I can't think of anything other than certain kinds of produce we can't get. - May 2016
Olive oil, soy sauce, nut butters. - Aug 2014
Surge protectors, electricity surges a lot. - Jan 2014
I recommend shipping anything to do with camping, outdoor furniture, sunblock, all shoes/clothing, gifts for children's birthday parties, holiday supplies/wrapping paper. Bring a TV and other electronic devices with you for sure, as they are very very pricey here. Sun hats and sunglasses, too. - Apr 2013
Camping gear (which we did bring) is highly recommended! Most everything is available here though. - Jul 2010
Olive oil, balsamic vinegar, books and stationery supplies, anything your kids need; we joke it's like the old days in the USSR, when you can't find an item for months on end, then suddenly it appears and you need to buy a gross to prevent it from happening again... - Mar 2009
A few more sweaters and specific foods that we like - Mar 2009
Most things are available, just expensive due to the high duties and VAT. - Oct 2008
Pet food. Locally available tends to either be limited to Pedigree and Alpo of indeterminant age, or a locally available vet line that is good but expensive. Bring your camping gear and fishing gear. canned salmon. good rechargable batteries. Bring koolaid and splenda if you drink diet, because there's almost no diet soda. Good ground coffee. flavored creamer. Books. - Aug 2008
By and large, we shipped in what we needed. Kids' presents are expensive and poor quality, so we would ship in more of those. We've had to order a variety of camping gear (local prices are high and quality is not comparable to the gear we're used to in the U.S.). - May 2008
