When it comes to food, us Irish are very loyal. Whether you’re on a two-week holiday in Spain or you’ve been living away for a few years, you’ll know the heartache an Irish person feels for the lack of certain delicacies from our homeland.

Here are a few of the foods we’ve pined for when away from the Emerald Isle.

Tayto crisps
The finest way to enjoy a potato is in the form of the humble crisp. Show a bag of crushed Tayto to a homesick Irish person and you’re sure to see a few tears. With all the care packages sent out by Irish mammies, Taytos are probably the most well-travelled crisps in the world.

Bread that actually tastes like bread
Anyone who has lived in the US for a time will know this pain. Bread should never be so sweet that it hurts your teeth! It’s just plain wrong. Give us a Brennan’s batch loaf or some good brown soda bread any day.

Lucozade
A god among drinks. It is available in Australia surprisingly enough, those lucky ducks. Elsewhere in the world though, any hungover Irish person would give their left leg for a sip of this sweet nectar.

Real butter
While at home we’re all about low-fat spread, but take us out of Ireland for five minutes and we’ll be lamenting the lack of “proper butter.” You can’t beat toast with some melting Kerrygold on top. YUM.

An Irish fry-up
One word: pudding. Trying to explain the black pudding phenomenon to friends from far-flung lands usually results in a strange reaction. Yes, the main ingredient may be blood… but it’s so tasty! Trust us!

Tea (specifically Barry’s or Lyons)
There is simply no substitute for a good cup of Irish tea. Even if you’re forced to drink it with strange long-life milk, it really is the taste of home.