The Case of the Missing Applesauce
Mom Life Edition: More Than a Year Into This and Still Missing A Few Key Things
Look, I know how this sounds.
"Woe is me, I can't find my favorite brand of hand sanitizer in my big city meets tropical paradise."
These are absolutely privileged problems to have, and I'm deeply grateful to be living this adventure in Panama.
But here's the thing - after trying multiple local alternatives that either didn't work as well or disrupted routines that keep our family functioning smoothly, some specific products have become genuinely necessary rather than just preferred.
When you're managing the stress and logistics of an international move, learning a second language, adapting to a different culture and climate, and especially when you have neurodiverse kids who rely on consistency, sometimes that familiar salty snack or specific brand of bandages becomes less about being picky and more about maintaining stability in the midst of big changes.
So yes - most of these are inconveniences, but it’s frustrating when the available alternatives we've tested just don't cut it for our family's specific needs. A few are genuine safety or health concerns, but the majority fall into the 'daily life friction' category.
Here’s my pretty random list of hard-to-find-so-far items
Personal Care & Health
☐ Band-Aid Brand Bandages
Not really about brand loyalty here - it’s just that other big name and no-name brands cause our skin to welt so it's about preventing painful reactions. The adhesive formulations differ between manufacturers, and finding the one that works for sensitive skin is crucial, especially for active kids who need frequent bandages for real (and imagined) boo-boos.
☐ Neutrogena Hydroboost Line
Skincare routines become even more important in humid climates, and switching products can cause breakouts or irritation when your skin is already adjusting to new environmental conditions.
We have not been able to restock our favorites formulations from this brand as it seems only the more established Neutrogena lines are available here - and even the old standbys like Cerave or Cetaphil didn’t work.
Expensive product testing, I know.
Specifically, we have replaced our North American favorite Cetaphil Body Lotion with the Neutrogena Hydroboost Fragrance-Free Body Lotion because of how moisturizing it is - but yet not sticky-feeling in this extremely HUMID Central American climate.
☐ Dove Sensitive Skin Bars
Stores here seem to have all the other Dove soaps, including the original formula, but the sensitive skin formula is the one that's missing….. grrrrr! For families like mine with sensitive skin, this specific version prevents irritation. For now, we bring it with us when we travel back in.
☐ Tylenol Brand Acetaminophen
When you have kids, you know which pain reliever works best for your family. We brought giant Costco-sized bottles with us, and interestingly (another post for another time) we hardly get headaches or have need of it here, so that’s been an unexpected plus.
☐ Purell Brand Hand Sanitizer
The consistency, scent, and effectiveness of this particular brand makes it easier to maintain hygiene routines for our sensory-sensitive and routine-dependent pandemic-raised kid. Other brands surely work just as effectively, but have different scent profiles or textural “feels” that my kiddo resists using.
☐ Swimmer's Hair Shampoo (brands like Malibu C or Paul Mitchell)
The high humidity and frequent swimming in Panama's climate can wreak havoc on hair. These specialized shampoos remove chlorine buildup and mineral deposits that regular daily shampoos can't handle, preventing that dry, damaged feeling.
A bottle of this stuff works wonders and lasts a long time, so it’s low on the list of replacement concerns.
☐ Stylish Women's Swim Rash Guards
Despite the sunny tropical climate, people tend to wear regular swimsuits here aka one-pieces or bikinis. The few rash guards available locally are plain and super sporty aka purely functional - great for sun protection but lacking in style options. Finding ones that offer both UV protection and actually look good can be surprisingly difficult in a place where you'd think they'd be everywhere.
Despite being from an island, I get horrible heat rash when I don’t cover my arms and upper body on a day where I receive a lot of direct sunlight - think itching my arms while I’m sleeping and already slathered in calamine lotion.
☐ Booster Seats for Kids
Honest truth: I have had to completely dissociate from the car-seat obsessed mother I was before moving to Panama.
The cultural differences around child passenger safety are stark - I've seen infants held in front seats and kids packed like sardines without seatbelts in what can only be called "carpool.
Practically speaking, you'll find infant and toddler seats in department stores, but product availability tapers off sharply for the backless booster seats that meet North American safety standards for bigger kids. With traffic moving slowly due to city congestion, and most people only going limited distances across the city (most Panamanians live in or around their capital city), I'm guessing this contributes to safety outcomes and also why car seat culture differs so dramatically here.
Long story short - I've simply had to accept that car seat safety culture varies significantly everywhere you go on this earth.
☐ EpiPens (Epinephrine Auto-Injectors)
For families managing severe allergies, EpiPens are literally life-saving medication that must be readily available. These are not widely available locally under the same brand name, might require different prescriptions or paperwork, or could be prohibitively expensive.
Best to stock up and bring rescue medications with you, or liaise closely with your local allergy specialist doctor about workable emergency plans. If you’ve ever dealt with life-threatening allergic reactions, you know that having backup supplies and understanding local emergency protocols becomes critical for health and safety.
Food & Supplies
☐ Pirate's Booty Snack
It’s a familiar snack that’s dye-free (we need this to avoid behaviors for some of us). Plus this airy, cheese-flavored snack is a lunchbox staple that's hard to replicate.
And to be honest, I consume 1/3 of the bags.
It’s my go-to salty, crunchy thing for me to keep on hand to reliably address my car sickness when we take long drives to the beach or the interior of the country.
☐ Applesauce Pouches
The convenience factor is huge - these pouches are perfect for lunch boxes, car trips, and quick snacks. Local applesauce options are often sold in glass jars or larger containers, making them less portable and practical for busy families on the go.
This snack is still in the rotation for my always-hungry snack food eater.
☐ Dye-Free Food Coloring and Sprinkles
For families avoiding artificial dyes due to sensitivities or preferences, these baking essentials can be nearly impossible to find. Regular food coloring often contains dyes that cause behavioral reactions in sensitive kids, making the natural versions non-negotiable.
Not a necessity but we brought some supplies with us to have on hand when we bake during the holidays or around birthdays.
☐ Quart-Size Ziploc Bags
They sell pint-size bags locally, but quart-size ones are rare and incredibly useful for meal prep, organizing kids' items, travel snacks, and protecting documents in humid weather. The size difference matters more than you'd think for food storage and daily organization.
☐ Familiar Printed Book Series
Continuing favorite book series or finding familiar authors in English can be challenging. Reading familiar stories provides comfort and continuity during big changes, and maintaining reading levels and interests becomes more important when kids are adjusting to new schools and environments.
☐ Greeting Cards in English
Finding birthday cards, sympathy cards, holiday cards, and other greeting cards written in English can be difficult. When you want to send a heartfelt message for special occasions or difficult times, having cards that express sentiments in your native language makes a real difference in connecting with friends and family.
Because the postal mail system isn’t a thing here, it’s not as big of an issue as I would anticipate. My kiddo constructs handmade cards for his friends’ birthdays and I got a box of plain notecards that will do the trick when writing the sentiment is what truly counts.
Electronics & Technology
☐ Streaming Device Compatibility
You need a plan for your entertainment devices to work with local internet and streaming services. Maintaining family movie nights and familiar entertainment helps with the transition, and some devices have regional restrictions that aren't obvious until you try to set them up.
To sum it up, my dear internet-friends:
Please don’t judge. Transitions are hard even when you actively pursue them. Don’t insist that I or
or our kiddo need to release every single aspect of what’s familiar to us just because we moved from the USA to Panama.Sometimes the little things do matter and yes, I keep a running list of those things that do frustrate us when we don’t have access to them.
It’s important to find the right balance between embracing local and available products and maintaining the comfort items that help your family thrive during a major transition.
Don’t worry, I will cross off items as we find them!
xo
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xo
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