I grew up in the UK and lived in the US for 4 years. Here are 2 things I missed eating and drinking during my time abroad and 5 American foods I loved.

I moved to the US after spending most of my life in the UK in 2015.

The reason I moved was for college — I ended up attending Boston University, and thoroughly enjoyed it. During my time away from home, I got to visit multiple states across the East Coast, study abroad on a cruise ship, and get to know what city life in the US was actually like.

Being the foodie that I am, there are plenty of American foods I came across during college that I miss. However, there are a couple of home comforts I'm glad to have back in my life after moving home in 2019.

My mom's chocolate cake is a dish I definitely missed when studying abroad, especially my first semester when I was one of the few people to have birthdays in the fall. It's not technically a British staple, but it is one of my family's favorite recipes and one we traditionally have on birthdays.

I can't remember exactly what I had in place of my mom's cake that first year, but I do remember having the odd birthday cake from Star Market, a New England chain of grocery stores. They were good, but nothing can compare to the fudgy deliciousness of my mom's cake.

One of the big differences between going to university in the US and the UK is that you are legally underage until you turn 21 in the states.

This was slightly annoying for me at the time because I'd just spent my senior year of high school in the UK legally being able to drink. And before coming to the US, one of my favorite boozy beverages was Pimms, a quintessentially British summer drink consisting of a gin-based liqueur, lemonade, chopped fruits, and mint.

I can't remember it being readily available in grocery stores in the US, but I did miss sharing a jug of Pimms between friends while studying abroad.

The first time I tried a lobster roll was at a stall in Quincy Market, Boston, and the experience was life-changing.

The lobster meat itself was soft, buttery, mixed together with a little bit of mayonnaise, and nicely sandwiched between a pillowy-soft, open bun.

As a big seafood fan, a New England lobster roll gave me the perfect bite because it was packed with flavor and soft textures.

Some of my favorite meals in life have been foods that I can dig into with my hands, which is probably why it's not surprising I became such a big fan of seafood boils while living in Boston.

My favorite spot was a restaurant in the Boston neighborhood of Allston called Holly Crab, which served Cajun-style seafood boils. I'd go with my three roommates senior year and get $13.95 worth of crawfish to myself that would come served in a huge plastic bag with sides including corn and potato.

Although you were provided with plastic gloves, it was still a precariously messy meal. But the flavor packed into the seasoning was worth every stain I'd inevitably get on my shirt and pants each time I went.

You can buy pre-frozen meals in the UK, no doubt. But none of it quite compares to the sheer variety and genuine tastiness of the frozen-food options sold at Trader Joe's.

From the frozen cauliflower rice to the gnocchi, some of my best weekday meals after class were Trader Joe's specialties.

I've got my fingers crossed that one day the grocery store chain will make a move across the pond.

Boston's North End is all about Italian foods. While that did mean a lot of pasta and pizza, I was personally a big fan of the sweeter delights, such as cannoli.

I have had cannoli in London since then but, in my opinion, nothing quite has compared to the variation served at Mike's Pastry in Boston.

At most places I've tried the pastry in the UK, either the shell has been too thick or the filling has been a bit too experimental for my taste.

Don't get me wrong, I've had some great pizza in the UK over the years. I'd also say that our variation of Domino's is far better than what is served in the US, in my experience.

But when I tried Artichoke Basille's Pizza during a trip to New York City during my sophomore year, it was unlike anything I'd had before. For one, I'm usually big on red sauce but I didn't miss it one bit when taking a big, cheesy bite of this pizza.

I haven't had any version of artichoke pizza since that trip so it's definitely on my list of foods to eat next time I'm in New York City.