Historically, Sweden has a long tradition of being quite frugal and moderate when it comes to food. Lately, however, the country has become a culinary destination. Once considered a luxury, dining out is now an exciting adventure as countless different restaurants, bars, and fika places are vying for your attention.
The Swedish cuisine
Swedish food is not just about meatballs ' although of course, these are quite popular, and for good reason. The Swedish cuisine is all about the ingredients. It has its roots in making the most of nature's bounty and preserving the foods to last the winter. There is a lot of curing, pickling, canning and fermenting involved: Swedes love making open-faced sandwiches, called smörgåsbord, and topping them with things like cured ham and pickled cucumbers. As an extension of that, there is a jam for every variety of berry out there, some of them made to accompany savoury dishes.
The foods are hearty, high in healthy fat to protect from the cold. Salmon is a favourite source of protein, along with game meats such as deer and reindeer in the winter. Fish like herring, shrimp and crayfish are consumed in large quantities in the summer. Potatoes, mostly boiled, are a staple side dish.
Swedes certainly love patty-shaped food. Historically, it was a way for meat to be mixed with other ingredients and thus last longer, but nowadays it's about the convenience of it and the fact that it's appealing to children. Apart from the traditional meatballs, you can also find things like potato pancakes and 'meatballs' made from vegetables and legumes such as beets and chickpeas.
Good to know: The number of people who eat a vegetarian or vegan diet in Sweden keeps increasing. There are numerous local companies producing meat and dairy substitutes, some of them so successful they are now exporting their products in the UK and the US. If you thought about becoming a vegetarian, it will be very easy to do so in Sweden.
Of course, you will very rarely find just Swedish food at the table of an average Swedish family nowadays. International cuisine has heavily influenced everyday eating, especially when it comes to the 'junk food' culture. Swedes love eating pizza, heavily topped with things like kebab, pineapple and even peanuts, although they usually indulge in such things on Fridays as part of fredagsmys. On a daily basis though, you should expect to find things like tacos and burritos at a Swedish table.
Dining out in Sweden
Dining out in Sweden varies greatly depending on where you are based. Small towns still don't have many dining options besides a pizzeria and perhaps a few Indian or Chinese restaurants. In major cities, however, your choices are limitless. Talented chefs are reinterpreting Sweden's Nordic cuisine, creating fusion dishes that are awarded Michelin stars. Street food vendors bring flavours from all over the world. A focus on sustainability and wellness means you can find healthy dining options such as salad bars and sushi places. Whatever you choose, Sweden's got you covered.
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