In today’s blog post, I’m going to share about the different food experiences that I have had while living in Sweden.
First off, I should explain that students are considered to be responsible adults and are expected to do a lot more cooking and cleaning than students in the US. Many students eat most of their meals at home, or pack a lunch to bring to school. This is also partially reinforced because most restaurants and cafes where students might eat out are pretty expensive compared to a place like Boston. There are a couple cafes in the academic buildings which serve cheaper meals to students, and the cheapest fast food around town are stands that serve falafel and kebab. But again, for the most part, I have done all of my cooking in my kitchen.
The larger grocery stores in Lund have just about everything you might look for in Boston. Some things like peanut butter are not as common here, but it certainly is still possible to find it. The bigger difference here is that there is less options available in the produce and fruit section, understandably. Also, a lot of choices for meat and fish are not fresh but rather packaged and refrigerated or frozen.
I think the best Swedish food to experience in Sweden is the delicious coffee and pastries that you can find at any cafe. Sweden drinks more coffee per capita than any other country in the world, and it’s easy to see why. Delicious cafes that might be considered “hipster” in Boston can be found almost anywhere, from the inside of academic buildings to art museums. Stopping to sit at a cafe and enjoy a good conversation or just to watch people pass by always serves to remind me to slow down and take in life a bit more, like the Swedes do so well.
What I enjoy most about having a kitchen and access to fresh groceries is cooking with my friends and eating meals together. A few times throughout the week we will gather for a “family dinner” or brunch and enjoy both each other’s food and company!
