Food and Drink
Latest articles about food, drink, and food culture in Sweden.
Sweden’s cultural gem is just 30 minutes from Stockholm
Head north instead of south when you touchdown at Stockholm Arlanda and in less than 20 minutes you’ll arrive in Uppsala. Sweden’s fourth-largest city is around 30 minutes by train from Stockholm but shouldn’t be dismissed as a second-rate satellite city.
The three tasty treats that make spring in Sweden a forager's dream
As large parts of Sweden finally emerge out of winter into spring, there will soon be a wide range of produce on offer in the Swedish countryside, if you know where to look.
What's the history behind Sweden's regional coffee varieties?
Sweden is a coffee culture, with the coffee and cakes 'fika' ritual at the centre of social life. But newcomers to the country soon discover that regional coffee brands like Löfbergs, Lindvalls, Gevalia, and Zoégas are surprisingly strong.
Five things you can grow on your balcony in Sweden
Want to try your hand at growing your own food or flowers but you don’t have any outside space? Don’t let that stop you. Here are Becky Waterton's top tips for what to grow on your balcony in Sweden.
Swedish Fika Calendar: What do waffles have to do with the Virgin Mary?
Hej and welcome to the latest instalment of The Local's Fika Calender, where we guide you through the most important cake, pastry and other food-related days in the Swedish year.
Sign up for The Local's Swedish Fika Calendar
Sweden is known for its sweet treats, whether that's sticky cinnamon buns, indulgent semlor or bright green princess cakes. The Local's Fika Calendar newsletter walks you through a whole year of Swedish fika, with information on the cakes and the history behind them.
Swedish Fika Calendar: Why Swedes eat cake on the first Thursday of March
Hej and welcome to the latest instalment of The Local's Fika Calender, where we guide you through the most important cake, pastry and other food-related days in the Swedish year.
Why I still don't understand the hype about Sweden's semlor
After over a decade in Sweden, The Local's Nordic Editor Richard Orange still feels that semlor – the much-hyped Swedish Lent speciality – aren't really all that.
Swedish Fika Calendar: Semla, the scrumptious treat that slayed a king
The Local's Fika Calendar walks you through a whole year of Sweden's coffee-and-cake tradition, with information on the pastries and the history behind them. Today: save some space in your tummy for the indulgent, cream-filled semla.
Swedish word of the day: fettisdagen
Today's word gives you as good an excuse as any to eat an enormous cream-filled bun.
Inside Sweden: Launching the most delicious newsletter of all time
The Local's editor Emma Löfgren rounds up the biggest stories of the week in our Inside Sweden newsletter.
Swedish foodie secrets: How to find Sweden's best semla
Semlor are traditional Swedish cardamom buns filled with whipped cream and almond paste. But what should you look for in a good semla, and what should you avoid?
Five Swedish lifestyle habits to adopt in 2025 (and one to avoid)
While Sweden can be a tough country to adapt to, Swedes are typically ranked among the happiest people in the world. Here are some local habits you should consider picking up this year.
Readers reveal: The top food mistakes foreigners make in Sweden
The Local's readers got in touch to share the Swedish food quirks that caught them out, after we published an article about Swedish food mistakes to avoid.
What's the deal with Sweden and its bizarre twist on tacos?
Friday is known in Sweden as the day most families celebrate the end of the week with some tacos. However, Sweden's take on the Mexican classic might differ greatly from what you are used to.
EXPLAINED: Sweden's plans to allow alcohol producers to sell take-away drinks
From June 1st, certain small-scale alcohol producers will be allowed to sell their products for consumption off-site. But what exactly do the new rules mean, and how do they differ from the current situation?
Christmas trees are safe to eat, says Swedish agency (some of them, anyway)
A day after Belgium warned against eating Christmas trees, Swedish officials said that the needles can be safely used to make butter and other products – as long as the trees are young and wild.
How to make Swedish mulled wine: glögg
One drink in particular keeps the Swedes warm in winter: glögg. The beverage has been a Christmas tradition in Sweden since the 1890s. John Duxbury shares his favourite recipe with The Local.
'Unclear effects on meat industry': Swedish government delays new dietary guidelines
Sweden’s food agency was due to present its new dietary guidelines, which include cutting down meat intake from 500 to 350 grams per week, at the beginning of 2025. This has now been delayed until April, as the government is worried about how it might affect Sweden’s meat industry.
Swedish food calendar: Eight delicious dates to stir into your schedule
With 2025 just around the corner, let's look at some more highlights of the Swedish culinary calendar. Here are eight dates you shouldn't miss.
Six bizarre Swedish Christmas foods to try only if you're very brave
It's Julbord (Christmas meal) season in Sweden, and that means the potential for unwitting foreigners to run into some pretty odd traditional yuletide foodstuffs.