A new survey by food retail duopolist Kesko paints a picture of Finns as strongly attached to traditional lunchtime favourites.
The food retailer asked 1,000 members of its Plussa loyalty programme to indicate their most popular foods and found that nine dishes dominated the list.
According to the survey the top go-to lunchtime choices in Finland included baked salmon (61%), mince and macaroni pie (59%) and meatballs (58%). Overall minced meat made an appearance in one form or another in six of the nine most popular dishes nominated by respondents.
However the much healthier – and more expensive – option of fish also featured in the top ten in the form of baked salmon, which was named the favourite dish and fish soup, which came in ninth. Some slow food items such as Karelian stew, pea soup and sautéed dishes also made the cut.
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At first glance, the list seems not very different from the results of similar surveys conducted in previous years, but one food culture researcher said that the outcome shows some evolution in the Finnish palate.
“We are not eating exactly the same food as a few decades ago. New options have gradually kept in as well,” said Helsinki University’s professor of food culture, Johanna Mäkelä.
She pointed out for example, that 20 or 30 years ago, lasagna or tortillas were not on the menu in Finland. However she said that in a way, they do fit in with the Finnish inclination for casseroles and pies. According to Mäkelä, the popular Italian export, pizza, has become more Finnish over decades.
Tried and true easier in everyday hustle
The top nine results don’t reflect how Finns talk about food though – verbally at least, there is evidence of interest in and even enthusiasm for trying new foods.
According to the survey, some 64 percent of respondents specifically said that they are very interested in food and nutrition. Roughly 60 percent also said that they would like to develop their cooking skills and culinary expertise. Just 10 percent said that they were not really interested in food, but were more concerned about filling up at mealtimes.
When it came to everyday life, however, respondents said they tended to fall back on tried and true recipes. Kesko’s retail trade head, Heidi Jungar described Finland’s favourite dishes as easy, quick to prepare and reasonably-priced.
“In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, we tend to reach for the tried-and-true because we can then get on without a hassle. I think that now and then people experiment more courageously. [For example] very often more exotic spices end up on our baked salmon and we even see variations to our minced meat dishes,” she explained.
Finns generally slow to experiment
The survey indicated that although Finns are faithful to their traditional favourites, at least three otherwise non-Finnish foods have become very popular on menus across the country: homemade pizzas, hamburgers and warm sandwiches.
Research has shown that people are only likely to try new foods a few times. Respondents in the Kesko survey said they were most likely to try Indian butter chicken, spicy Thai ribs and halloumi-vegetable steaks.
“Finns are somewhat cautious about trying new foods. We need encouragement. There should always be something familiar that you can use to introduce a new element,” Jungar advised.
Halloumi-vegetable steaks and grilled avocado fruit with fruit salsa were the only vegetarian options to make to the “something new” list, suggesting that Finns really love protein-heavy foods.
Chicken dishes also failed to make the cut of popular means, although meat consumption data suggest that Finns have increased their intake of poultry.
“This is a bit surprising. Maybe the chicken is used in tortillas. However Finns consume as much poultry as they do beef. Vegetables may also be used as a side dish,” Mäkelä speculated.
Respondents were also asked what kinds of meals they might consider preparing in the future. In addition to perch filets and green vegetable soup, they suggested more exotic items such as Tikka Masala, mac and cheese, dandelion salad and pullet oat roulades.
On the basis of the study, the food retail giant divided Finns into four groups. Food was said to be an integral part of their identity and a much-loved hobby for seven percent of respondents. About 25 percent said they saw food as mostly cooking and eating.
The majority – 44 percent – appeared to have just formed an interest in food and were looking to develop their cooking skills. Slightly more than 20 percent said that food was just a necessity of everyday life.
Roughly 1,000 of Kesko’s 3.6 million Plussa loyalty programme members participated in the survey.