Norwegian Grocery Stores
Norwegian groceries are extremely similar to American ones, but just a few minor differences.
For example, there are recycling bins in the entrance of the grocery. This is where you can drop off your cans, plastic bottles, or glass bottles. You can press a button to donate the recycling money to charity or you can get the recycling money back. When you purchase cans, or anything bottled you're charged a fee for it, but once you recycle you get that fee back, so all in all you're just getting money back. However, the other things you recycle go into color coded bags into the garbage bins outside. Food goes into a green bag, plastic goes into a blue bag, garbage and unrecyclable materials goes into another bag. Cardboard and paper goes in its own separate bin.
Another thing I've noticed is how rare it is to find sliced bread. In America we usually have an entire bread aisle of sliced bread. Most of the bread in Norway is freshly baked and placed on shelves. If you want it sliced - slice it yourself. I think the bread tastes better here and is fresher, but it doesn't last long at all. So, if you were to buy bread make sure it's eaten within 2-3 days maximum.
Overall comparing American and Norwegian grocery stores are very similar. I do know recently the rotten fruit and vegetable selling has been exploited after a documentary was made of it in Norway, but I think Norwegian stores probably sell fresher foods, but smaller variety. American stores have a larger variety and the food is more preserved and you don't have to worry about it spoiling after just a few days.
I do like going to a grocery store called Meny best of all simply because they seem to have more imported foods. More imported foods meaning more American stuff, though I'm very okay with trying new things. I just like going into a store which has imported goods from home.
Another thing I've noticed is just how many grocery stores there are. The city I lived in while I was working and going to school in America had a population of 20 - something thousand people. There were 3 grocery stores. In Skien, there's a population of about 52,000 people with at least 22 grocery stores roughly guessing.
Also, it's common to find grocery stores inside shopping malls here in Norway.
One of my favorite foods so far has been lefse. It's a flat bread made of potatoes and flour and well, you can put anything on it really. Cinnamon and sugar. Cream cheese and ham. Fruit. Whatever. I love the stuff!
Some of my favorite foods here are the yogurt and other things similar.
My first week of moving here, one of the main concerns of my family seemed to be how well I was eating. If I had to adapt to eating "their food." Every time I called someone, family or friends, the question would come up. I really wanted to tease them and tell them it has been so hard getting used to fish soup and sheep's head (Smalahove) but I didn't do that of course. So, I do wonder if possibly the opposite happens say if someone moves to America. If their family and friends back home would worry they're eating nothing but cheeseburgers from McDonald's, cheese on top of cheese on top of cheese, and tacos all the time?
For example, there are recycling bins in the entrance of the grocery. This is where you can drop off your cans, plastic bottles, or glass bottles. You can press a button to donate the recycling money to charity or you can get the recycling money back. When you purchase cans, or anything bottled you're charged a fee for it, but once you recycle you get that fee back, so all in all you're just getting money back. However, the other things you recycle go into color coded bags into the garbage bins outside. Food goes into a green bag, plastic goes into a blue bag, garbage and unrecyclable materials goes into another bag. Cardboard and paper goes in its own separate bin.
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| This is the machine you put your recycling into. |
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| Bread slicer. |
I don't think it's much of a surprise with there being a lot of seafood. It's not uncommon at all to see small freezers full of jumbo shrimp and scoops so you can grab a bag or an aisle or two of seafood in the freezer section. I am surprised at how common it is to find whole fish.
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| When I took this picture, Arild said with a sigh, "Why are you taking a picture of dead fish???" |
Overall comparing American and Norwegian grocery stores are very similar. I do know recently the rotten fruit and vegetable selling has been exploited after a documentary was made of it in Norway, but I think Norwegian stores probably sell fresher foods, but smaller variety. American stores have a larger variety and the food is more preserved and you don't have to worry about it spoiling after just a few days.
I do like going to a grocery store called Meny best of all simply because they seem to have more imported foods. More imported foods meaning more American stuff, though I'm very okay with trying new things. I just like going into a store which has imported goods from home.
Another thing I've noticed is just how many grocery stores there are. The city I lived in while I was working and going to school in America had a population of 20 - something thousand people. There were 3 grocery stores. In Skien, there's a population of about 52,000 people with at least 22 grocery stores roughly guessing.
Also, it's common to find grocery stores inside shopping malls here in Norway.
And to share some of my favorite foods!!!
I love potato chips in Norway! I didn't like American potato chips too well (unless they were baked) because of the greasy residue left on your fingers.
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| Paprika flavored chips! My favorite! |
One of my favorite foods so far has been lefse. It's a flat bread made of potatoes and flour and well, you can put anything on it really. Cinnamon and sugar. Cream cheese and ham. Fruit. Whatever. I love the stuff!
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| Lunch. Peach SWEET tea, yogurt and ham and cream cheese lefse. |
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| Some of my favorite yogurt. Chocolate yogurt with nuts and coconut yogurt with granola and dried fruit. |
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| Rice pudding of sorts with raspberry sauce. :-) |
My first week of moving here, one of the main concerns of my family seemed to be how well I was eating. If I had to adapt to eating "their food." Every time I called someone, family or friends, the question would come up. I really wanted to tease them and tell them it has been so hard getting used to fish soup and sheep's head (Smalahove) but I didn't do that of course. So, I do wonder if possibly the opposite happens say if someone moves to America. If their family and friends back home would worry they're eating nothing but cheeseburgers from McDonald's, cheese on top of cheese on top of cheese, and tacos all the time?
I'm eating no different than in America. I just have a little more lefse in my life now. :-) I still eat oreos, I fix Mexican food at least 2-3 times a week, eat pizza at least once a week, share a bowl of ice cream with Arild. Nothing is different. I've even been asked recently if I needed anyone to send me jars (JARS - plural!) of peanut butter! HAHA! No, I have actually found the good stuff! So far, I've found Peter Pan and Skippy peanut butter in stores! No peanut butter worries! :-)
Comments
Haha, yes, I can confirm this!