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What do Swedes eat during the day. What is the national cuisine, traditional dishes and food in Sweden? Sweden what to try

Detailed data on the history of the development of modern Swedish cuisine is extremely scarce. And the reason for this is not only the rich past of this country, which is a series of endless wars and confrontations for territory and power. But also severe weather conditions, which significantly narrowed the range of ingredients used in cooking. And, as a result, they forced the inhabitants of Sweden to be content with little. However, despite all these obstacles, today this state boasts an exquisite, hearty and original cuisine, which is based on nutritious and incredibly tasty dishes.

It is worth noting that Swedish culinary traditions were formed mainly under the influence of Denmark and Norway. However, later France, Germany and Turkey played a huge role in their development, thanks to which the Swedes began to pay attention not only to the taste and nutritional properties of dishes, but also to their appearance.

Initially, Swedish cuisine was not very diverse. It was based only on products subject to long-term storage. First of all, these are pickles, marinades, dried and smoked meats. By the way, in the old days, turnips were widely used here. The beloved potato appeared on the territory of Sweden only in the 18th century and subsequently successfully replaced it.

In addition to it, meat and fish are very popular here. The Swedes have been preparing dishes from them for centuries, which is not surprising. After all, cattle breeding and fishing were the main types of fishing for them. And only over time, agriculture was added to them. The favorite type of fish in Sweden is herring. Not a single feast is complete without it. Moreover, the Swedes know a huge number of recipes for its preparation. It is salted, marinated in mustard or wine, fermented, stewed, baked in the oven or grilled, sandwiches and all kinds of fish dishes are made from it. The Swedish delicacy with fermented herring, which was once included in the list of the most terrible dishes in the world, deserves special attention.

From meat in Sweden they prefer pork, venison and game. In addition, dairy products, in particular, milk, cheeses, butter, kefir, curdled milk or yogurt, are held in high esteem by the Swedes. They love cereals, mushrooms, as well as vegetables, fruits and berries. But they practically do not use spices, successfully replacing them with delicious sauces.

By the way, the concept of "buffet" really came from Sweden. The fact is that in the old days, guests came to various events for a long time. Therefore, they were offered long-term storage dishes, which were taken out to a cool room and left on a long table. Thus, each newcomer could take as much food as he needed on his own, without bothering either the hosts or other guests.

The main ways of cooking in Sweden:

True Swedish cuisine differs from the cuisines of other Scandinavian countries by the presence of a bright, sweetish flavor in the dishes. After all, the Swedes love to add sugar everywhere and are sincerely proud of it. Meanwhile, this is far from the only feature of Sweden. After all, only in this kingdom they prepare not just gourmet dishes of haute cuisine, but truly unique or even exotic ones. Like, for example, chicken baked in clay. It is worth noting that before cooking it is not plucked, but simply gutted, washed and coated with clay. And then they are baked on stones in order to subsequently enjoy the unique taste of the most delicate roast. In this case, all unplucked feathers remain on the clay. This recipe has been known since Viking times.

In addition to it, in Swedish cuisine there are other, no less interesting dishes:

swedish meatballs

Christmas ham

Fried chanterelle mushrooms

Swedish bread

Sweet cinnamon buns

Cane caramel

Swedish cake "Princess"

Useful properties of Swedish cuisine

Sweden is a country with a high standard of living. That is why only high-quality products are used for food here, which subsequently has a positive effect on the health of the nation. Even alcoholic drinks here are of very high quality. But the inhabitants of Sweden drink them moderately.

In addition, the food of the Swedes is incredibly diverse. They are very fond of meat and fish, but successfully combine them with vegetables, fruits or berries and complement them with soups. Almost all the ingredients for Swedish cuisine are produced in the country itself.

At first glance, it may seem that the Swedes eat too much fatty and sweet food. However, this is a forced measure necessary for normal life in a rather harsh climate. It does not in any way affect the state of health of the nation. The best proof of this is statistics. Swedes have an average life expectancy of almost 81 years, and only 11% of the population is overweight.

Over the past years, Swedish national cuisine has been called one of the healthiest. Simply because it consists mainly of dishes based on the gifts of the sea and rivers.

The history of Swedish cuisine is dynamic and interesting. Foreign influences from Turkey, France and Germany influenced the development of Swedish cuisine in the Middle Ages and its modern taste. Changes in food are also associated with changes in the way of life of the Swedes and the development of the country.

Back in the last century, when Sweden was a pre-industrial society, workers in the forests and fields needed fatty, satisfying food. Since then, a lot has changed: nowadays the Swedes are fond of healthy eating and sports, so restaurants are increasingly concerned not about satiety, but about quality and elegant serving.

Meat joys

Sweden will surprise meat lovers with elk (älgfile) and deer (renfile) meat dishes, as well as enchanting ox dishes (oxfile). You can try the real elk served with chanterelles and baked potatoes at the C&C restaurant. Deer dishes are served in the same way, as you can see by visiting one of the Michelin-starred restaurants in Stockholm (there are 8 in total) - Mathias Dahlgren.

To try ox meat delicacies, feel free to visit the restaurants Den gyldene freden, Kryp In, De svarta fåren, located in the Old Town. A variety of game dishes can be enjoyed at Vigårda, Köttebaren and other establishments of the well-known Grupp 12 restaurant chain.

The world-famous Swedish meatballs made famous by Ikea are also worth tasting while in Sweden. After all, this is a classic of real Swedish cuisine! They are usually served with mashed potatoes and lingonberry sauce - Ikea did not deceive you in this. Many note the Pelikan restaurant as one of the places where they should be ordered. By the way, elk dishes are also served here.

fish dishes

Sweden is famous for its fish and seafood, so it's simply impossible to come here and not try the local salmon and herring.

Salted salmon is a famous delicacy that adorns the Swedes' table for the holidays. For example, the Christmas table will not be complete if there is no salmon on it. According to surveys by many Swedes, one of the best places to try smoked salmon is the Amaranten restaurant, also located in one of the narrow streets of the Old Town, Den svarta fåren on Stora Torget square, a small cafe called Under Kastanjen in one of the quiet lanes.

Herring is present in both Russian and Swedish cuisines. Why not compare the familiar Russian herring with its Swedish version? Many advise you to try it in the Fem Sma Hus restaurant, which will offer you not only delicious herring, but also excellent service and a pleasant atmosphere.

sweet swedish life

The Swedes are lovers of coffee breaks, which have their own special name - fika. How does fika differ from the traditional understanding of a coffee break? Fika can be arranged at any time, agreed in advance or spontaneously. You can also leave the fika whenever you want, and your interlocutor should not be offended, even if the fika lasted only half an hour. Of course, fika is impossible without traditional pastries and cakes that will not leave anyone indifferent.

The cinnamon bun (kanelbulle) is the sweet symbol of Sweden. In Stockholm, there was even a poll called "The Best Cinnamon Rolls". The competition was won by the French confectionery Café Saturnus. The cinnamon rolls there are really incredible sizes. Share with a friend - it will be difficult to eat such a bun alone!

In any cafe, your eye will be drawn to a cake with light green icing, under which a delicate biscuit is hidden - Princesstårta. Swedes love to buy this cake for birthdays and other special occasions.

If you find yourself in Sweden in February, you will see fragrant cream buns - semla - in all cafes, which you can try in Schweizer cafe, located a stone's throw from the parliament. Traditionally, they were eaten before Lent, when Sweden was a Catholic country, like pancakes are eaten in Russia for Maslenitsa.

Swedish culinary traditions find a lively response in the broad Slavic soul. Satiety, abundance and healthy peasant simplicity, the national cuisine of Sweden is somewhat reminiscent of Russian. Restaurant menus include cutlets, meatballs, potato salads and pork roll, and cabbage rolls have long been considered a court dish.

What are the favorite foods in Sweden?

Gourmet tours to Sweden have become fashionable as a tribute to the craze for an ecological lifestyle and organic food that does not contain artificial flavors. Swedish chefs are very careful with spices and appreciate the natural taste of food.

However, traditional Swedish cuisine is notable for the fact that many European delicacies are included in the daily diet of the masses. The classic "sandwich table", which we call Swedish, provides not only all kinds of salads, cold cuts, toasts and canapes: the Swedes have a high regard for red fish, seafood, lobsters, eels, crayfish, and one of the favorite national dishes in Sweden is salmon , smoked on fresh juniper twigs.

Herring is eaten with mustard, with lemon or white sauce, and also in the form of a steak (zilbutar mid korintzes). On Sundays and holidays, they serve boiled sea pike (luftisk), potato casserole with sprats and spring-style fish - mackerel with mayonnaise and cream, seasoned with herbs.

Many everyday dishes in Sweden have been known since Viking times. The morning starts with velling milk porridge, and for lunch, grutta is usually prepared - dishes of boiled meat and vegetables: beef with beans, lamb with stewed cabbage, peas with pork, corned beef with turnips, and so on.

Probably, grutta recipes have come down to us from ancient times only because the Swedish hinterland did not know either gas or electric stoves for a long time. Until the middle of the 19th century, all products were cooked in one cauldron over the hearth.

A prominent place in rural Swedish cuisine is occupied by game - roasted venison and elk, elk liver pate, chopped venison cutlets and soup with elk meat meatballs. Meat, fish and root vegetables are complemented by homemade dairy products - yogurt and soft varieties of goat cheese "Greve" and "Vesterbotten".

As in other Nordic countries, traditional Swedish cuisine is high in calories. Meat dishes are fried in lard or lard, and zrazy, meatballs, meatballs, sausages and sausages are usually served with a side dish of boiled potatoes, beets or turnips.

There is a widespread village habit of flavoring any dish with bread, which is baked in its own way in each region. In Norrland they love bread with the addition of barley flour (tunnbrød), and in the central counties they prefer fragrant crispbread (knaeköbrød).

Despite the high cost of alcohol, strong drinks in Sweden invariably find themselves at the center of the festive feast. Without arak punch, Christmas is not a joy, and on gloomy winter evenings, glögg appears on the tables - mulled wine with cloves, cardamom, almonds and cinnamon, diluted with vodka. Swedish herbal tinctures Branvin and Aquavit are ideal as gifts for family and friends: a luxurious bouquet of aromas is verified to the last grain.

In Skåne, good wine is made from local grapes, and beer and whiskey are produced in the northern fiefs, rich in barley. Swedish dark-roast Zoegas and hazelnut-flavored Gevalia coffees may not seem strong enough, but locals love them: Sweden ranks second in Europe in terms of per capita coffee consumption.

Passionate passion of harsh Swedes for all sorts of sweets and pastries sometimes shocks tourists. The bread has a distinct sweet taste, the meat is generously poured with jam, and the black pudding is sprinkled with sugar.

During a trip to Sweden, all diets are canceled: it is impossible to resist when waffles with jam, chocolate, rhubarb pie, gooseberry soufflé, gingerbread and cinnamon cream buns constantly flash before your eyes. As souvenirs, handmade chocolates and natural marmalade are brought from Sweden.

Restaurant menu: what to choose?

At present, the national cuisine of Sweden is slowly growing out of the peasant role and actively absorbing the achievements of culinary schools from different countries. Leading cities and other major cities have mastered Italian, Chinese and French cuisine, and numerous eatery chains are actively promoting an international menu of fast food products.

To get acquainted with take a closer look at home-cooked restaurants (husmanskost). Here, tourists are offered to taste spicy easterband pork sausages, flaskrulader pork roll, liver pate leverpastey, Swedish dumplings kottbullar, black pudding, potato pancakes, blood pudding and chicken baked in clay - delicious, like in childhood with my grandmother!

If you are used to starting your meal with hot rich soup, a rich selection of first courses will not leave you indifferent. Along with the usual soups with noodles, peas and beans, the menu comes across real delicacies - beer soup elebrod, crayfish neck soup, soup with liquor or cognac. Mushroom sauce, dumplings and meatballs are often added to the broth.

The average bill for a dinner for two in a Swedish restaurant will be about 580 SEK. Some delicacies can also be tasted for free during the numerous food festivals that have made Sweden a resounding outpost of gourmet tourism.

In addition to the famous culinary week "Try Stockholm" in June, the country's traditional gastronomic holidays deserve no less attention. In February, Linköping celebrates the Chocolate Festival, on Fat Tuesday, vanilla buns with cream are handed out on the streets of tourist cities, and on Waffle Day on March 25, the country enthusiastically relishes sult with jam and chocolate. In Malmö, gourmet dishes of freshly caught crayfish are enjoyed in August, the first catches of eels are welcomed in September, and on October 4 it is the turn of cinnamon buns.

Participating in a food festival can be an exciting adventure, but keep in mind that some of Sweden's national dishes have more than a specific flavor. Tasting fried herring, surströmming (lightly salted Baltic herring fermenting in its own juice) or trout marinated in grove promises extreme sensations on the brink of failure!

TOP 7 Swedish dishes to try

  • Puttipanna- a stew of finely chopped potatoes mixed with slices of pork and beef, fried in lard.
  • Beef steak "Lindström" - a small beef chop with finely chopped beets.
  • bleak caviar- a favorite delicacy of the coast of the Kalix River.
  • Nasselsuppa-lead-egg- cream soup with oysters.
  • egg fritters- fried cakes made from biscuit dough, which are usually served with cabbage salad, fried pork or jam.
  • Sylt- Swedish waffles with marmalade, hot chocolate and whipped cream.
  • Spettkaka- Dessert made from beaten egg whites with jam, chocolate and berries.

Sweden is a country with a cold climate, which cannot but affect the peculiarities of the national cuisine. It contains a lot of marinades, pickles and smoked meats, dried and dried meat, fish. Many national dishes of Sweden are gifts from forests, seas and rivers. As a rule, they are satisfying and high-calorie. Today we will make a brief introductory excursion and get acquainted with the features of Swedish cuisine.

Characteristics

Italy is strongly associated with pasta, Japan with rolls and sushi. What national dish of Sweden do you remember? This cuisine is characterized by the use of fat and sugar, fermented milk products and sweet and sour sauces, which are served with meat and fish dishes. Moreover, there can be quite a lot of options, from the usual beef with tomato sauce to completely extravagant mackerel with peach jelly.

Remembering the national dishes of Sweden, meatballs with lingonberry sauce are usually called first. This dish is served with potatoes. And, of course, the whole world knows the rules of the buffet. Dishes are not usually divided in portions. They are put on a common table, where everyone will take for themselves as much as they want. Let's first look at the features of cooking meatballs, Carlson's favorite dish. And then we'll go further.

Cooking meatballs the Swedish way

If you are used to making them large, palm-sized, then you will have to reconsider your views. The national dish of Sweden involves the preparation of small meat balls, about three centimeters in diameter. Product set:

  • Minced meat mixed - 0.5 kg.
  • Crackers - 3/4 tbsp.
  • Egg - 1 pc.

Minced meat should be beaten well, form meatballs, roll them in breadcrumbs and fry in vegetable oil. Transfer the cooked meatballs to a serving dish.

sauce preparation

This is the most important part of the dish. Without it, meatballs lose their charm. For the sauce you will need:

  • Broth - 300 ml.
  • Soy sauce - 1 tsp
  • Cream - 50 ml.
  • Sauce from the pan where the meatballs were fried - 2 tbsp. l.
  • Flour - half a tablespoon.

First of all, you need to melt the butter and fry the flour in it. Pour in the broth and after two minutes add the rest of the ingredients. You can immediately transfer the meat balls to the sauce or pour over them before serving. It's up to the owner's choice.

traditional casserole

It is cooked here very often, so one cannot but recall such a casserole when listing the national dishes of Sweden. Her name is intriguing: "The Temptation of Janson." In Sweden, you can buy it at almost every step for a sample. To prepare this dish at home, you will need:


Cooking technology

You will need a heat resistant mold.

  • Potatoes need to be grated on a special grater, as for potato pie. You can also just cut into thin slices. Put it in the form.
  • Now fry the onion in vegetable oil. It must be placed on top of the potatoes.
  • Next comes the fish. Post it in random order.
  • Close again with potatoes. But putting it a lot is not worth it, otherwise it will clog the whole taste of the fish.
  • Fill with milk.

Swedish national cuisine and dishes are high in calories. It cannot be said that this is a minus. Moreover, you can correct this moment at your discretion. The casserole must be placed in the oven until a crust forms. At this time, you should fry the crackers. After taking out the casserole, you need to sprinkle it with them and put pieces of butter on top. Now you can remove the casserole to the oven to brown.

Smoked fish pudding

Today we will not consider the sweet national dishes of Swedish cuisine, there is not enough time for this. Hot fish and meat dishes - this is the topic of our article. Puddings are a big deal here. They are served in restaurants and cooked by housewives. And one of the most interesting recipes is smoked fish pudding. You will need the following set of products:

  • Rice - 200 g.
  • Milk - 2 cups.
  • - 300 g. You can replace it with another smoked fish.
  • Eggs - 2 pcs.
  • Crushed crackers - 2 tbsp. l.

The fish must be cut into pieces and freed from the bones. Boil milk in a saucepan and add rice to it. After 15 minutes, add 60 g of butter and leave the rice to cool. Eggs should be divided into yolks and whites. The cooled rice should be mixed with yolks and fish, salt and pepper. Now enter the whites whipped into a strong foam. Lubricate the baking dish with oil and put the mass into it. Bake the pudding for 40 minutes, until golden brown. Serve drizzled with melted butter. Very good in a hot form, but the next day does not lose its charm.

Herring in tomato sauce

This is a very interesting dish that vaguely resembles canned food. Excellent hot and cold. This is Sweden's national herring dish, popular with tourists. For cooking you will need:

  • Herring - 1 kg.
  • Tomato juice - two glasses.
  • Salt and dill seeds - two teaspoons each.

For this dish, you will need a clean fillet. Therefore, the fish must be separated from the bones and cut into long strips. Grease the mold with oil and sprinkle with salt. Now roll each piece of fish into a tight roll and lay one next to the other. Pour in tomato juice and sprinkle with the rest of the salt, put the dill. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. An excellent dish that will be delicious the next day. And it does not even require warming up.

Swedish delicacy: surströmming herring

This is Sweden's most famous national dish. Rotten fish, as it is sometimes called. This is a herring with a rather pungent smell and a delicate taste. In fact, it is not rotten, but pickled. It is traditionally served on a specific day in August.

For cooking, they usually take small fish. They cut off the head and remove the insides, except for the caviar and appendix. After that, the fish is placed in a saline solution. After two or three days, it is replaced by another, with a lower salt content. So the fish is rolled into jars and cleaned in the cold. They continue to ferment. The lids will puff up, this is normal. Banks must be opened on the street, immersed in water. I must say, this activity is not the most pleasant, because the smell is far from the best.

How to use

When the jar is opened, the smell is very sharp. But after a little exposure to the air, the fish becomes quite acceptable. If everything was done correctly, then the fillet acquires a delicate and very pleasant taste. You can eat it straight from the jar, with tomatoes and potatoes. Pickled herring is perfect for making sandwiches. To do this, take thin barley cakes and wrap the fish in them. These rolls are eaten with onions and cheese, and usually washed down with beer. But there are people who take milk for these purposes. Judging by the reviews - a dish for an amateur.

Its smell is especially frightening. But if you dare to try, you can appreciate the originality of taste. I must say that this dish is more a tribute to tradition than everyday food. Pickled herring used to save from hunger, but today it has become almost a ritual dish.

Instead of a conclusion

Swedish cuisine offers us quite a lot of original and interesting recipes. How would you like sausage with beer? To prepare this snack, you just need to cut the boiled sausage and put it on a baking sheet. Fill it with beer and add horseradish with black pepper. Bake in the oven for twenty minutes. It turns out an original snack that is perfect for beer.

The Swedes are so severe that they often dye their naturally blond hair black, children in kindergartens are put to sleep on the street all year round, and cleaners are sent to take refresher courses. About this and much more - in an interview with our 24-year-old compatriot Dina Vasiltsova, who has been living in Sweden for about five years.

- Dina, how did you end up in Sweden?

From the age of 13, I dreamed of going abroad to study. And when I entered the linguistic school in Minsk, I quickly realized that it was not mine after all and that it was time to realize my ambitions. Sweden at that time was on the list of countries with free education for foreigners (now this is no longer the case), the requirements for admission were very real (translate a certificate into English, notarize it, pass a language exam and write an essay), so I decided right away , with no doubt. Thus began my three-year study at Malmö University with a degree in international relations (bachelor).

- You went to study all alone? Was it not scary? And how did your parents let you go to the "green" 20 years?

Yes, I was traveling alone, I didn’t know anyone in Sweden. But a daughter of my age studied with my mother's friend in the USA, and both of them were very pleased, and my mother was incited to the fact that "to be afraid of wolves - do not go into the forest." True, it turned out that it was not so easy. It was a separate adventure to collect, from everyone I knew, the fabulous amount that was required to enter Sweden on a student visa. According to their laws, when crossing the border, a foreign student must have money on the card at the rate of 700 euros per month - for all three years of study! Of course, after submitting the documents to the embassy, ​​when I was given an appropriate certificate confirming my financial viability, I returned all this money.

I was not paid a stipend, therefore, in order to pay for a room (about 200 euros per month) and food (the same amount), I had to look for a part-time job from the very first months. First, I cleaned the apartment with friends, then with their friends, then with friends of friends - and so on in a chain. Then they began to ask me to stay with small children ... It was an informal job, so I did not have to pay taxes, and I had enough money to live on.

- Can we feel the language barrier in Sweden and is it realistic to get a job knowing only English?

Without knowledge of Swedish, it is only possible to get a job in an IT specialty or in an international company if you have invaluable experience and talents in this area (I know such examples from life). Otherwise, language is very important. Foreigners (including those with a student visa) are taught Swedish for free, you just need to submit documents and wait in line (I had to wait three months). If you go through all the levels in a row, then on average it takes about a year. Then you are entered with a corresponding note in a special database for employers, and you can also enter an institute where education is conducted in Swedish.

- What difficulties does an emigrant have to face in Sweden, especially at first?

My student life was pretty easy. The Swedes are fluent in English, so the onboarding went very smoothly. The city of Malmo, where I studied, seemed to me safe, small, and easy to navigate. I quickly found friends, a part-time job, life began to spin ... Of course, I had to save money, move a couple of times - I was looking for cheaper housing. But when you are a young student with a bicycle, the costs are small.

Immigration is a completely different issue. When I moved to this status, real difficulties began: the language barrier, bureaucracy, waiting for documents for months, unemployment ...

Those who wish to obtain a residence permit should also be aware that years spent as a student do not count. Living in Sweden is considered the time during which you worked here or were, as they say, "in a relationship" (for this it is not necessary to get married, it is enough just to be registered with a guy at the same address).

- Is it easy for a foreigner to find a job in Sweden? What does it depend on?

Finding a job is difficult even for Swedes. In some ways, this is a large village, where connections are the decisive factor. The more contacts in the country, the more chances to get a job. Knowledge of the language is very important for most specialties. Experience, of course, is required everywhere, even in the simplest jobs: even for cleaners there are courses and when they are hired, they go through something like a casting, who cleans better ...

In general, after 4.5 years of living here, it increasingly seems to me that career success depends primarily on luck. Here's the truth: some people look for work for months (like me, for example), while others are offered a job in a pub over a glass of beer... It is also worth saying that positions are not scattered here, foreigners with extensive work experience are more often invited to a lower level.

- What still surprises you and surprises you in Sweden?

The first thing that caught my eye literally immediately upon arrival was a calm, without fanaticism, attitude towards religion. It comes to the fact that I saw a club equipped in the building of a former church, with a hefty neon cross on the sign ... We would not understand this and call it blasphemy.

There are many confessions here, but even more - atheists. Most of the priests are women, which is new for our country. The Swedes themselves say that they go to church only three times in their lives: at baptism, at a wedding and at a funeral. Just like that, few people come to temples. However, most Swedes pay a church tax because it guarantees a free graveyard spot.

In contrast to Minsk, it was very surprising that after 7 pm the city seemed to die out: everyone went home, there was peace and tranquility around. All pubs, clubs and other "hot" places are located next to each other, on one of the main streets, and in the rest of the city you can feel completely safe at night.

It is also amazing that there are no stray cats and dogs here at all. The Swedes somehow manage to control their population. Pets are expensive and all have chips implanted under their skin.

There are no orphanages and boarding schools in Sweden either. It is practiced here to place orphans or children who find themselves in a difficult life situation in temporary foster families who are paid a salary.

- Are there any peculiarities in the system of medicine and education?

Certainly! Medicine here is paid, but very cheap. If a person spends a certain maximum on medical services per year (something around 80 euros), he receives the rest of the services free of charge, including prescription drugs. That is, for people who are often or seriously ill, it is very beneficial. But on the other hand, there is no house call service (as we have: when, for example, a high temperature), an ambulance arrives only when you cannot move. In all other cases, you take a taxi yourself, and then sit in the hospital for many, many hours, waiting for an appointment. Because of the cheapness, an incredibly large number of people come here ... So sometimes it's easier to call the free telephone service for medical assistance, ask for advice and be treated on your own.

As for education, kindergartens and schools are free here, including food and even transport (if the kindergarten or school is far from home). Children are taken to museums, on excursions and to theaters for free ... I think this is how the state tries to stimulate the birth rate.

In most gardens, "quiet time" is held all year round on the street - there are cribs on the open verandas, on which dressed children go to bed (maybe that's why the Swedes are so hardened and dress quite lightly in cold weather). In addition, there are special "environmentally friendly kindergartens" where children spend the whole day outside, and only come into the room to eat.

At one time I worked part-time in a kindergarten and was also struck by the fact that here for some reason for quite a long time - up to three years, or even later, a child can walk in a diaper. And the children here are so spoiled that even mega-democratic educators are sometimes forced to raise their voices at them. And about, as we have, to seat the whole group, for example, to draw at the same time, there is no question here. They just can't organize it. Therefore, they draw, sculpt, etc. - in groups of five. The rest of the kids do whatever they want.

- Is it expensive to live in Sweden? What are the salaries, are taxes high? What are the prices for food, housing and rent?

Prices here are about the same as in all of Europe, but taxes are among the highest in the world. The minimum scholarship is 900 euros (however, you have to slowly return 600 of them to the state when you get a job), rent a room - at least 300 euros, buy groceries for a week - about 70 euros. The usual salary is about 2000 euros. Taxes - at least 15% of the salary, but it happens that it comes up to 50! The more you earn, the more you "unfasten" the country ... It is very annoying that even if you earn little, you still have to pay high taxes, and only at the end of the year they can return the overpaid to you. But money is usually needed here and now! ..

- How do Swedes usually spend their free time, what are their most common hobbies?

Many Swedes love the outdoors, hiking, kayaking, sports and fitness. Going for morning runs or going to the gym at least once a week (but usually more often) is considered almost a good form rule here. This is probably why you practically don’t meet overweight people here, and I don’t think I have ever seen a person with obvious obesity in Sweden even once ...

But the Swedes, of course, also have bad habits. Friday night is the time when many gather in the pubs and later go to the club. Beer is the most popular alcoholic drink here. In general, alcohol here is very expensive and is not sold everywhere, but only in specialized stores that close quite early and do not work at all on Sundays. Because of the decent price, it is generally customary to drink champagne only a few times in life: for example, at a wedding. Swedes often make so-called "alcohol raids" to neighboring countries (Denmark, Norway, etc.), where alcoholic beverages are more affordable.

Cigarettes are also quite expensive here. But there is a popular alternative to them - snus, which were invented about 200 years ago. These are small "pillows" with tobacco, similar to reduced tea bags, which are placed under the upper lip for one to two hours. They cost half the price of cigarettes, and they do not produce smoke (other people are happy!). But cancer from nicotine can still occur, only it will affect not the lungs, but the gums and stomach ...

- What in this country is from the category "this is for people!" - that is, something that Belarus is still far from?

Well, for example, in buses the floor drops here when they drive up to a stop, so that it is easier for the elderly and parents with strollers to get in and out. The transport schedule is very accurate and is displayed on monitors installed at stops. For the disabled in all vehicles there are ramps that extend if necessary. Why, even in some forest more often you can easily find a dry closet for the disabled!

Many different types of services can be paid online. I've lived here for almost five years, and I've only been to the bank twice. Everyone is given a free special device, similar to a calculator, with which you can make a variety of payments and other banking operations from anywhere: from home or sitting in a park on a picnic. And now, instead of this device, there is an application for the phone. So the process is even more simplified. And no queues for you!

The disabled, the unemployed, mothers on maternity leave, people in difficult situations are paid good benefits. For the disabled and the elderly, there are special assistants who come to the house: this profession is respected and well paid.

- By the way, what kind of life do pensioners lead here and what do they look like?

Retirees are generally very active. As long as there is strength, they go on trips, ride a bicycle, lead a social life. But when health problems begin, then everyone has the same old age. Only in Sweden, pensioners are helped by specialized personnel, and life in a nursing home for local people is not a whim or getting rid of unwanted relatives, but a common practice.

How do Swedes build relationships and families? Where is it customary to get acquainted, how long do they meet before the wedding, at what age do they usually get married and have children?

They meet through acquaintances, in pubs or clubs, at various events... The Internet is also a very acceptable place for getting to know each other, but transport or the street is a place more for looking back, but not for getting to know each other. However, on Friday evening anything is possible. Relations in the family are built on equality and respect for each other, children are most often consciously born, after 30 years. It's simple - up to 30, most, as a rule, are still studying. They are not in a hurry with this. It happens that after school, young people go to travel or go to work, and then go somewhere else. Moreover, they can study first in one place, then in another, then in a third - education here is often free, and even a scholarship is paid. In my group, where I came to study, I was the youngest. Most were 25-26 years old or older.

The population growth here is small, but there are an average of two children for every woman. One child in a family is rare. Before the wedding, they can meet and live together for a long time - decades! Many do not marry at all, although they live together for many years and have children. The stamp in the passport is simply not given the same importance as we do. And, as I already mentioned, you are officially considered a couple already when they are registered at the same address.

On maternity leave (which lasts 1.5 years), a woman is more likely to sit here, but men also like to take some part of the decree on themselves and sit at home with their child.

- Do the Swedes follow fashion, how do they usually dress?

It is difficult to generalize such a question. Many Swedes love expensive and beautiful clothes. Many have taste and style. But this is if we are talking about citizens, office workers, visitors to Friday pubs and other places where it is customary to dress up. People go to the store for bread or for a walk with the dog in comfortable and nondescript clothes, which I consider very appropriate. High-heeled shoes, defiant makeup and extended nails are not particularly seen here, but, in my opinion, this just indicates the presence of taste. Women prefer to be natural, but they follow their figure very well, and for some reason they love to dye their hair and eyebrows. It was surprising for me that the naturally blond color inherent in the Swedish nation, they paint over with such carelessness, for example, black, and then funny white roots grow in them ... And this at a time when girls in the rest of the world do not do anything to become blondes!

- What is the local national cuisine?

The Swedes have a lot of potato dishes, like we do. They love bread, sandwiches, sandwiches, so there are a lot of such eateries. The strangest dish is the "surströmming" herring, which tastes terrible to be honest. It is fermented for a long time in a saline solution until it acquires an unbearable smell: there is a fermentation process ...

Swedes also love sauerkraut, usually served with pizza at local eateries, and beetroot salad. Soups are unpopular here, except for spinach soup with cream. As for meat dishes, I do not have special knowledge, because I prefer vegetarian cuisine. I can only say that one of the main national dishes in Sweden is meatballs with lingonberry jam - köttbullar (by the way, Carlson's favorite dish, who lives on the roof!).

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- What, according to your observations, are the Swedes proud of?

In general, it does not seem that the Swedes are a proud nation. At least, I do not notice ardent patriotism behind people. Although they are, of course, proud of their nature, the football player Zlatan, the music industry (the famous ABBA, Roxette, the recent Eurovision winner Loreen). Again, their national pride is children's writers (Astrid Lindgren, Sven Nurdqvist, Tove Jansson, Selma Lagerlöf (they have Niels with geese even on money!), etc.).

Well, IKEA, where without it. True, the Swedes themselves try to buy only trifles in these stores, and they consider recognizable "IKEA" things to be too easy to furnish an apartment. For them, this is a kind of consumer goods. Therefore, if someone in the house does not have a single thing from IKEA, this is a reason for pride.

They are also proud of their tolerance and loyalty. Sweden has not participated in wars for two hundred years, maintaining neutrality. Thanks to this, a lot of historical buildings, castles and fortresses have been preserved here, and in the forests - untouched centuries-old trees of incredible thickness and height ...

- Is it a clean country? Are there any requirements for sorting garbage, etc.?

Yes, Sweden is very clean. Both in cities and in nature. Here, by the way, there are a lot of animals that can be found right near residential buildings: deer, wild geese, hedgehogs, squirrels. There are so many moose in the forest (this, by the way, is one of the symbols of Sweden), that very often the road passing in their habitats is fenced with a metal mesh so that these animals do not fall under cars.

As far as waste is concerned, it is indeed customary here to sort waste at nearby recycling stations or right in the basement of an apartment building. Plastic, paper, metal, newspapers, batteries, light bulbs, glass, food waste - all this is carefully sorted by the majority. For food waste, the city issues free paper bags to all apartment buildings.

Unnecessary things in good condition (not only clothes and shoes, but also dishes, furniture, toys, household appliances, bicycles, etc.) are taken by the Swedes to second-hand stores. There are quite a lot of them here, and both poor and wealthy people visit them with interest and benefit. This is not considered shameful. After all, sometimes you can find really cool things there, for example, for the interior.

- What is the most popular transport in Sweden?

Within the city it is more convenient to use public transport. True, travel costs a round sum. For a student or youth under 25 years old, a monthly pass will cost 40 euros (plus a surcharge if you go to another zone). Therefore, almost every inhabitant of Sweden has a bicycle, which they ride all year round. In Malmo, where I lived at first, thanks to the flat landscape, this was not a problem at all: there are bike paths everywhere, which are regularly cleared of snow in winter. In Gothenburg, where I live now, it's a little more difficult.

- Do you plan to stay here in the future?

Now I am studying programming and getting a good scholarship, in the summer I hope to enter an IT specialty. So I plan to live here until I finish my studies - and this is at least another three years. I have a loved one here - a Swede, we have been living together for three years. When I finish my studies, perhaps we will travel and, while we are young and without children, we will live somewhere else - in the USA, for example. Moreover, if I master an IT specialty, it will open up new opportunities for me to work in any country. But then, of course, I would like to return to Sweden again, which I managed to love with all my heart for its internationality, cheerfulness, tolerance, non-interference in your personal space, standard of living and, of course, the incredible beauty of nature, looking at which my soul sings.