A Kids Guide to Nordic Food

Why should kids eat Nordic food?

The world is an amazing place and full of great flavors! Helping kids explore the world of food around them and be comfortable eating more than just chicken nuggets is my passion.

Nordic food boasts tons of great flavors that kids are already in love with, and so this

This cuisine boasts lots of fish, wild game, berries, cheese, cabbage, potatoes, and apples, cucumbers and fresh herbs like dill. The long Nordic winters shaped the cuisine with the need to preserve foods – so lots of things are smoked, salted, pickled, and dried. This gives us so many fun textures and flavors that are a delight to eat.

Whats the difference between Nordic and Scandanavian? In the United States we tend to think of them as interchangeable terms, but they actually aren’t. Countries in this part of the world include Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark, and they all have Scandanavian roots. But there are different geographic, culture, and historical context that make these terms separate. If you want to know more about why this is, I suggest this article on TripAdvisor. But basically – the Nordic countries are Finland and Iceland while Denmark, Sweden, and Norway are through of as both Scandinavian and Nordic.

If your kids are new to learning about the world of food, I suggest checking out my guides on raising adventurous eaters, helping kids try new foods, and tips to help kids love international foods.

Tips to Make Nordic Food Kid Friendly:

• Start with known favorites. Meatballs, waffles, pickles, and all the baked goods – start with favorites your family already has and make small changes to introduce mew favorites.
• When in doubt, lean on Elsa and Anna. They TOTALLY loved whatever you are serving! (I’m joking. But also not.)

I always love including non-food explorations and play into our lives as easy and low-stress ways to encourage new food explorations.

One of my favorite ways to do this is to add in books and movies that showcase food. Check out my guide on kids picture books with Nordic cuisine.

Recipes to try:

Try these recipes at home! These easy, weeknight friendly recipes are some of the most popular reader favorites here! Make sure to check out our entire collection of Kid Friendly Nordic Recipes.

Swedish Recipes:

• Swedish Meatballs
• Swedish Cucumber Salad
• Swedish Chocolate Cake
• Swedish Dill and Mustard Sauce
• Swedish Beet and Apple Salad

Danish Recipes:

Finnish Recipes:

• Finnish Blueberry Milk
• Maple Roasted Rutabagas

Norwegian Recipes:

Icelandic Recipes:

Note: Still working on adding recipes from all regions! Check back!

Have something you want to see? email me at [email protected] and I will work on adding it!