On Eating in Norway

One of the biggest and earliest shocks I had to deal with when moving to Norway was how expensive food was. My first grocery bill, which consisted of two small bags of groceries, came up to a whopping $68. I was horrified. Had I splurged? My bag was full of bread and bananas, no rare nut butters or gluten-free-sugar-free-organic-free-range snacks. My brain whirled in wonder.

In order to shop without breaking your bank requires two things: patience and determination. It might require you to compare prices at several stores (hmm muesli is 2 NOK cheaper at Coop...) and buy based on deals not on recipes. For me, it means eating a lot of eggs and tuna.

Sometimes though, it's hard doing all the math and putting in the effort to find those deals. In the end, if this cucumber is 19 NOK (about $3), does it matter that it's more expensive than in the US, or just that it's cheaper than the broccoli? In the end, all the currency conversions here cause unnecessary stress because honestly, a $6 head of lettuce is cheaper than a $1000 plane ticket back to America.

One of my Norwegian friends here recently told me that "They intentionally make food that's bad for you very expensive so that you don't want to buy it," he continued, "and they make food thats really good for you even more expensive." It's sadly true. Not only do they not only not have a lot of selection of treats (just chocolate and vanilla ice cream? Come on!) but they also make it very hard to splurge (a $14 pint of ice cream really will never hit the spot). And those gluten-free-sugar-free-organic-free-range snacks? Dream on.

Over time, I've come to feel more relaxed about buying food in Norway. Most things in Norway are more expensive than in the US, but in the end it's just a part of life right now. Some things that are surprising relatively affordable: Salmon & Muesli. Boo ya Norway!

Photo via Wit & Delight