Traditional Swedish food

So what exactly is traditional Swedish food? Here are some classic dishes you are likely to come across.

1. Meatballs (köttbullar)
   Pan-fried meatballs, typically served with potatoes, creamy gravy, green peas and lingonberry jam. A true Swedish classic.
2. Pickled Herring (sill)
   Pickled Baltic herring comes in many flavours, mustard, onion, dill and more. Traditionally served at festive holidays such as Christmas, Midsummer and Easter. In summer, its often enjoyed with new potatoes, sour cream and fresh chives.
   
3. Surströmming
   Fermented Baltic herring. A famously strong-smelling tradition dating back to the 1600s. Pro tip: open the can outdoors, preferably under water. You really don not want that smell on your clothes.
4. Yellow pea soup and pancakes
   A traditional Thursday meal in Sweden. The yellow pea soup is usually topped with thyme and a little mustard. For dessert, thin crepe-style pancakes are served with strawberry jam and whipped cream.
5. Lördagsgodis (saturday sweets)
   A Swedish parenting strategy built around the concept of "lagom". Children get to pick and mix their favourite sweets, but only once a week, on Saturdays. You will find pick-and-mix candy in almost every supermarket and petrol station. Salty liquorice? That is a national obsession.
6. Crayfish (kräftor)
   Every August, Swedes gather for a "kräftskiva", crayfish party. Expect funny paper hats, silly songs, candles and lots of crayfish, toast and Västerbottenpaj (a savoury pie made with aged cheese from northern Sweden).
7. Grilled hot dog (grillad korv med bröd)
   We love being outdoors. And we love keeping it simple. A hot dog in a bun, grilled over an open fire and served with ketchup and mustard, is a year-round favourite.
8. Holiday smorgasbord
   At Christmas, Easter and Midsummer, we set up a traditional Swedish smorgasbord. It is a mix of pickled herring, glazed ham, meatballs, smoked salmon, gravlax, bread and cheese. Same food, different decorations.