How Our Eating Habits Changed After Moving to Denmark
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- Опубліковано 19 тра 2024
- How Our Eating Habits Changed After Moving to Denmark
#Denmark #Danmark #ExpatsInDenmark
This video is all about how our eating habits have changed since moving to Denmark. There are many small changes that we have adapted to during our time living in Denmark. The Danish tastes are different than the cuisine that we grew up with in America, and there are other changes as well.
BREAD BREAD BREAD
In a Danish grocery store, you will find many types of bread with different additives (seed, herbs, etc).
Spreads and toppings for open-faced sandwiches like Danish smørrebrød
Bread is even part of a cold breakfast and many breads are only for certain meals
WE EAT AT HOME MORE
Dining out in Denmark is a special occasion and not a random weeknight event
We cook more at home now that we have moved to Denmark and to help, we have stepped up our culinary skills. We use SkillShare to find ways to make more elevated cuisines. The first 1,000 people to use this link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare: skl.sh/robetrotting11211
SMALLER PORTIONS
Danish meals are obviously smaller than American portions
Dining out in Denmark will likely include many courses of small plates with complex presentation and plating
We always have to adjust when we go back to the States and have a meal, especially when dining out
BUYING FRESH FOODS MORE OFTEN
It’s very common for people to cook - they have the time and learn to cook early in Danish life (no real gender roles around cooking in Denmark)
Foods have fewer additives and preservatives, which means you cook from scratch most often and have fewer prepared foods
This also means that you may have to go to the store many times per week to buy fresh ingredients or they go bad
DINNER ISN’T RUSHED
In Denmark, it’s more common to eat at the table with your family
You would never rush through a meal in Danish culture, it’s a social gathering and a bit more structured
Major occasions in Denmark (New Years Eve, Christmas, a christening, confirmation etc) may have speeches in between courses but even at a Danish dinner party it’s common to have long chats, wine, and banter between courses
LESS SPICY FOODS
You’ll probably find Danish food mild depending where you move from
Even street food that you’d expect to be spicy will be made less-so to cater to a Danish clientele so ask for ‘really spicy’ if you want you order shawarma or street food in Denmark
EATING TAKE AWAY FOOD ANYWHERE
Calling it take away instead of take out
Being able to bring your own food to a bar that doesn’t serve food
Having take away outside on a bench or in a park is way more common than in the States
CONTENTS:
Intro - 0:00
Portion Size - 0:28
Less Spice in Danish Foods - 0:57
More Frequent Food Shopping in Denmark - 1:21
Cooking in Denmark - 2:13
Cooking Lessons on SkillShare - 3:31
Free Trial of Skillshare - 4:28
Bread in Denmark - 4:38
Longer Danish Meals - 4:56
Take Away Food in Denmark - 5:57
Final Thoughts - 6:17
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That Schmeichel joke was epic! Really appreciate how you guys have adopted danish humor and culture!
So glad you liked it Flemming. It’s been fun finding ways to fit it into videos 😂 we always gravitated to this type of humor, so we feel at home joking around here 😊
@@RobeTrotting, now that you are on the subject of food, I'm going to have to ask this questions. Since Denmark is a sea based culture, and since they are apart of Scandinavia, do they have a dish as god awful as surstromming, or have they adopted such a dish? After watching endless videos of people harking out their guts when cracking a can of such a nuclear bomb I must know if it is a thing there.
@@davidguymon1673 No. It's to disgusting even to Danes and a lot of Sweedes.
@@dharma6902, but my question is do they have something similar. I know it is from Sweden, but I though that since they are all close together there might be a similar dish Danes or Norwegians would cook up something just as awful. 😄
@@davidguymon1673 Don't know about Norway but I find it very hard to believe anybody here in Denmark would cook or buy "Surströmming like disgusting/horrible" dishes/products and it's a minority of Sweedes who actually do or pretend to like it. At least according to the Sweedes I know.
One thing that (here in Denmark) inspires cooking at home, is the prices for eating at restaurants.
Many restaurants' price levels are in the daylight robbery category.
Yes, SO true. That’s made it easy to keep dining out as a special occasion for us and the work life balance makes it easy to fit in the time to cook and do a little extra food shopping during the week. The fast food and quick-eat culture in the States isn’t really that great.
Yup, same goes for bar prices. It's pretty expensive to get a drink most of the places, hence why young Danish people usually have a "forfest" (in english it would be something like a "pre-party"/ "before party") where they drink at home at one of their friends house/apartment (or in summer in the local park) before hitting the town.
@@RobeTrotting do you have the app Too Good To Go? Great way to get a restaurant meal for cheap, that otherwise would've been thrown out :)
I would also argue that going to your local butcher to get a good steak and preparing it yourself gets you a better quality / experience than ordering it at a resturant.
Average-joes resturants (or whatever we call these) just arent that great and i have been disappointed once to many.
Yes and no. Way before this we all had /made our meals at home and children learned to cook as well as part of the household. Eating out was a celebration much more than now. I'm 76 now and my father loved to explain that in his childhood an EG was split at least in two between us. What a luxury.
Are we nearing that again with the inflation that the russians have spread to us all?
It's honestly pretty interesting seeing a couple of US perspectives on danish culture, not something I encounter very often ^^
Glad to see that you're enjoying it :)
So glad you enjoyed it, we like to offer that perspective and hopefully also offer a bit of understanding to new arrivals like we once were 😊🇩🇰
One of the reasons Danes dont eat out as much is that it's quite expensive (at least in actual restaurants) compared to cooking at home, unlike the US where you can almost eat out at the same price. On the other hand waitresses etc are actually paid a living wage (and no tips needed).
For sure, totally agree with your comment, Martin. Plus the quality of an average Danish restaurant meal is much higher and in the US there are a lot of quick-serve options which are cheap, but… you get what you pay for 😂
Me, screaming inside my head: close the fridge! (Mike is talking in front of open fridge)😅 thanks for a great video 😃
😂 hahaha good thing he got it in one take. Thanks for watching, so glad you enjoyed this one.
My fridge starts beeping when the door is open too long.
gotta say i love how much you dedicate yourself to your channel, you answer almost all comments and kodus for that!
Aw, thank you for saying that. We really try to answer as much as we can when someone takes the time to add to the conversation 😊🇩🇰
Actually a small correction if I may :) Yeah you can take your to go food most places but it is frowned to take it to places that serve food and even places that don't serve food. You can get asked by the staff to leave if you do it.. Also never ever eat or drink (alcohol) on the busses XD it is not allowed even if a lot of people do it :P
Lovely video, most danes really miss their rye bread when travelling.
I have a friend from Texas, when she first moved to Denmark she couldn't believe how "clean" or food is. Low fat mince meat, the freshness of vegetables and low on preservatives. I never really though about it before we talked about what low fat ment in the US vs Denmark
Yeah we have a lot of different types of bread in Denmark/Europe, it's not just plain White or whole wheat, and you can vary the topings in hundreds of different ways. I love bread both plain White bread sometimes but mostly whole wheat, multi seed and walnut bread etc. The same goes for rye bread, where I prefer the ones with a lot of rye kernels in instead of just the dark type without kernels. And yeah I like that when you do go out to eat, They don't rush you through the meal, haven't been to the states, but I can imagine it could get annoying, but here you can really take your time with your food and dessert and have a good conversation in between.
Yes 🙌🏼 the bread selection is superb and was a little overwhelming at first. We love trying new ones with different herbs. Mike loves the dense rye bread and seeds but Derek has issues with the ones that crunch 😂
@@RobeTrotting haha okay, yes people just have different preferences.
Its a part of our inheritage as a farmer nation
Dane here and i eat rye bread every single day... Schulstad sunflower seed rye bread is my favourite!
Mike is really into the rye breads and smørrebrød but Derek still prefers the sourdough. We really never knew of all the things you can do with bread until we started eating in Denmark 🇩🇰 😊
@@RobeTrotting most outsiders just think of bread as bread, but it's much more than that when u see all the different kinds of bread there is, all the stuff u can put on it and even combine stuff to put on it... u can eat rye bread every day for a year and never have the same combination twice...
Here in Sweden, you can get a hold on "Danish ryebread", my favourite is from the baking company Pågen.
@@EmmelineSama Which is almost Danish since it´s located near Malmø xD Pågen makes really good bread, i agree. You can get it in several supermarkets here.
@@RobeTrotting I'm going to second the sourdough though I also like rye breads and oatmeal breads (though the latter types are often better as toasts)!
We have really good sourdough here which is actually baked in a local grocery store so you often get it still warm if you do the grocery run early. Out of curiosity, how common are bakeries in grocery stores or shopping malls in the states/denmark? They are rather recent additions here in Finland - at least in my area - but larger chains have started to incorporate various third party sellers in their floor plans. For example the store has a sushi place next to veggie stands and the grill, and fazer's bakery next to bread section. Neither are part of the chain but still seamlessly share the space with it. It's very nice that you can pick groceries and freshly baked goods on the same run!
A former colleague of mine, was from Germany, and she said that all that danish slow dinner eating stuff was borring, eat, done and we're off. - I reserve dinner time (and preparation time) as something we do as a family, being a single fulltime (and working almost fulltime) dad to 2 kids (1 teen and 1 near teen), this is one of the few hours of the regular day where I can spend quality time, without a screen, and enjoy life with the kids and they get to learn how to do stuff.
Love that approach! Your kids are lucky and they will definitely value that family time more and more as they get older 😊🇩🇰
Single dads unite xD My son is 11 now but him and i started cooking together from when he sat in his high chair.
He would have his kid-knife chopping endlessly in a mushroom or something and taste test, as he has gotten older he has improved his skills, cutting onions, preparing meats, taste testing and so on. It is a good time to talk about your day, tell jokes, what is the difference between a planet and a star, what is co2, how does trees work, the topics are wide and many and it is just pure quality. I would not trade it for going out.
With meals at my country bumkin in-laws I'd joke that one risked getting a decubitus ulcer on the derriere. The problem is after the meal they want to smoke, drink coffee, have dessert, have more coffee, etc. I'd usually excuse myself to read the weekly Danish tabloids in the kitchen and let them talk neighborhood gossip about the village idiots and trollops; then rejoin the group when the cold dram and beers came out.
About meals being longer because of speeches and banter: Have you encountered the singing during meals at gatherings? We (my family and me, and later my wife and I from Germany) have been to a few family gatherings like 25th, 50th and 60th anniversery, but also round birthdays and other events. In between courses or just in a moment fitting the waiters brought in a "sangsskjuler". This was passed around and everybody got a paper with the text of a song . This was composed by some of the guests, mostly a new text to a known melody, and when everybody got his text we all did sing it. Once we also did this for gathering ( I believe it was a 50th anniversery) , and we build a ferryboat as a sangsskjuler because this was fiting for the couple we celebrated for. The routine is that you compose the song, build the sangskjuler and gave it to the waiters so they could bring it in a a fitting moment.
And finally I remember a New Years Eve party, when after being outside to see the fireworks, we got inside again and got served a good strong soup..... "We havn't eaten anything this year....." the host said....
We haven’t had the singing experience in public yet, but we also haven’t been to those events (besides New Years of course). We have had the long meals then with toasts and even games between courses. I love the soup line though, it’s a great excuse to have a snack or more when celebrating 😂
@@RobeTrotting The thing is you have to be creative in two ways: first writing the song, and then creating the sangskjuler. Wev'e seen a lot of different ones in those events.
You might ask about those in your area. Ours was on Fyn.
@@RobeTrotting Have you ever been to one of those "family gatherings" (that often also includes friends) to celebrate for instance a 50th birthday, a 25th wedding anniversary or a confirmation? I was at a party a few years back that combined a couple of birthdays and an anniversary, and some German friends were there. First of all, they were surprised about how many hours we spent just sitting down for the meals (the eating part easily stretched over 5 hours), and in between courses there were songs, quizzes and speeches of course. Our German friends felt VERY uncomfortable just thinking about having to sing with everyone, even more so when they realized that for one song, the birthday boy had to sing a few lines by himself (they said they'd NEVER do that 😂), and when everyone waved a Danish flag as well and yelled "Hurraaaa", they almost thought we'd gone crazy 🤪
You just reminded me of my "konfirmation" haha, my family had made 4 of these songs, many with pictures of baby me and so on, they are super fun and i kept all of them as a little reminder of the creative family i have :D
I our everday life, we eat in front of either the tv or computer, as we like to watch a series together, whenever we have guests we always eat at the table, unless its movie night haha ;) When we get kids, it might change, but i dont think so, as a kid i loved eating in the sofa getting "quality time" with my mom and the tv, but there are so many different ways to have a family haha :D
@@shubiduanu I'm from Germany, eller fra tyskland, and I can say we (me and my family) didn't feel uncomfortable, just a bit surprised. And the next time we were prepared and could contribute to this.
In a way it is almost as in Germany at a wedding. Then some guest will create a "Hochzeits Zeitung" = Wedding Newspaper. This is made up like a newspaper with articles, storys, maybe some songs and most important rules for the party and some classified like "The groom want's to sell his freedom, since he didn't need it anymore. Highest bid will be honored!"
I still remember the one we made in 1994 for a couple who were our friends. We were two couples who stood for the creation, and we had lots of fun while creating it. They all still are our friends, even if they divorced after more then 10 years.
I love how i can recognize every place you film
Gotta say, i really like the videos you guys make. Fun getting another perspective on Denmark that you might not get when born here. Its gotten to be a ritual for me to pop on one of your videos when im eating my dinner :D Keep up the good energy guys :)
Thank you so much 😊 we’re really glad that we can offer a different perspective and also help others who may be moving here or integrating to Denmark now 🇩🇰😊
I really enjoy watching your videos, you guys are always in such a good mood. And your understanding of the cultural differences, and explaining them, is extraordinary.
Aw Lars, thank you so much for your kind words. We really do love our lives in Denmark and embracing the culture - so we’re really happy that it shows and that you found our channel and enjoy it 😊🇩🇰
You are doing SO good. As a dane I just love to see your look on Denmark. Your vids are getting better and better. Your content are perfect for 'Shorts' Keep up the good work
So great that you guys are talking about this cuz in america we are so used the convenience of mass produced products.
Absolutely, we would rather go to the store more often and eat more naturally 😊
cooking home can be great fun. even a simple meal, can taste great when added some love (time + accuracy) during preperation.
Exactly! And we find the work life balance and overall lifestyle makes it much easier to cook at home (and a nice way to spend time together).
I'm having a blast watching your videos! As a Dane, it's fun to get your perspective on different aspects of our culture - some things you bring up I hadn't really thought that much about before.
Thanks for sharing your experience with us! Love you guys!
Aww ☺️ so glad you’re enjoying our channel. It’s fun for us to share our experiences and glad that we can offer a unique perspective. Sending love right back to you and thanks for watching 🇩🇰😃
❤so good to know from an outside view..
The one with bringing takeaway to a bar, that’s incredibly rare. I only let my guests do that if the bar is basically empty.
The bar can actually get in trouble if they let you eat without having license to serve food.
Something people need to know is that the reasons why so many of the things in amarican foods and drinks are banned by law here id because alot of those things are in one way or another harmfull to your helth and or is not seen as food and drinks here and that is the same way in norway, sweden,Finland and iceland
Yeah, I think a lot of people in the States know that but many don’t mind or don’t have access to natural foods.
@@RobeTrotting that is sad
Good on you for getting the sponsor. Secure the bag, boys 👜
Ha, thanks Markus. It’s a cool one and useful for us too.
Hi Derek, Hi Mike!
I'm a Dane with a partner from Belgium, and we are starting to plan our future together in Denmark, in a few years.
We have both been following your channel for a while to get a different perspective on Denmark from an outside view. Compared to my own Danish bias.
But I would love to ask if you could possibly make. Video going into the details of actually moving into Denmark.
The practical stuff that needs to be done and taken care off. Applying for visa, and all of that.
If you already have a video on this topic I must have missed it, my bad then.
In any case, love your videos, and if ever you find yourselves near Herning, drinks are on me ^~^
Wooooh! Momo's!
You stood about 20 meters from where I work and had food from my backup food place (when workplace canteen serves something I don't want to eat)
And yes, "we" have noticed some changes in the videos. They're cleaner for better and for worse. I enjoyed the "amateur hour" cuts and the way you make your videos. :)
Yes! Momo’s is so good - it’s Mike’s favorite quick meal 😂
We try not to cringe 😬 from our really old videos, the amateur stuff is still endearing.
@@RobeTrotting If you guys ever go visit Bornholm, you should try out "Mi Khin Thai Take Away". It's a tiny place with only 4 chairs (2 tables) and it's by far one of the better places I've ever eaten. It's just so fresh and authentic. Also, when she says "little strong" and "medium strong", it's by Thai standards. I enjoy the "medium strong" green curry, but only after I've finished whatever else I'm eating. It tastes delicious and you can feel how good it is in your mouth, but you can literally not taste whatever else you're eating after a couple of bites. :D
For Momo's, I just love that I can mix my own for lunch.
I love your guys videos. ❤️
Aww 🥰 thank you Niki - we love that you love them and thank you for watching 😊🇩🇰
As an American who has lived abroad, back in the US, and is moving to Denmark soon it is great to hear your perspectives. There are some commonalities it seems with German and to a lesser extent Austrian eating culture (less spice, non-takeaway restaurants being quite expensive compared to the States, getting groceries more often, good bread being highly prevalent), but I was delightfully surprised to hear about the longer meals. I cannot speak to what other aspects of Danish life are like, but that seems to be a good indicator of people enjoying their cuisine and taking plenty of time. In Germany I found it to be quite rushed, but other places I had lived and enjoyed the eating culture like Austria and Spain took their time over meals when possible.
Maybe offset the lack of spice by going to Middle Eastern and Turkish markets? That is what I did during my time in Austria and Germany, I felt like I got the best of both worlds!
Hey Sean, thanks for the comment and for watching of course! It’s funny you mention the speedy eating habits of Germans, someone else just commented about that. It seems like there are a lot of similarities from what you said and our experiences traveling. It seems like you’ll really like dining out in Denmark because it’s like a whole experience with a lot of coziness and conversation and you barely even notice there are staff taking care of your table - they’re only there if you need them and ask for them.
@@RobeTrotting Sounds lovely!
Love the video, guys!
and yes, leisurely meals at home or in town are probably the most distinct differences between the 2 countries..
The last time I visited the States, I told the waitress she would only get a tip IF she stopped 'pestering me'!
When I left, I gave her a 50% tip, so she didn't feel like she'd lost anything in the lack of turnover 👍
hello from Hundested 🌸🌱
Thank you 😊 so glad you enjoyed the video. We really agree, it took us some time to convert, but it is SO much nicer to dine out here in Denmark and be able to enjoy the meal at your own pace. You definitely did the right thing when you were visiting the States haha 😂🇩🇰😃
It is good style asking in a bar/drinking place whether you can bring in food :)
Ah, true. Good point. Thanks for adding that, we should have added that we make sure they don’t have a kitchen and it’s okay.
Very interesting. Danish food is UNREAL, AWESOME!
It really is! Takes some getting used to, but very adaptable.
@@RobeTrotting I too am an unrepentant carnivore / pescavore, so what those folks can do with meat and fishies is ... UNREAL!
I have been visiting family in Denmark for a very long time. My UK friends all fall off their when I tell them that going out to dinner at someone's house starts at 6pm and you roll home usually about 1am. Friends over for coffee in an afternoon min 4 hours.
WALL!!!! 😂😍 love it!! 😂
Haha, we realized we forgot it while recording it we had to get it in haha 😂
Lovely vid
Thank you 😊 glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching.
congratulations on 12,000 subs
Aw thanks Silas! We still can’t believe it! 🤩🇩🇰
Dinner is the part of the day when the family gathers together, talking about one's day and enjoying a good meal.
It's meant to be relaxed and everyone has time to fully enjoy the meal. Also, cooking for guests( friends or family) is a common courtesy to show them you enjoy their company.
For the spice..well, you can get all the spices you want. I grow my own chili and peppers btw.
The restaurant prices are almost robbery in broad daylight. Bread in any variation and potatoes are the base in every Danish kitchen. Velbekomme. :)
We became almost vegetarians here, and thats super cool:)
Yeah, we definitely eat a lot more consciously too :)
This is just my observation by watching American tv. America seems to have a bigger variety of food places, to go out to eat at. We have pizzaria (which have burgers, pizza and some other things). But their menus are often similar. Then there is also McDonald's
Here's is a great wall !! :D :D
I suppose people have totally different impressions when moving to a different country. My main activity with friends are sporadic dinners at restaurants. People invite me all the time to join them for dinner and it is rarely at their home.
I find the comment about the lack of spicy food interesting. Mainly because that is my constant complaint when I eat out in Germany. In Denmark I rarely think about it. But it is true that the food I cook myself will usually be quite a bit more spicy than what you typically get when eating out. In Copenhagen, occasionally a place will pop up, where they serve nicely spiced food, but they rarely survive.
One taste that in particular is almost impossible to find in restaurants is cilantro. I know that some people don't like it. But also, some of us really love it.
Ah, yeah cilantro isn’t found much here at all. I think we notice that salt is used a lot more in Denmark, which makes sense with the culinary history, but “hot” spices aren’t as commonly used. Not sure how accurate that observation is but we often get the “hot” versions of sauces and need extra spice haha.
@@RobeTrotting I think (some) young(er - I'm 53) Danes have taken a liking to hotter and spicier foods. I'll admit I hate fresh cilantro, but I like chili and wouldn't be very happy without garlic. I have returned habaneros to Føtex, because they weren't hot.
My dad thought spice was salt, and black pepper was hot. Curry-powder was exotic, but okay, and anything else was against nature. :-) On the other hand, he loved to eat mature cheeses of the kind where the odeur is so ... they would be in violation of the Geneva convention in wartime. Odd.
My kids have been exposed to my hotter cooking regularly, and also like hot and spicy food.
Here's an idea: maybe you should go visit chili-John? :-)
Only have one complaint about this video, it where too short, nah guys only kidding, keep up the good work 👍🏻
Ah, we realized that we were a bit brief while we were editing haha. We will keep them coming and maybe expand some of these topics into full videos 🇩🇰😊 thank you for watching, glad to hear you enjoyed it.
@@RobeTrotting all ways enjoy your prospective on the different between Denmark 🇩🇰 and America 🇺🇸
An extra point about take away in Denmark is that you can eat it on the street, even if you bought a beer too.
I don't know if you got the time and/or patience for it, but please consider some sharpening stones and learn to free hand sharpen your kitchen knives, they will be much sharper (and thus safer to use) and for longer 😊
Buying groceries every day is more of a city thing. Here in the provinces most families go at the beginning or end of the week, only going again if you forget something or there if there is a change in plans.
I’m sure it’s different for everyone for sure, but we go more often than we used to in the states for sure.
We had a local Købmand in our landsby, who would deliver groceries to the farm.
MOMOS WOK BOX. good choice!
It’s so good 😊 🍜
i wish denmark would have more spicy & hot food too..
i always order x3 of hot sauce in my shawarmas :D
Yes 🙌🏼 us too - ethnic foods are basically the only option if you want a spice other than salt 😂 🧂
One main reason why Danes spend more time around the dinner table is probably the simple fact that according to OECD an average citizen in the US works 31% more hours than an average Dane. Once again that differnce in work/life balance.
Absolutely, that’s definitely a main reason why. More time to cook and to eat together 😊🇩🇰
I haven't been to the states in many many years. Are the portion sizes really that big at your restaurants? I'd like to see a video by you guys about this when you're back home.
We have been wanting to do a dining out comparison video for quite a while now, so we definitely will have that in a future video 😊
I agree on most except part of the not so spicy part, but maybe it's only my family. If you want spicy try some of the hot sauces you can buy from Chili Klaus. 😉
Ohhh we haven’t heard of chili klaus - now we have some homework 🤩🇩🇰
@@RobeTrotting He has a Web shop. And identifies the strength of the sauce on a scale from 1 to 15 and belive me anything above 10 is really hot.
Oh awesome! We really need to place an order. Maybe try something in the middle like an 8 and work our way up 😂 🌶
A server trying to make the guests hurry up would be a shure way to gey no tip here in Sweden!
Unless it has gone more than a few hours and the next booked guests are coming in.
What about the non existing doggie bags, (you want a box for yhat? ) no one takes food back home and it very rarely offered as an option?
Lol I know about the spice level pain Is something I know about
I use to live outside of Copenhagen on the Vestegn and their they did not "think" about ethic Danes -now I live i Odense and the dont really use that much Chili As I want :oD so I go to middle eastern/Asian markets to get many things
Yes 🙌🏼 haha, bring your own spice 😂
Yes 🙌🏼 haha, bring your own spice 😂
I wish we had something like Costco here in Denmark. Buying in bulk would be the best
For sure! Even in a small apartment you have storage for some things that you go through in large amounts. We definitely miss that quarterly costco trip - especially things like paper towels and tissues that we could just keep in our storage area, it would be perfect.
@@RobeTrotting I'd love for things i can like freeze down when i make big amounts of something or if i bake too much bread and need to freeze that
hmm.. mebbi it is only a smaller segment of the popilation who do this, Ive just come to beleive its common. But we often invite/being invited people over for dinner, and we all make the dinner together. This can be true for everyday meals or "shared" celebrations like a new years eve. It wouldnt be a thing for birthday parties where we do expect the host to have most things ready when we arrive
So you live near Lavendelstræde in CPH? At least your "Take Away"-segment was filmed at the northeast end of Lavendelstræde.
We actually live in Vesterbro near central station. We film things around there quite a bit too but we try to move around 😊🇩🇰
Thanks for that video. I have thought about it, but eating habits are kind of personal and not the first thing to ask anyone.
Hey... what about "madpakker"? Lunch boxes. Some companies have a place where you can buy lunch, but most don't. I think it is a danish thing to bring your own lunch box and put it in a refrigrerator at work. But what about you?
Sure, it’s definitely a bit personal. That’s why we tried to keep things very high level. It’s funny you mentioned the workplace linch culture. We discussed putting something in about canteens and lunch boxes but we figured it could go in a future workplace-focused video.
You may want to shop everyday for fresh fruit and veg because they "spoil" faster. However American fresh fruit and veg don't last any longer because we DO NOT put preservatives on them. We just keep them refrigerated and eat them in a timely manner.
hi i have some questions!
1. have you tasted rød grød med fløde?
And what do you think about it?
2. has tasted Denmark National Dish?
3. have tried Danish food from the Middle Ages / Viking Age?
Hej Mike.
We have tasted rød grød med fløde after people kept asking us to say it 😂 it’s okay but not either of our favorite desserts
We have had stegt flæsk with parsley sauce and really like it.
We have yet to try any of the Viking or medieval foods but we’d like to and heard of some events where we can try that cuisine so it’s hopefully something we will do in the future 😊
Thanks for watching 🇩🇰
Go watch a danish hockey game some day
Do you guys have 3 bottles of lemon juice in the refrigiator? Why?
Taking your take away food to otherplaces is a no go most places where i live in denmark. it's concidered rude around here. you can eat it at a public bench or whatever but if you sit down at some bar or cafes out side tables with a chinabox or pizza, you'd prolly get told to leave
Only caveat is don't bring food to somewhere that serves food unless you have their permission. If you ask they will probably let you, especially if you have a good reason, such as special dietary restrictions.
Yes, very good point. Otherwise only places without a kitchen (and asking is still smart).
AND when you dine out in Denmark, not to forget, the price include a 10% tip for the server and the rest of the crew.
Sound like you also took a sound course... Your sound is way Better
Thank you 😊 we upgraded our camera microphone and that’s made a big difference. We still have some upgrades we would like to make but waiting on a couple of Black Friday deals 😂
Guys i really like your vids, wha tdo you think about the change for international students no more english classes?
It’s really sad that it’s come to that because of a political narrative that exclusively foreigners abuse SU. Throwing the baby out with the bath water is something the Danish economy can’t afford. Hell, we are only living here since 2017 because there aren’t enough Danish engineers… there weren’t in 2017, there aren’t today and there will be fewer in years to come because of these policies and the reputation that comes with them.
And it’s much easier and cheaper to hire highly skilled labor right out of university. Sadly, it’s easier and cheaper for politicians to get elected by making people think they’ve been aggrieved. They’re too lazy to tell the truth about the workforce shortages that Denmark is already dealing with.
@@RobeTrotting yeah its really sad, i was applying for computer science and now i cant move there btw, keep making videos i like them!!
@@RobeTrotting, you may have already encountered the phrase: "You can always tell a Dane, but you can't tell'em much."
How about breakfast? Have you tried the danish specialty havregryn (cold/raw oatmeal with milk and sugar)?
Oh no, we haven’t tried that yet. Only got porridge 🥣 adding havregryn to the list 😊🇩🇰
@@RobeTrotting When you do try it, make a video review :D
@@RobeTrotting I visited USA with work collegues and the hostess looked like we were trying to kill ourselves, when we didn’t cook the content of the small bags of raw oatmeal before we ate it (with milk).
However .. I’ve also served oatmeal with butter and cinnamon and milk as breakfast for my kids when they were small - during winter. It’s a good dish against the cold 😀
Like a lot of these videos it seems to me that Denmark is quite normal and USA is quite abnormal! I've never been to Denmark but I've been to a lot of different European countries plus a one off tour of New Zealand. The preservatives thing does bother me a bit with certain products. Some cakes and bread items seem to have a shelf life of several months and it makes me wonder what they do to achieve that!
Guys, you can't have wires hanging like that in the kitchen! Those kitchen lights seems like a failed DIY project! Install some proper lights wired correctly to the mains! ;)
Good call, I guess we never noticed them much but they could be tightened up.
@@RobeTrotting Tightening does not really make it look much better. You simply have the wrong type of lights because it has the wire exposed in plain sight out the side of the light housing. I recommend you hire an electrician to install and wire some proper fitting lights where the wires are hidden - the electrician will know what I'm talking about.
@@RobeTrotting yeah just get it tight and hide it up under the cabinet :D
it is unreal expensive to eat fresh & healthy in the US while some countries you have to really throw your back out to afford processed foods lol in Sweden I had salmon and fruit every day - which was the same price as if I had a day of Sweden priced instant ramen. In comparison that would have been over 13USD (86DKK) versus less than 1USD (6.6DKK). 😂
Hey Jay, you are so right! The healthier the options, the more expensive in the States. It’s a big part of why Americans struggle with weight and health problems related to diet. Some people can’t afford to eat healthy and others don’t have access to fresh vegetables and other natural foods, disproportionately It’s people in low income areas.
Depends on where you are located and shop. expensive in urban settings, cheaper in the suburbs, and cheaper still in rural areas. It was quite cheap to eat in western Massachusetts, there were farm stands, small family groceries, co-ops, salvage stores (with cheap surplus produce and near expired goods), even fresh fish brought in from Boston (and scraps sold for making chowder). The USA is a big country to make generalizations about.
I must admit I'm a bit like the guy with the plate of pasta! 🍝No, seriously, I do find myself eating more healthy food these days, but I still like a good hearty meal when I go out to a restaurant. The tiny portions you get with nouvelle cuisine for example ain't for me! I'm going to Copenhagen next month so it will be interesting to see what it's like.
With that reoccuring Schmeichel Wall meme, I'm beginning to suspect you guys have a small crush on our beloved goalkeeper XD
Anyways; There's a video here on youtube that compares ingredients/preservatives allowed in the US but banned in the EU. And due to higher salaries for restaurant and fastfood joint workers, prices are quite a lot higher here and it creates a culture of homecooked meals being the standard (and eating with your family every night helps keep the family connected and in touch with eachother).
Haha 😆 no comment on Schmeichel, besides that everyone loves him!
We also love that eating together and at home is valued across society and we have really tried to adopt that, even when we have been working from home on and off the last two years. I wish Americans would slow things down and do that a bit more, it would be good for the culture there.
That's not entirely correct, if one goes by the Big Mac index the avg. price is about $0.9 more in the US than in DK for a Big Mac and since the expected tipping amount in the US have risen many places now expect 30% tip or more, meaning while the price of the meal on it's own is cheaper than in DK once you add in the tip, they often are on par if not more expensive dinning out at an equal level restaurant in the US vs DK.
And yes I'm aware of they got an entire segment of choices and levels to choose from that we don't, which was why I said equal level restaurant.
Bonus round, when it comes to organic foods, in the US it's also more expensive.
My sister's girlfriend is from Jamaica and I found their food is excessively spicy to the point of sweating profusely! It was an interesting experience but I prefer me Swedish food most day. Your videos have improved but I couldn't understand why and how. Thanks for the video, guys!
Thanks so much for watching, so glad you enjoyed it. Jamaican food is so good, it’s a nice spice we think, without being super hot. I guess we all have different palettes 😂 🌶
Came to Jylland so can in large portions of food
We love trips to Jylland 😃🇩🇰 and we are overdue for one too!
And let me guess....Your fridge is a lot smaller than in the US?
I'm always amazed at the American sized fridges....what does anyone need that much space for?!
I have actually been trying to find a US style fridge for my own home, i dont know if the EU style US fridges are the same size in a 1:1 ratio,
but the, i guess we can call them normal ones are just on the to small side for me and my needs.
So i cant blame anyone for wanting the extra space when you cook alot, store ingredients and so on.
If anyone know a good brand to go for in Denmark for a US style fridge (dont need the ice dispenser), PLEASE let me know :) Med venlig hilsen.
@@Fractal227, I'm from a big family, and we never needed that much space.
Can't help you with brands, but maybe search for something XL?
I hear that america has all kinds of restaurants are there restaurants with danish food? If so did you ever try one before going to Denmark?
In Philadelphia, where we come from, we have not found a Danish restaurant BUT there is a bar called Bar Hygge that we’ve been to 😊🇩🇰
It can be rarely found in areas that had Danish enclaves, like in the Midwest, but you are more likely to find Swedish food in areas like Minneapolis. Scandinavian restaurants were popular in the 1950s-1960s, when there was still some lingering immigration from the Nordic countries, but that culinary stream dried-up. With the exception of Jule, Danish food is fairly bland and unexciting, hardly something that would encourage franchising.
Interesting topic. Thank you for the insight.
One thing you didn't mention. How about "organic food"* as I understand the term is in the US, is it more available in Denmark compared to what you were used to stateside? Is it something you consider when shopping?
*The corresponding term in Denmark is "økologisk".
Oh yes, good point. We should have mentioned that - the food is definitely more organic besides just being more natural. We learned “økologisk” very early in our time here haha. Organic foods are pretty available in the States but definitely a bit more “niche” or specialty items compared to Denmark.
You can't just bring your own food... Well, the places I've tried in China, pizza hut didn't mind, if you brought in a burger king bag.
But I have been asked to leave a roadside table because I brought my own pizza, despite the fact that I was drinking their beer...
The explanation I got was about how their kitchen would get in trouble for food i bought somewhere else, if it was no good.
Oh yeah, we have only found that it’s possible in bars or event places that don’t have a kitchen or serve their own food. I’m the States you really wouldn’t be able to do that at similar venues but it’s pretty cool that bars and such allow it here 😊🇩🇰
@@RobeTrotting in that regard I have even experienced bars that would place orders to the nextdoor pizzaria and have it delivered to you at the bar. But places with their own kitchen is a different story.
The only reason we don't dine out more in my family is it's really expensive! For two adults with two kids it's hard to find a full meal for eveyone for less than 300 kr. That's worth three days in our food budget for mediocre food we could have done better ourselves! If we want good food we are easily looking at 500-1000 kr. and that's just way to much for everyday dining.
Great point, we should have mentioned the financial part a little more because dining out can really be cost prohibitive. We basically do it for birthdays and anniversaries or when we have guests - and also earlier this year we were very excited to have things open again so we splurged on a couple of nice dinners out of the house 😂
How are the gluten free options for those of us with Celiac and Hashimoto's disease?
We don’t shop with those restrictions, but it’s common to eat out in Copenhagen and see gluten free items and baked goods. There are a lot of specialty stores and grocery stores and even 7-Elevens have a lot of specialty foods that we never see in the States. So we aren’t experts, but it seems like it’s at least as good as what we find in the States.
Good video guys!! But it’s sad to see you sell out to skillshare 🙄
We all run our channels our own way. It doesn’t cost you anything more on a free platform.
Wow I’m Danish and I’m supasist sorry I’m bad at enlihs
🇩🇰😊 You are fine!
Vi er ikke så godt på dansk 😂
3:46 so.. did you learn to make a good milkshake then? @Derek ;)
LOL He sang it most of the night and next day 😂
We are many danes who loves spicy food, we are have to ask our pizza place to please put chili on it or otherwise they don`t 😂😂😂
How large are the refrigerators?
It depends, I guess there are a few standard sizes. Ours is smaller than the one we had in Philadelphia and most are smaller than we’re used to in the States. It’s probably not as necessary to have a massive refrigerator because you don’t need to store so much food for as long.
If you like me is sensitive to the sour taste of the rye bread, toast it! It change totally, like magic :))
Oh great advice, neither of us have ever tried that. Mike is a fan of rye bread but Derek still needs to acquire that taste haha.
@@RobeTrotting Its a fantastic taste :)
Welcome to the Nordic countries ;)
I have been looking at your and the other american family's videos with a smile. I will tell you this about Danes, an english professor have been studying the way people interact, and found something peculiar about Danes,
they behave like a tribe, whereas all other nationalities behaves like a country with people,
which possibly is why, if two Danes meet in another country and one have had bad luck, even though he have had an affair with your spouse, you help him, but when you come back to Denmark, you kill him.
The professor held it up against two english people in the same situation, the cuckold'ed would kill the other on the spot
Hope this bit of insight (which I as a Dane feels is true) in how Danes interacts can help you
Hey Soren, that's a really interesting analogy, but it makes a lot of sense based on what we have found :)
how about drinking or party habbits?
Yes 🙌🏼 we have this video on our short list for early 2022 - it is SO different when it comes to the small etiquette points.
Happy to hear that, looking forward to that or those videos! love your content!
question, why do you have 3 bottles of lemon juice in the fridge? also why are they in the fridge? think it's physically impossible for those to go bad
😂 we are weird, I know. Every time we prepare a recipe with lemon juice we panic that we are out of it so we’ve acquired a few more than we need.
the size of the vegetables has something to do with what they are sprayed with.. Remember, Monsanto or GMOs are not so welcome here in the north, where we are more into natural raw materials.. BUT we do have Gmo food
It has to do with the growing season and sorry to burst the Danish superiority bubble but agricultural chemicals and crop protection agents are just as “welcome in the north” - many are even produced in Denmark.
Hygge probably has a lot to do with the longer meals.
For sure, just the general relaxed atmosphere and idea that meals should be cozy and together.
Huh. Do they really rush you out in the states? I mean that sounds rude. Normally when I go to a restaurant with friends or colleagues we end up spending there quite a long time (sometimes hours) after we are done with the eating. Of course if it looks like they are running out of tables then it's just polite to leave once you are done.
Oh yes, it’s common for them to have your check printed, but in their apron or pocket, before they ask if you’d like dessert or coffee. That way they can give you the check immediately if you say “no thank you”. They put it on the table and say “okay then. I can take this whenever you’re ready” but you know that it means “okay, please pay and leave as soon as you can.” We’ve even been asked if we can finish our drinks at the bar instead of at the table because they need it 😂
@@RobeTrotting Ugh I guess that's yet another strike against the tipping culture. I mean I firmly believe people should be paid decent enough salary so they don't have to beg or lose part of their wage just because some dick of a customer felt like they didn't smile enough.
@@RobeTrotting Also am I to assume coffee is not part of the price in the states? I mean I would not tolerate such outrage! It's like saying salad bar is not part of the price! I mean in most restaurants here the salad bar and coffee/tea and some type of simple dessert (i.e. cookies) are part of the meal. You just have to fetch them yourself even if the main course is served to table. The only places where this is not true are fast food joints and some really fine dining where they charge you for €€€ for simply stepping in and the meal portions are the size of your wallet (I'm exaggerating... maybe...).
The best bread is no bread! I Try to eat as little of it as possible.
Why Did you move to Denmark
Arent restaurant much more expensive in Denmark?
It depends where you go out to eat, it we find that nice restaurants are similar in price to where we came from in the States and you don’t tip, which evens things out.
Just being out of nowhere "wanna go out to eat?" isn't that unseen, but definitely not as much as american culture. Especially if you already are out of the house, dining somewhere fine is very normal instead of cooking at home that day(but that might already fit into the occasions you're talking about).
Our ancestors used spices for trading not for eating.
could you all make a video on trans rights in denmark? my partner is trans and we are planning on moving there, but it's very important that he can access good healthcare. how is the process for transitioning and the general acceptance for trans people? I am very curious, and I would hope you all would know a thing or two since you live there :)
Hi Renée, we would have to do a little bit of research for that topic, but potentially we will do just that. We touch on acceptance and laws for trans individuals in our video about being gay in Denmark vs. America but it’s not a very deep dive.
And by changed, you mean improved, from the sound of it.
In some ways, but we still miss a lot of tastes from home and certain products - plus spicy foods 😊
@@RobeTrotting Ain't that the truth. One can always order something familiar online whenever wanting for a taste of home.
As for spicy food, you're not wrong. The only spicy Danish dish I can think of, is Boller i karry. And even then most Danes will go easy on the curry.
But spice it up and it's a great dish (and better the next day). Highly recommended.
Why do you guys have so many lemon juice bottles in your fridge? Why not get fresh lemons? XD
😂 we realized that too! It’s a thing we always worry that we don’t have when we’re at the store and buying things for a recipe 🤦🏻 we do fresh lemons sometimes but don’t always juice them when we need lemon juice or if we add lemon juice to a drink.