If you are going to live a Lagom lifestyle, then getting the food and drink part right is not only vital, but enjoyable too! I’m not sure about you, but my day usually revolves around food, I get way too excited about my next meal!

Here are my top five tips to follow a Lagom approach to eating and drinking. If you love food as much as me, I think you may enjoy this post!

Top 5 food and drink tips for living a Lagom inspired lifestyle

Fika – life’s silver lining

Lagom culture tends to lean towards balanced meals and healthy eating. However (I hear you breathe a sigh of relief!) one thing they do insist on is Fika – to us this would mean drinking plenty of coffee or tea whilst catching up with colleagues or friends, enjoying a cinnamon bun at the weekend or sharing a table full of cakes and cookies with friends complete with pretty cups and candles. (We have already learned it’s all about setting the ambience!) Remember to keep it balanced though – one cookie is fine but stop yourself reaching for that second. It’s all about ‘just enough’.

Cut back on meat consumption & increase proteins

An estimated one in ten Swedes is a vegetarian or vegan. I don’t expect you all to give up the meat completely, but you’ll be surprised how much healthier you will feel if you cut back to only eating red meat once a week and replacing the other mealtimes with veggie options.

Another way to increase your energy levels is the obvious – cut back on sugary foods such as breakfast cereals and replace with foods high in protein. Currently my favourite breakfasts consist of eggs and asparagus, porridge and blueberries or overnight oats. Joe Wicks has some great recipe ideas which are easy to make and take little time. Trust me, the energy you will gain from making this one switch will help fuel your morning and stop those mid-morning biscuit cravings.

Enjoy food with others, the Lagom way

Food is far more than the experience of hunger and fullness. Food is a great social role – we already all love to get together to enjoy a meal out or takeaway in, so take the Lagom approach and create a social experience around food.

Ways to do this include prepping the food together whilst chatting in the kitchen before enjoying it around a campfire or picnic table, sharing recipes with each other, going for picnics together or holding a gathering where each person brings one dish to create a feast to enjoy together. The options are endless, but the main goal here is to enjoy it together – this includes the food prep, the eating and the clearing away. Don’t see cooking as a chore but part of the experience.

Forage or grow your own

At a time of global warming and with food waste almost epidemic, there is something very Lagom about growing your own and eating the fruits of your labour. Not only do you cut down on food miles but it’s affordable and you can plan your meals around what is growing in your vegetable patch or on your windowsill. If space is tight for growing your own, then get started on the balcony or window ledge. These are great places to grow herbs, chillies and different types of lettuce.

September and October are a great time for foraging in the woods and hedgerows. I have fond memories of blackberry picking when I was younger, bringing a bag full home and my mum making a blackberry crumble for our Sunday dinner pudding!

Enjoy in moderation and don’t forget the mulled wine! Lagom bliss!

As mentioned before, Lagom eating and drinking is all about moderation. Take breakfast seriously to fuel your day and you will less likely crave the sweet treats. However, treat yourself at weekends and don’t feel guilty! Even better if your sweet treat is homemade, but if not, buy a cake, cinnamon bun, bag of sweets, whatever makes your taste buds tingle – go for it and enjoy!

And seeing as it’s almost October, I can probably get away with mentioning Christmas. Advent is a very special time in Sweden. On the four Sundays before Christmas, the candles are lit, baking begins and the Mulled wine is made – nothing quite beats a nice steaming glass of mulled wine for getting you into the Christmas spirit and feeling Hygge.

Right, I’m off to cook an apple crumble now with the apples I picked up from my neighbour’s apple tree. Happy Sunday everyone!

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