Vol 11 Ana our student ambassador: Finnish foods

Hey hey!

Today I want to talk you about the differences between the typical dishes in Spain and in Finland, and also, I am going to talk you about the differences in meal times.

First, I have perceived a lot of differences between the traditional food in Finland and the traditional food in Spain. Here, the people usually eat porridge during the breakfast, rye bread with butter, cheese, or meat, karelian pie, and coffee. In Spain, some people prepare an elaborated breakfast with bread, butter and meat, so this breakfast could be similar, but usually the people take toast bread with tomato, oil, salt, and ham, and also, coffee. Also, in Spain we usually drink an orange juice or tea in the morning. We can see that for the moment, breakfast is similar in the two countries, but the main difference is that in Spain we haven´t got porridge. The first time I saw it was in Finland, I didn´t hesitate to try it, and I really love it. I think it is a good meal for this country, because it´s hot, so it is perfect for the winter days. Now, I usually eat it before going to sleep, but I think I´m going to begin eating this food in the afternoon, because it is heavy to eat before sleep.

Secondly, drinks are very different in these countries. In Spain, we haven´t got Glögi and I think it could be due to, here in Finland the weather is colder, and the people need drinking hot drinks to feel better. Also, another big difference which I have felt is about milk. In Finland in each supermarket you can find a big variety of milk, and the people drink milk during the food. The first time I saw something drinking milk at midday was here, in Finland and it was strange, because I though this people were going to drink this milk like a dessert, and it wasn´t certainty.

My preconception about the Finnish cuisine has changed a lot, because before arriving Finland, I thought that here the people only was going to eat salads, and it isn´t right, because here I usually eat at the University, and I eat diverse hot and cold meals, so I think it is a good lifestyle. Another interesting think that I have felt, is that here, the meals are usually spicy, and it is very different, because in my country we only eat spicy meals if I ask for this or if I add some species to my meal.

Despite of the meal differences, both countries have some similar tradition: In Finland, and in Spain, people usually eat hot meals in winter and colder meals in summer.

In addition, we can find another big difference related to meal schedules (at main meals). While in Spain the usual time to have lunch can be between 14:00 or 15:00, in Finland we usually eat at 11:30, schedule to which I adapted without difficulty. On the other hand, in Finland the people usually have dinner at 17:00 or 18:00, schedule that I have not acquired, because in Spain I usually have dinner at 22:00. Despite these differences, these meal schedules are understandable, especially at this time of year where it is already dusk at 14:55.

In conclusion, there are many differences between Spanish and Finnish culinary customs, but I am enjoying these differences very much, and I hope to continue learning more of them during the second semester here.

I hope you have enjoyed this post, and if you have any question or suggestion, do not hesitate to contact me!

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