Being vegan in Norway/Sweden

[bitterpoison]

I noticed there are a couple of Norwegian/Swedish members on this board. I am thinking about moving to another country at some point in the future, and Scandinavian countries are appealing to me. I lived in Stockholm for three months years ago, and loved it, especially the vast amounts of nature within half an hour away.

I was vegetarian back then, and I now wonder if it would be possible to live a healthy vegan life in Sweden. Are fruit and vegetables still so extremely expensive (except when berries are in season)? Do you find it challenging? Would it be best to live near a larger city?

I want to stay in Europe, but the thought of extremely cheap fruit in tropical countries almost changes my mind...

[quote="bitterpoison"] I was vegetarian back then, and I now wonder if it would be possible to live a healthy vegan life in Sweden. Are fruit and vegetables still so extremely expensive (except when berries are in season)? Do you find it challenging? Would it be best to live near a larger city?

[bitterpoison]

Thanks bronco!

I think I may have been too influenced by reading stories from Dutch-Swedish emigrants who somehow all seemed to go to Sweden to become fishermen or something like that.

It would be helpful if someone could post what fruit and vegetables cost, approximately. What do you pay for a kilogram of oranges or apples or spinach? I do not need exact amounts, but it is useful to know approximately what to expect. I almost never buy fancy vegan products, but it would be nice to be able to buy things like tempeh and soybeans and lots of spices, so I guess living near a city would be best.

How do you like Austria, compared to Sweden?

[quote="bitterpoison"]It would be helpful if someone could post what fruit and vegetables cost, approximately. What do you pay for a kilogram of oranges or apples or spinach? I do not need exact amounts, but it is useful to know approximately what to expect.

[quote="bitterpoison"]I think I may have been too influenced by reading stories from Dutch-Swedish emigrants who somehow all seemed to go to Sweden to become fishermen or something like that.

[fredrikw]

btw, a good way of seeing for yourself would be to come to the Vegan Fitness Week in Stockholm 14-18 August

[bitterpoison]

Thanks bronco and frederik!
I find it tricky to pick a country in these times, especially because we will be foreigners there, and current political climate is not very favorable for foreigners.

20SEK per kilo is expensive, compared to what we pay (apples and oranges are usually available for 1EUR/kg (10SEK), except when really not in season), but it is still reasonable enough. You are probably right that it isn't more expensive than the UK, but I remember that as very expensive as well But of course we would live in a house with a large garden (a girl can dream...) so that we could grow our own vegetables.

I just read in an immigration book from Dutch-Swedish immigrants that Swedish food is basically meat and potatoes (that was a positive statement), and that Swedes do not eat many vegetables because they believe that they will make you ill...

The fishermen are going to very small communities in Sweden where they actively seek foreigners to come because all the locals are leaving the villages. There are organizations that try to find Dutch people to go to Sweden. If you are not a doctor/veterinarian/dentist and do not have a lot of money, I got the impression your best bet is to become a fisherman or someone working in the fish industry but it could be I mixed up some information about Norway and Sweden.

I'd love to go to the Vegan Fitness week, that must be so inspiring and I saw the great location in the forum thread. Unfortunately, I don't think I can make it

[RAZ]

On the whole the fruit and veg here in Sweden is tastless and crap (with the exception of wild berries and home grown apples). That's one of the things I miss most from NZ is the wonderful fresh fruit and veg.

That aside, Sweden is a great place to live! It's a beautiful country with a friendly and considerate culture. It's not hard to be vegan in the places that I've been to and most people know what vegan means. I agree with Fredrik that the UK is a little more expensive, though thier range of vegan products puts Sweden to shame.

Still, if you enjoy preparing food yourself then you don't need all those fancy-schmancy products. I love it here in Sweden and would recomend it to anyone.

/Raz

[joelbct]

Hey RAZ, Fredrik, Bronco- I am Joel, living in Connecticut, US.

This is kind of cool, many of my ancestors were from Sweden on both sides of the family. I've been to Europe but not Sweden, though I have read a bit on the history and one of my uncles (by marriage) is a native-born Swede, nonetheless it is cool to communicate with people in Sweden, and Vegans at that- I will have to make it to that Vegan Fitness week, maybe next year!

Take Care,
Joel

[quote="joelbct"]Hey RAZ, Fredrik, Bronco- I am Joel, living in Connecticut, US.

[bitterpoison]

Thanks Raz and everybody. It is great to see some positive messages about Sweden. I was reading on a Sweden-emigration board the other day, and everybody seemed quite negative. The days are short, people are not very outgoing, it is hard to start your own company, winter is long, etc. I remembered Sweden as a great country and I stayed there during the winter , but then, that was a while ago, and I was an au-pair, that is probably very different than moving there as a family.

People seemed to be unanimous that Swedes can be quite racist (not officially, but in behaviour). That is a bit of a downer, especially since we have a child and children can be so cruel. On the other hand, I am afraid racism becomes more of a problem everywhere

Sorry for not responding sooner. My exercise time has to come from somewhere, and I am afraid it is internet time that has to suffer.

[quote="bitterpoison"]The days are short, people are not very outgoing, it is hard to start your own company, winter is long, etc.