12 Finnish supermarket foods every newcomer should try
You don’t need a restaurant to taste Finland. Some of the most Finnish food there is sits on ordinary supermarket shelves, often at a price that surprises you. Here are twelve things to put in your basket during your first month. A few of them you’ll love, and at least one you’ll never buy again.
1. Rye bread (ruisleipä)
Dark, sour and filling, rye bread is the Finnish everyday bread. Try a round Reissumies from Oululainen or a flat ruispala from Vaasan. Butter and a slice of cheese is all it needs.
2. Karelian pies (karjalanpiirakat)
Thin rye crust filled with rice porridge. Warm one in the oven and top it with egg butter (munavoi): chopped boiled egg mixed with butter. Almost every bakery brand makes them.
3. Fazer Blue chocolate (Fazerin Sininen)
The milk chocolate in the blue wrapper is a national treasure. Even Finns who “don’t eat sweets” keep a bar in the cupboard. See reviews.
4. Salmiakki
Salty liquorice. It tastes strange the first time and addictive the fifth. Start with a mild one before you try the extra-strong kind.
5. Geisha and Marianne
Two more Fazer classics: Geisha (milk chocolate with hazelnut nougat) and Marianne (peppermint candy with a chocolate centre).
6. Oltermanni cheese
A mild, creamy Valio cheese that goes on rye bread in many Finnish homes. See Valio reviews.
7. Leipäjuusto
“Bread cheese”: a squeaky baked cheese. Warm it in the oven and eat it with cloudberry jam (lakkahillo) if you want to go fully Finnish.
8. Viili
A thick, stretchy fermented milk. The texture surprises everyone at first. Try it with a spoonful of jam or cinnamon sugar.
9. Porridge oats and kiisseli
Finns take breakfast porridge seriously. Try oat porridge from Elovena with a berry soup (kiisseli) on top.
10. Jaffa
The orange soda that’s been at every Finnish children’s party for generations. See Jaffa reviews.
11. Lonkero (long drink)
Gin and grapefruit soda, invented for the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. The original is Hartwall Original Long Drink. You need to be 18 or over to buy it.
12. Korvapuusti
Cinnamon buns that look like a slapped ear, hence the name. Fresh from the bake-off counter on a Saturday morning is hard to beat.
Seasonal treats you’ll only find part of the year
Finnish supermarkets follow the calendar closely. Some of the best treats appear for a few weeks and then vanish until next year.
| When | What | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| January–February | Runebergin torttu | Almond cake with raspberry jam, for poet J. L. Runeberg’s day on 5 February |
| February–March | Laskiaispulla | Cardamom bun filled with cream and jam or almond paste |
| Easter | Mämmi | Dark baked rye pudding, eaten with cream and sugar |
| Late April–May Day | Sima and tippaleipä | Home-style lemon mead and a crispy funnel cake |
| Summer | New potatoes and fresh strawberries | Finnish-grown, sold from June |
| November–December | Joulutorttu and piparkakut | Star-shaped plum-jam pastries and gingerbread |
The ones that divide opinion
Not every Finnish classic is an easy first date. Salmiakki and mämmi are the two most newcomers struggle with. Viili comes close because of its stretchy texture. Try them anyway, at least once. Finns will ask you about them, and “I tried it” is always a good start to a conversation.
How to try everything on a small budget
- Start with the shops’ own brands. Pirkka and Kotimaista versions of rye bread, Karelian pies and oat porridge cost less and are a fair first taste.
- Use the pick-and-mix wall (irtokarkit) for salmiakki. Buy two or three pieces instead of a whole bag you might hate.
- Look for the evening discount stickers on fresh bakery items like korvapuusti and Karelian pies.
- Share with flatmates or classmates. A shared tasting evening of twelve Finnish foods is cheap, fun and a great way to meet people.
Tried them? Tell everyone
Every item on this list has fans and haters. That’s exactly why reviews from real people are useful. Find each product on Aitoarvio, give it stars and say what you really think, good or bad.
FAQ
What is the most famous Finnish food? Rye bread, Karelian pies and salmiakki are the ones most Finns would name, along with Fazer Blue chocolate.
Where can I buy these? All twelve are sold in normal Finnish supermarkets. Leipäjuusto and the bake-off buns are easiest to find in bigger stores.
Is salmiakki the same as liquorice? It’s liquorice with ammonium chloride added, which gives the salty, slightly sharp taste.
What do Finns eat for breakfast? Typically rye bread with butter, cheese and cucumber, oat porridge, yoghurt or viili, and lots of coffee.
Are there good vegan Finnish foods? Yes. Rye bread, oat porridge, many Karelian pies (check the label for butter), berries and oat drinks are vegan or easy to make vegan.