(Photo: Orklabolagen pressrelease - Bubs making international success with the social media trend ”Swedish candy” )
Lördagsgodis directly translates to Saturday candy, and it simply refers to eating candy on a Saturday evening. Both children and adults participate in this ritual and it is something most of us have grown up with.
I believe there are two main reasons this is such a popular tradition in Sweden.
First of all is because we love pick & mix candy. Most Swedish people prefer buying candy from the pick & mix section, rather than the prepackaged candy bags. In fact, it is estimated that the average Swede eats around 16 kilos of candy a year. That is a lot! [1] Candy is not only for children in Sweden, lördagsgodis is a beloved tradition for all ages.
The second reason lördagsgodis is such a popular tradition in Sweden is that we typically do not eat dessert or candy during the week. This makes the weekend extra special. Growing up, I was only allowed candy once a week - on Saturdays. This made Saturdays special and something me and my siblings looked forward to.
Compared to other countries where deserts might be enjoyed after every meal or a few times a week, in Sweden, sweets are typically reserved for fika or special occasions. The same applies to candy! With candy allowed usually only on Saturdays, lördagsgodis has become a cherished tradition for us Swedes with a sweet tooth.
