Denmark: Lily Reback (Food in Copenhagen)

February 27, 2023

Food in Copenhagen

As a vegetarian of seven years, I was a bit nervous to study abroad in a different country and experience navigating a whole new culture of food. As much as I love trying new foods, I had no idea what to expect traveling to such an unfamiliar city. Within the first few days of living in the city, I realized how many diverse food options there are. I live in the inner city of Copenhagen so there are at least fifty food options within a five-minute walk from my apartment. 7-Eleven is a huge franchise in Copenhagen so there is usually one on nearly every street corner. This is the best place to grab a quick bite to eat as all of them are fully stocked up with croissants, breads, salads, sandwiches, and a large variety of beverages.

A plate with three pieces of bread, each covered in a variety of different toppings. — The three types of Smørrebrød we made!

My scholarship program called Scan Design hosts events every few weeks for the Danish students who studied in Madison last semester and the Madison students who are currently studying abroad in Copenhagen. Last week’s event was a Smørrebrød cooking class where we spent a few hours cooking with each other from scratch. Smørrebrød is a traditional Danish open-faced sandwich that is topped with butter and a bunch of toppings including meats, cheeses, vegetables, and spreads. We made three different types of Smørrebrød, each with an optional vegetarian choice. The sandwiches consisted of fried fish, herb mayo, fried onions, roast beef, brussel sprouts, and egg salad. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the taste, but it was a great experience, and I met a bunch of cool people.

Lily smiles and takes a selfie in the mirror with her phone in a brightly lit room.

Lily Reback

Hometown: West Bend, Wisconsin

Major: Psychology

Program: DIS – Study Abroad in Scandinavia

Danish culture has always been super fascinating to me and I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to live in Copenhagen for four whole months. The Danish word Hygge, which basically means comfort or coziness, is a large part of Scandinavian living and I’m super excited to experience it. I’ve met so many Danish exchange students living in Madison right now and everyone is so kind and friendly and I can’t wait to connect with them again once we’re both in Denmark.