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The history of porridge

The history of porridge

Come and be inspired by porridge, a dish that has survived through the centuries and still holds a special place on our tables. Step into some of Skansen's historical buildings and learn how this simple yet versatile dish has changed over time.

Porridge has a long history as a staple food in Sweden. The type of porridge people ate could tell a lot about the time and place – where in the country they lived, which social class they belonged to, and whether it was an ordinary day or a special occasion.

Can we draw inspiration from our ancestors’ eating habits? Then, as well as today, porridge is associated with both everyday meals and celebrations, oatmeal as a healthy breakfast or rice porridge as a must-have on the Christmas table. , Welcome to learn more about porridge through the ages, while also reflecting on how we view porridge as a dish today.
- Mora farmstead – Early 19th-century barley porridge
- Älvros farmstead – 1830s potato porridge, a staple for many households
- The Printer’s Home – How, in the 1840s, the middle class began replacing barley-based festive porridge with the exotic rice porridge cooked in milk
- Worker’s Home – The 1890s, when wheat gruel was on the table
- Statare House – The 1920s, when steam-treated oatmeal became popular

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