lordagsgodis swedish candies

By Lilla Candy Co

Lördagsgodis: The Swedish Saturday Candy Tradition

Imagine it’s Saturday afternoon in Sweden. Families are strolling to the local shop, and children are gleefully clutching colorful bags of candy they’ve been waiting for all week. This weekly ritual is called lördagsgodis, which literally means “Saturday sweets”. It’s a beloved Scandinavian tradition where kids (and often adults) indulge in candy only on Saturdays, turning an ordinary day into a much-anticipated treat day.

For American parents curious about balancing sweet treats with healthy habits, the lördagsgodis concept offers an intriguing approach. In this post, we’ll explore what lördagsgodis is, its origins in Swedish public health policy, how it’s practiced today, and how you might incorporate a bit of this sweet Swedish wisdom into your own family’s routine.

What Is Lördagsgodis?

Lördagsgodis (pronounced lor-dahgs-goh-dees) is a Swedish and Norwegian tradition of reserving one day a week – Saturday – as candy day. On this day, children are allowed to buy and enjoy their favorite sweets, but the rest of the week remains candy-free. The practice began as a way to let kids enjoy treats in moderation. Instead of nibbling sugary snacks every day, all the fun is saved up for one exciting weekly “candy fiesta.” It’s not about denying candy; it’s about making candy special. Swedes even have a playful saying for it: “All the sweets you want, but only once a week!”.

From a child’s perspective, lördagsgodis turns Saturday into a mini-holiday. Many Swedish kids receive a weekly allowance, and often Saturday’s candy is the first thing they’ll spend it on. It’s common to see children carefully picking out a mix of gummies, chocolate, sour candies, and the famously salty licorice to fill a small bag. In fact, Sweden is famous for its “lösgodis” (loose candy) displays – big walls of pick-and-mix bins in grocery stores where you scoop candy by weight. Each kid can choose their personal favorites, which adds to the fun and sense of independence. Lördagsgodis isn’t just about sugar; it’s a family ritual and a lesson in patience – everyone waits until Saturday to dig in.

A Sweet Tradition with Health-Conscious Roots

It might surprise you that this adorable candy ritual was born out of serious public health concerns. Back in the 1940s and 50s, Sweden faced a surge in tooth decay as sugar became more available after World War II. To investigate the link between sugar and cavities, Swedish authorities carried out the (now notorious) Vipeholm experiments – a series of dental studies where patients at a mental hospital were given extra-sugary diets. These experiments confirmed what we now take for granted: frequent sugar consumption causes rampant tooth decay. Armed with this evidence, Swedish medical authorities decided to take action.

In 1957, following the publication of the Vipeholm study results, Sweden launched a coordinated public health campaign with a clear message: enjoy candy, but limit it to once a week. Radio announcements, pamphlets sent to homes, and posters in clinics all promoted moderation rather than outright prohibition. The slogan was essentially “Go ahead, eat sweets – but only on Saturdays!” Parents were encouraged to treat Saturday as the designated day for candy, to curb daily sugar snacking and protect children’s teeth.

This public health advice fell on receptive ears. Culturally, Swedes tend to trust government guidance on health, so many families embraced the once-a-week treat plan. Norway adopted the idea around the same time, with Norwegian health officials also recommending Saturday-only sweets for better dental health. Over the following decades, what began as a dentist-approved guideline evolved into a beloved tradition. By the 1970s, the habit was firmly ingrained: Swedish families would buy candy in bulk and save it for a fun Saturday celebration. Lördagsgodis became an informal national holiday of sorts – a weekly event that’s half public health strategy, half pure childhood joy.

Sweet Saturdays: How Lördagsgodis Is Celebrated Today

Candy stores in Sweden often dedicate entire “walls” to self-serve candy bins. Children (and adults!) fill a bag with favorites for their Saturday treat.

Fast forward to today, and lördagsgodis is still going strong in Sweden (and Norway). Every Saturday, supermarkets and convenience stores brace for a candy rush. In Sweden, it’s typical for families to visit the store together so the kids can pick out their sweets from the rows of colorful bulk candy bins. One Swedish father describes how as a kid, “you wait for Saturday to get your candy. And it’s like a small, big event with your parents”. Now he’s passing that tradition to his own children, making Saturday candy runs a family bonding time.

The cultural significance of lördagsgodis is huge – just ask any Swede. It’s practically a childhood rite of passage. All week long, kids (not to mention sweet-toothed grown-ups) look forward to Saturday’s “candy fix.” There’s even data to back how ingrained it is: in Norway, candy sales skyrocket on Saturdays, with one major grocery wholesaler reporting they sell five times more candy on Saturday than on a typical weekday. Swedish stores see a similar pattern, as Saturday has become the day everyone splurges on sweets. Far from feeling restrictive, this routine makes candy feel extra special. Children savor the excitement of filling their candy bag on Saturday, and because it’s a shared custom, they don’t feel singled out or deprived – all their friends are doing the same thing.

Interestingly, lördagsgodis has also fostered some useful life skills. Because kids know they’ll get a set amount of candy or a certain budget once a week, they learn about delayed gratification and even basic money management. “Penny candy” is often one of the first things Swedish children buy with their own allowance, teaching them to budget their weekly spending. They might decide to save a bit of their weekly pocket money for other goodies, or spend it all on a bigger bag of sweets – but either way, they’re making choices and planning for their Saturday reward. In a fun and subtle way, Saturday candy time helps kids practice patience, decision-making, and moderation.

And let’s not forget: Swedes love their candy. They consume more candy per person than almost anyone else in the world – about 35 pounds of candy per year on average! You’ll find dozens of candy varieties in a typical shop, from fruity gummies and chocolate-coated toffees to the infamous salty licorice (a Scandinavian favorite that many Americans find puzzling). Despite this sweet tooth, Sweden also boasts some of the world’s best dental health outcomes. Lördagsgodis gets a lot of credit for that apparent paradox – by keeping candy to one day, Swedes minimize constant sugar exposure to teeth, and they tend to brush carefully after their sugary Saturday splurge. In other words, enjoy your treats, but take care of your teeth afterward! Generations of Swedes have grown up with bright smiles and happy candy-filled Saturdays to show for it.

Health and Parenting Perspectives on Once-a-Week Treats

From a health perspective, the logic behind lördagsgodis is compelling. Frequent sugary snacks can be a dentist’s nightmare – if kids are munching candy every day, their teeth are bathed in sugar constantly, which is far worse than a once-weekly treat followed by a good brushing. By clustering sweets into one period, you give the teeth (and the body) a break the rest of the week. Many pediatric dentists and nutritionists would agree that less frequent sugar spikes are better than daily sugar grazing. In Sweden, the once-a-week rule helped dramatically reduce childhood cavities in the decades after it was introduced. It’s a strategy that has stood the test of time and science.

Parents also appreciate the routine and boundaries that lördagsgodis creates. When “candy day” is an agreed-upon part of the family calendar, there’s less bargaining and nagging for treats on other days. Instead of the constant “Can I have a candy now?” battle, kids learn to accept “Let’s save that for Saturday.” It turns the conversation positive: “Yes, you can have candy! Great idea – let’s add it to the Saturday list.” For many families, this structure reduces stress without taking away the joy of sweets. Kids still get to be kids and enjoy candy, but within a framework that parents feel good about.

There’s also something to be said for how special candy becomes under this system. When you only get a certain treat occasionally, you tend to appreciate it more. Swedish children know Saturday is their day to indulge, and they often make it an event – maybe watching a movie with their candy or sharing treats with siblings. Some observers note that this ritual gives candy “a sort of sophistication and special quality” – it’s not mindless snacking, it’s an experience to savor. In fact, one American fan of Swedish candy noted, “It’s not just like opening a pack of Skittles. It’s like, ‘Wow! I’m really having an indulging moment… and I only need a few pieces to get my fix.’”. That mindset can be healthier both mentally and physically: treats should feel satisfying, not just habit-forming.

Of course, moderation is still key. Lördagsgodis doesn’t mean kids eat unlimited candy on Saturday; Swedish parents typically set reasonable portions. The idea is to let children enjoy a generous treat, not a sugar coma. And if there’s a birthday party or holiday on another day, parents may make exceptions – the goal isn’t absolute rigidity, but a general rule that keeps everyday sugar in check. The success of the tradition shows that when healthy habits are baked into culture, they’re easier to follow. As a parent, establishing a “treat day” could be a way to say yes to sweets in a controlled way, rather than constant small “no’s” that can lead to tantrums (or sneaky candy stashes). Many Swedish parents feel good knowing their kids get to indulge and stay healthy, and that’s a win-win worth considering.

Candy Culture: U.S. vs. Sweden (and Others)

How does the once-a-week candy custom compare to treat culture in the United States and elsewhere? In the U.S., we don’t have an official “candy day” – sweets are available and advertised all the time. American kids might get a piece of candy after school, a dessert many nights, or a cookie from the teacher as a reward. And of course, there are seasonal candy blowouts like Halloween (the ultimate candy binge night), Easter baskets, Valentine’s candies, and so on. The result is that many American children eat candy or sugary treats almost daily, even if it’s just a small piece here and there. Moderation is left to each family to manage, and it can be challenging when candy is everywhere from the checkout aisle to Grandma’s candy dish.

That said, some American families have independently adopted practices similar to lördagsgodis. You might know parents who declare “Sweet Sundays” or only allow soda and candy on weekends. These ideas echo the same principle: concentrate the indulgence to encourage a healthier routine on weekdays. However, without a broad cultural norm backing it up, U.S. parents can face an uphill battle. Your child might wonder, “Why do I have to wait for Saturday when my friends can have candy after school?” This is where Swedish (and Norwegian) parents have a bit of an advantage – everyone is on the same page. When nearly all the kids in your class have to wait for Saturday, it just feels normal.

Looking beyond the U.S., Scandinavia in general shares Sweden’s sweet tradition. Norway’s equivalent is even called “lørdagsgodteri” (same word, different spelling), and Danish families often have a Friday or Saturday candy routine too. Interestingly, even the Netherlands has a culture of treating Saturdays as special candy days in many households. In the U.K. or Canada, there isn’t a specific day, but it used to be common for kids to get a weekly allowance and maybe spend part of it on Saturday at the local sweet shop – a similar idea, if not an official rule. Some cultures take the opposite approach: for example, in France and Italy, sweets might be given in small quantities but more frequently (think a piece of chocolate after dinner each day). Every culture has its own way of balancing the human love of sweetness with the need for health. Sweden’s solution has been to make moderation a fun tradition, rather than a daily struggle.

It’s also worth noting the recent Swedish candy craze hitting American shores. Thanks to social media and curious foodies, Scandinavian candies (like gummy “cars,” sour skulls, and licorice treats) have surged in popularity in the U.S. Candy stores specializing in Swedish-style goodies and pick-and-mix are popping up in some cities. This trend underscores a key point: when treats are novel and less frequent, they feel exciting. American parents might not convert the whole country to lördagsgodis overnight, but trying it at home could very well make candy more special and less routine for your kids.

Tips for Adopting Lördagsgodis in Your Family

If the idea of a once-a-week candy day appeals to you, here are some practical tips to bring a bit of Sweden’s lördagsgodis magic into your home. You don’t have to do it exactly the Swedish way; the goal is to make it fun and workable for your family:

  • Pick Your “Candy Day”: Decide on a day that makes sense for your schedule. Saturday is traditional (and gives kids something to look forward to at week’s end), but you might choose Friday night or Sunday afternoon – whatever works. The key is consistency, so kids know this is the day for treats.📅

  • Make It an Event: Turn candy day into a mini celebration. You could take a family trip to a local candy store or supermarket and let the kids mix-and-match their favorite candies by weight (like Swedish families do at the candy wall). Alternatively, have a special “candy jar” at home that only gets opened on your treat day. By making it an event, you build positive memories around moderated treat time.

  • Set a Reasonable Limit: Part of lördagsgodis is learning moderation. Decide ahead of time roughly how much candy is okay – maybe each child gets to pick a certain number of pieces or a small bag worth. In Sweden, children typically get a bag of candy, not an endless supply. 📏 Emphasize that this amount is their stash to enjoy, and it needs to last them through the day (or the movie night, etc.). This teaches them to self-regulate – a child who gobbles their whole bag in one morning learns that they might want to save some for later!

  • Budget & Responsibility: If your kids are a bit older, consider tying candy day to allowance or chores. For example, give them a couple of dollars to spend on candy, and let them figure out how to get the most enjoyment for their money. 💰 This echoes the Swedish practice of kids using weekly pocket money for Saturday sweets. It’s a sneaky way to make them practice math and budgeting – they’ll compare prices, weigh choices, and maybe even save a bit of candy money for next week.

  • Combine It with Family Time: Make the treat day part of family time – like a Saturday game night or a movie. This shifts the focus from just eating candy to enjoying an experience together. It also lets you supervise the sugar intake and brush teeth afterward as a routine. For instance, “Saturday candy night” could end with everyone tidying up and doing a thorough tooth brushing contest to keep those smiles healthy (kids might be more eager to brush when it’s framed as “We had our candy, now let’s clean those sugar bugs off!”).

  • Stay Flexible and Positive: Adopting a new routine can be tricky, so stay flexible. Maybe you start by slowly cutting back weekday sweets and hyping up the upcoming candy day. If there’s a special occasion on a non-candy day (birthday cupcakes at school, for example), it’s okay – just get back to the routine afterward. The goal isn’t to be strict to the point of misery, but to create a sustainable pattern. Keep the tone positive: this isn’t a punishment, it’s a fun tradition you’re trying out.

By introducing your own version of lördagsgodis, you might find that your children not only eat fewer sweets overall, but also come to cherish their treats more. The anticipation and enjoyment of a dedicated candy day can transform how your family thinks about sugary snacks. Many American parents are pleasantly surprised that when kids know candy is coming on a set day, they actually whine less about sweets the rest of the week. And you might just enjoy having all the candy excitement condensed into one happy occasion rather than scattered (and argued over) every day.

Conclusion

Lördagsgodis shows that a little cultural wisdom can go a long way in tackling a universal parenting challenge: the “candy question.” The Swedish approach – setting limits through a fun tradition – turns candy from a daily dilemma into a weekly delight. It’s an educational yet casual way to teach kids about moderation, patience, and appreciation for treats. American families, always juggling healthy habits and happy kiddos, might find some inspiration in this Scandinavian custom. After all, parenting doesn’t come with a manual, but it can come with a big bag of Saturday candy and a lot of smiles. 🎉 So next time you’re pondering how to keep the sweets under control, consider taking a page from Sweden’s playbook: save it for Saturday, make it special, and enjoy the sweet life guilt-free.

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