Living in an Residential Community means that meals/cooking/food etc are all up to me! This wasn’t too much of a stretch for me because I did live in an apartment with a kitchen my sophomore year at SJU, but with that said I also still had a meal plan soooo…
Being able to navigate the grocery store, cook your own meals, and also balance this with wanting to go out to eat at all the amazing restaurant and cafes here can be a little bit overwhelming at first, but I think I am finally getting the hang of my meal schedule while here. This week I want to use up all of my groceries I bought and also try not to eat on the go too much since next week is core course week and I will be out and about in Denmark with my core course!
At home Sundays were my designated ‘grocery store’ days, so I have kept that going while in Copenhagen! I either go to the Fotex or Netto, depending if I want to browse more (fotex) or get my staples and leave (netto). I made a google doc for my groceries where I put the date and a list of things I bought for that week with the final price at the top, this way I am aware of what I am getting and how much I am spending. Living in an RC I am given a food stipend card that I can use to buy my groceries with which has been SO GREAT and very easy to use!
When you first arrive in Copenhagen you will inevitably need to buy a few extra things than you would on a normal basis (i.e. salt/pepper/tupperware containers). Luckily, the kitchens are fully stocked with all the utensils and cooking wear you would need!
This week at the grocery store I bought:
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eggs (6)
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bread (half loaf)
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clementines (pretty sure the reason I haven’t gotten sick yet)
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box of granola/cereal
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yogurt (kind of a mix between greek yogurt and milk, but I’m a fan)
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pasta sauce
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pasta
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chicken (two breast)
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bananas (4)
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pepper (can’t believe I’ve gone this long without it)
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pretzels
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chocolate! (obviously)
The total: 174,95 DKK = $28
So, for the week I cooked up my absolute favorites chicken and rice! I will not lie, making the rice without a rice cooker which I most definitley bring to school was difficult and I watched many tutorials, but I succeeded! I bought a large bag of rice when I first got here, so that’s something I don’t have to keep picking up (and it’s very cheap and filling anyways!). Then I cut up and cooked my chicken and put each in separate Tupperware containers. I also have a bag of frozen veggies in the freezer so I figure I can divide out this meal for the week either for lunch or dinner. I then also have the option of pasta, scrambled eggs, yogurt & granola, good ole pb&j, fruit, the options are really endless!
I don’t seem to snack too much here, though I have decided that each week(ish) I go to the grocery store I will buy a piece of chocolate because that is my first love and something I need on hand at all times. This week I got some sort of danish sweet that looked super yummy and I am excited to see how that is!
Though I am getting into this grocery shopping abroad thing, I definitley have ate at some pretty awesome places, and this weekend definitley was filled with my new favorites:
Friends & Brgrs
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On Saturday I went sailing on a reconstructed viking ship with my Nordic Mythology class (this was incredibly cool). Since sailing a boat on a fjord creates an eternal bond and a hungry stomach I and some new pals went to eat at a place called Friends & Brgrs. We definitley got all of our orders mixed up amongst us and I definitley ended up eating many jalapenos and crying while enjoying what was a really delicious meal, just SUPER hot. First time for everything!
Mad & Kaffe
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On Sunday I met a girl that went to SJU and is now working in Ireland because she was visiting Copenhagen for the weekend. We ate at Mad & Kaffe which turns out to be right down the street from me (this could be dangerous..). You get to choose from all types of small plates, and everything was just so yummy and pretty. I’ll let the photo speak for itself.
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One comment
I’m very Impressed with your shopping/cooking- although, I too would be tempted to eat out a lot and savor the Danish culture and cuisine.