How yesterday’s necessities became today’s traditions, and why progress isn’t always quite what we expected

There is a certain temptation to look back at the past through rose-tinted spectacles. Life was simpler, food tasted better, people were more resourceful and nobody needed an instruction manual to operate a kitchen appliance.

Of course, life was also considerably harder, particularly if you happened to be the person responsible for keeping the household running.

Over the past century, Swedish homes, kitchens and everyday routines have changed beyond recognition. Tasks that once required hours of physical labour can now be accomplished at the press of a button. Ingredients that were once expensive luxuries have become everyday staples, while foods previously associated with poverty are now celebrated as fashionable delicacies.

Yet some old practices are making a comeback. Preserving food, growing vegetables, baking bread and repairing things rather than replacing them are once again attracting interest. What our grandparents did out of necessity, we sometimes do for pleasure, economy or environmental reasons.

And occasionally, we discover that they knew a thing or two.

Here we explore how Swedish life has changed through the generations, comparing old customs, household practices and food traditions with their modern counterparts. Not to argue that the past was better, but to understand what we have gained, what we have lost and what might still be worth keeping.

After all, nostalgia is considerably more enjoyable when you don’t have to wash the sheets by hand.

Then & Now Stories

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