Lördagsgodis - Swedish for 'Saturday candy' - is the tradition of saving sweets for Saturdays, when Swedish families pick out their favourite candy and enjoy it together. It began in the 1950s as a way to limit sugar to once a week, and it has since become one of Sweden's best-loved weekly rituals.
Ask any Swede about their childhood and Saturdays will come up. That is lördagsgodis, the weekly candy tradition that turns a simple bag of sweets into something to look forward to all week. Here is what it means, where it came from, and how to start your own.
What does lördagsgodis mean?
The word is simple. Lördag means Saturday. Godis means candy. Put together, lördagsgodis is 'Saturday candy'. It is the one day a week when Swedish children, and plenty of adults, treat themselves to sweets. The rest of the week, the candy waits.
Where did lördagsgodis come from?
The tradition started in Sweden in the 1950s. Health authorities suggested that if people were going to eat sweets, it was kinder on their teeth to enjoy them all at once, once a week, rather than a little every day. Families picked Saturday. What began as sensible advice slowly turned into something to look forward to, and lördagsgodis grew into a tradition in its own right.
How do Swedes celebrate lördagsgodis?
The classic way is a Saturday trip to the candy shop to build your own pick-and-mix, known as lösviktsgodis, or candy by weight. Children choose their own mix from the wall of sweets and fill a bag with whatever they like. Then it is shared at home, often in front of the Saturday-evening television. The fun is as much in the choosing as the eating.
Why has the tradition lasted?
Because it was never only about the candy. Lördagsgodis is a weekly ritual. It is a small, reliable family moment, and a bit of anticipation through the week. Letting children pick their own sweets makes it feel like theirs. It is one reason Swedes are among the biggest candy lovers in the world, and why the tradition has held on for over half a century.
How to start your own lördagsgodis
You do not have to be Swedish to enjoy it. Pick a day, build your own bag of favourites, and make it a weekly treat rather than an everyday one. That is the whole idea. At Nantasket Sweets, you can build your own Swedish pick-and-mix from authentic candy flown in fresh from Sweden, and we ship it across the US. Saturday optional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is lördagsgodis?
A. Lördagsgodis is the Swedish tradition of enjoying candy on Saturdays. The word means 'Saturday candy', and it is a weekly ritual where families pick out and share their favourite sweets.
Q. What does lördagsgodis mean in English?
A. It translates to 'Saturday candy' or 'Saturday sweets'. Lördag is Swedish for Saturday, and godis means candy.
Q. When did lördagsgodis start?
A. It began in Sweden in the 1950s, after health authorities recommended saving sweets for once a week to protect people's teeth. Saturday became the chosen day, and the tradition stuck.
Q. What candy do Swedes eat for lördagsgodis?
A. Usually pick-and-mix, or lösviktsgodis: a self-chosen bag of favourites, from sweet and sour gummies to salty licorice and chocolate. The variety is part of the fun.
Q. Do you have to be Swedish to do lördagsgodis?
A. Not at all. Anyone can start their own Saturday-candy tradition. Pick a day, build a bag of favourites, and enjoy it together. It is a lovely weekly treat for families.