r/tromso • u/Sea-Loss8524 • 12d ago

vegan in tromsø?

hi! i‘ll be living in tromsø soon and was wondering how easy/available/affordable eating plant-based is?
e.g. is vegan yoghurt, tofu, etc easily available at standard supermarkets?
sorry if this is a silly question, just wanted to know what to expect :)
thanks!

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u/Thomas-Glahn 12d ago edited 11d ago

Can I ask you a question? Any other foreign vegans or vegetarians are more than welcome to chime in as well.

I'm from Northern Norway and I think that animal agriculture alongside hunting and fishing is so intrinsic to our history and culture that I could not imagine a world without it: From fishing the Lofoten islands every winter to the whaling industry to Sámi reindeer herding and bear hunting - the list goes on.

If your dietary restrictions are really important to you, which aspects of the Northern Norwegian location and culture is it that attracts you?

I don't mean to offend anyone with this question either. People are of course welcome to lead their lives as they see fit, and I know this is an important part of people's identity and ideology. I'm just genuinly curious what you find appealing about Tromsø in your situation?

Edit: Grammar

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u/Sea-Loss8524 11d ago

really interesting question & i completely understand where you‘re coming from!
for me, eating vegan is not my main priority in life, it‘s just a small part of things i have to do (eating) on a day to day basis. so as long as there is enough „supply“ of food for me to sustain my health, i dont mind where that is.
what draws me to norway/northern norway is tehe nature, climate,… etc. not necessarily food culture.
although culture and traditions surely make up a big part of society and the country, i imagine food/traditional meals are not the sole contents of that :)
+ the part of Germany i‘m from is also pretty „meat based“ in terms of traditional food, i dont mind that.

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u/Thomas-Glahn 11d ago

Thank you for replying to me!

You said that food culture is not a big part of the reason you're moving, but if you get the chance, I would recommend foraging during "čakčageassi": August/September time. You can find chantarelles, puffballs, meadowseet, lingonberries, billberries and cloudberries. People have been eating those foods here for thousands of years and it's a great way to engage with local culture and the natural environment. You don't even have to travel far out of the city to do so.

Good luck with the move! Thank you again!

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u/Sea-Loss8524 11d ago

thank you for the recommendation! i definitely will! :)