3 Things You Can Learn From Norwegian Packed Lunch About Minimalism
And how a simple ‘sandwich’ may help you combat decision fatigue
Ask any Norwegian what they had for lunch today and the answer will likely be “matpakke”— packed lunch. A staple in Norwegian life. A national icon.
I have been living in Norway for seven months now. And I started packing my own lunches for school from the day 1 — Yup, that’s pretty much the only way if you want to survive without having to sell your kidneys to pay for a lunch.
Yet, it didn’t take long until I noticed my lunches were a bit… different from my Norwegian classmates. At first, I thought the fact that everyone else but me was bringing some sort of “sandwich” for the lunch break was a coincidence. Then I’ve come to realize the pattern there.
A slice of wholegrain bread with some butter and brown cheese.
Or yellow cheese.
But hell no, not two of them at the same time.
Or, maybe a slice of knekkebrød with some butter and liver pâté.
Or bacon.
Nothing fancy.
Fresh meat, fresh fish, sliced tomatoes? Nope, they don’t have a place in matpakke.
